October 31, Bullion / Cement Basin's
10/15/10
WA Cascades West Slopes South (Mt Rainier)
3462
8
What a gorgeous day to be in the Crystal back country!! I leisurely left the parking lot at 12:45 and headed up the Bullion Basin trail walking in my ski boots. I decided to don skins about 1300vf up from the parking lot, though I could have put them on a little sooner. The weather up there today was just fantastic, making me wish I had an earlier start and a buddy so I could really do some laps. It ended up being a non lap day, just up to the ridge top and down, but it was totally worth it. The snow higher up stayed really nice despite sitting in the sun all day. There was remnants of a skin track that I was able to utilize up high, thanks to whoever put that in! There was plenty of good snow to ski today, I just wish I was able to ski more of it!!
I'm severely out of the loop, but one thing I noticed on my way up is the (I believe new) road winding up the mountain that the trail now passes through. I've only been up here once before, and I don't remember a road the last time I was there. There were two giant caterpillar tractors and one smaller one sitting parked that I had to walk around, most likely road making equipment.
I'm severely out of the loop, but one thing I noticed on my way up is the (I believe new) road winding up the mountain that the trail now passes through. I've only been up here once before, and I don't remember a road the last time I was there. There were two giant caterpillar tractors and one smaller one sitting parked that I had to walk around, most likely road making equipment.
Hey, Chris! I wondered about you, today. Glad you got your turns in. We should have talked. I took my Br-in-law out to Paradise for his first time on AT gear. Sounds like we had the same snow and weather.
Mosetick, did you hit any rocks on your way down or was the snow deep enough to keep you from dinging your skis? Sounds like a nice day on the snow...it sure was a beautiful day in Seattle...wish I had been skiing instead of moving into a new house.
That's early for Bullion, Mosetick; way to lead the charge.
Hey Rusty Knees and Telemack! I miss skiing with you guys! Mack, thanks for the compliment, but I'm hardly the first guy up there this year, unless what I was seeing was a mostly buried snowshoe track rather than skin track. :)
lolob, surprisingly my skis did not get dinged today. I was even kinda expecting a few new scratches, but I got out clean. If I were able to do laps up high today, then I really would not have had anything to worry about, as it was surprisingly deep where it needed to be. Down lower, the trail was covered enough for me to carefully ski down sans scratches to a bit lower than where I started skinning.
lolob, surprisingly my skis did not get dinged today. I was even kinda expecting a few new scratches, but I got out clean. If I were able to do laps up high today, then I really would not have had anything to worry about, as it was surprisingly deep where it needed to be. Down lower, the trail was covered enough for me to carefully ski down sans scratches to a bit lower than where I started skinning.
Way to get it.
I'm surprised that the skiing was that good. I was tempted to get up there, but to much fiddling around still. ;)
That road has been there forever and a day.
I'm surprised that the skiing was that good. I was tempted to get up there, but to much fiddling around still. ;)
That road has been there forever and a day.
not to be an alarmist, but I wonder if those caterpillars were for an upcoming chairlift into Bullion?
author=nedski link=topic=17780.msg75195#msg75195 date=1288671868]
not to be an alarmist, but I wonder if those caterpillars were for an upcoming chairlift into Bullion?
You're being an alarmist. No.
I skied Silver Basin on Saturday. Snow level was around ~5000', snowed most of the day, hard at times. Upper basin was pretty wind affected, with areas that had significant deposits and other areas that had obviously been blasted by the wind with sharkfins galore. The lower basin, around and below the knoll was excellent skiing.
Looks like the rain didn't eliminate all of the snow up there, but I imagine we'll need another storm or two to fill it back in.
Looks like the rain didn't eliminate all of the snow up there, but I imagine we'll need another storm or two to fill it back in.
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