Dec 29-30, 2010, Sasse Ridge
12/29/10
1497
0
Jane and I went back to our preferred area on the east side of the Cle Elum river valley this Wednesday Thursday. Based on the predictions of the snowpack model we were not sure how far we could go, but we were able to follow a track from the Salmon La Sac parking area for a while which helped. Above that it was slow going, but not exhausting. Nonetheless, we were happy to settle for our lower campsite area (~3400 ft).
It snowed off and on during the afternoon and evening as the temperature dropped, as forecast. (See the pic below: clearing my tent platform.) The only question was how cold it would get. You never really know this time of year because it's so heavily dependent on cloud cover. If the clouds clear off early in the night, the low can be 10 degrees colder than if the clouds persist at that location. The prediction was 15 degrees / partly cloudy, but the clouds did clear off, and when we got up in the morning it was 5 degrees.
We did not have any really cold nights last year, so we both had to re-remember our cold weather tricks. there was a buried crust where we were camped but we had hopes for improved snow higher up, so we started up the hill a little after 6 am. As it got light, the views reminded us of why we do it. (See the pic below of Goat Mtn.) It being that cold, and therefore such a small margin for error or the unexpected, we decided to make the 4600 foot road bend our high point. Based on the snowpack model's lapse rate predictions for Thursday, the temperature at that point was probably close to zero. It did not feel like it as long as we kept moving, but even a quick stop to take a picture would lead to a chill.
It turned out that the skiing was excellent, once we forgot about it being the first time for real turns this season and just let the skis (our beloved Trabs) do the work. When we got back to the tents it had warmed up - - to 7 degrees. But then about 10:30 the sun peaked over the ridge, which made packing up much more enjoyable.
More pics here:
http://cid-d9374555cbe355aa.photos.live.com/browse.aspx/Sasse%20Ridge%5EJ%20Dec%2029-30%5EJ%202010
It snowed off and on during the afternoon and evening as the temperature dropped, as forecast. (See the pic below: clearing my tent platform.) The only question was how cold it would get. You never really know this time of year because it's so heavily dependent on cloud cover. If the clouds clear off early in the night, the low can be 10 degrees colder than if the clouds persist at that location. The prediction was 15 degrees / partly cloudy, but the clouds did clear off, and when we got up in the morning it was 5 degrees.
We did not have any really cold nights last year, so we both had to re-remember our cold weather tricks. there was a buried crust where we were camped but we had hopes for improved snow higher up, so we started up the hill a little after 6 am. As it got light, the views reminded us of why we do it. (See the pic below of Goat Mtn.) It being that cold, and therefore such a small margin for error or the unexpected, we decided to make the 4600 foot road bend our high point. Based on the snowpack model's lapse rate predictions for Thursday, the temperature at that point was probably close to zero. It did not feel like it as long as we kept moving, but even a quick stop to take a picture would lead to a chill.
It turned out that the skiing was excellent, once we forgot about it being the first time for real turns this season and just let the skis (our beloved Trabs) do the work. When we got back to the tents it had warmed up - - to 7 degrees. But then about 10:30 the sun peaked over the ridge, which made packing up much more enjoyable.
More pics here:
http://cid-d9374555cbe355aa.photos.live.com/browse.aspx/Sasse%20Ridge%5EJ%20Dec%2029-30%5EJ%202010
Reply to this TR
Please login first: