November 27, 28, 2010 Washington Pass Video

Very nice Jeff.
Wish I'd bitten the bullet and done the drive this weekend.
You going to be guiding the Heli-touring this year again?
Last year's trip with you still one of my best trips ever.

Awesome.  Thanks for sharing.

$$$

Hey that's me about two minutes in...

Thanks for the skin track Larry and Co!

Excellent conditions.

Here's the WSDOT update from a ski buddy.  The snowshoe affected depth statement is unique.   ;)

"Hi all,

We were able to keep the North Cascades Highway open through the Thanksgiving weekend, despite one slide that closed a lane for a couple hours until our crew could safely clear it.

HOWEVER, we're closing it at 4 p.m. this afternoon and will look at it after the storm to see if we can reopen.  We've got a forecast for a big dump tonight and another one tomorrow - depending on whose forecast you're reading, we could get a foot, or up to two feet of new snow from each front that's coming through.  At the same time, the forecast for last Thursday night to Friday said 15" and we got 6 to 8 inches (and the one slide).  So, we'll wait to see what the storms actually bring before declaring it closed for the season.

Right now, there's 31 inches on the shoulder at Washington Pass.  That amount of snow usually isn't enough to worry about, but with the arctic cold last week, there's an icy crust on what snow is in the chutes and depending on the characteristics of the new snow coming (as well as how much), we could find slides closing the highway or unstable conditions (read hazardous to work under or drive under) that would turn this into the permanent winter closure. (By the way - if you click on the Washington Weather Station link, you'll note that it says there's only 22" of snow on the ground.  Check the top of the page - a snowshoer walked over the top of the sensor and compacted the snow, so NWAC left a note - add 10" to the total! - first time I've seen that...)

Today, while the road conditions are good, our crews are checking cars parked at trailheads and contacting drivers to tell them to go home before the storm's hit.

I'll send out an update when Mike and Don get back in radio range tomorrow and tell me what they've found.

Jeff Adamson This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 509-667-2815 "


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Update your

So that was where it was going off this weekend ! Great vid and a great call on your part(s). I lost count of different parkas, was there a good turnout? You nailed it, keep that mojo goin.

That video is bunk, I was there this weekend and it sucked.  Pockets of air, rocks, crappy snow, I wish I stayed down south, much deeper snowpack.  Just my 2 cents.

There was certainly no shortage of terrain with thin coverage but in the right spots I can testify to the abundance of fluffy goodness...

Scotsman,  It's good to hear from you.  It looks like you've been getting the goods as well.  I will be back working for NC Heli as well as NC Mountain Guides this winter.  Hope to ski with you again soon.  We have to try to top last year.  It's nice to see the snow piling up at the pass.  I'm actually looking forward to the pass closing - the real start of the ski season. 

Powski - That wasn't trick photography or video from past years.  I agree it's not a free for all out there right now, but a little local knowledge goes a long way. 

Local knowledge, your from Leavenworth ain't ya?  You'd be a mid-southerner to us folk up north.  Ain't ya got better snow down there?

Wow great vid. Wish I had gone up there.

I am from Leavenworth, but spend a good part of my winter guiding up at WA Pass.  The snow is great down here but I think it's good everywhere right now if you chose your slopes wisely.  I think it would be pretty easy to get skunked with the current snowpack if you didn't know the terrain  Two to three feet of cold smoke doesn't cover the boulders as well as a real PNW storm.   Fortunately that should be taken care of by tomorrow...

Video is bunk????  OMG....laughing hysterically....  yea, the Blair Witch project of ski videos!!! ::)  (That is my backside in the video boot packing a trough up to a col above the hairpin.  I am 6'2" and I enjoyed several hundred ft. of face shots from this col.)

I was with Larry and buddy from the ham and it was as fine a day as they come.

Cityhick...hello again in passing.  (Like the hat...classic retro ski look)  Good to see fellow hamsters making the right call.  You were the only two folks we saw all day.

Faked photos of powder skiing and boot packing at Washington Pass:

http://picasaweb.google.com/GreggCronn/BunkPictures#

Shanti,

Gregg