October 30, 2004, Baker Ski Area, BC
10/30/04
WA Cascades West Slopes North (Mt Baker)
5219
14
Skinned out the gated road from the Baker Ski area towards Artists point at 10am in light snow. The visibility worsened at the Artist Point parking lot at the end of the road, so turned back and lapped the slope down toward the little lake at the foot of table mountain twice.
The snow was very nice -- 3 feet deep and dry enough but also dense enough to make a good base. There didn't seem to be much of an issue with weak layers other than that the last 3-4 inches before the ground was pretty hard. The snow seemed pretty well bonded to this layer, but YMMV.
Skinned up the the road toward Artist Point again and cut up the back of the ski area to the top of chair 1. Thought about descending under chair 1, but headed down the ridge towards chair 6 and looped back toward the Heather Meadows lodge. Coverage was very good up top and good below -- a little brushy but still 18-24" of decent snow at the thinnest spots.
Looked back up at the chute under chair 1 and was glad I didn't do it -- still very bony with a few mandatory rock drops. Definitely would have needed some base welds.
All in all a teriffic powder day.
The snow was very nice -- 3 feet deep and dry enough but also dense enough to make a good base. There didn't seem to be much of an issue with weak layers other than that the last 3-4 inches before the ground was pretty hard. The snow seemed pretty well bonded to this layer, but YMMV.
Skinned up the the road toward Artist Point again and cut up the back of the ski area to the top of chair 1. Thought about descending under chair 1, but headed down the ridge towards chair 6 and looped back toward the Heather Meadows lodge. Coverage was very good up top and good below -- a little brushy but still 18-24" of decent snow at the thinnest spots.
Looked back up at the chute under chair 1 and was glad I didn't do it -- still very bony with a few mandatory rock drops. Definitely would have needed some base welds.
All in all a teriffic powder day.
Splitboard?
yep --
first day on a splitboard, and I'm a true believer. I floundered a little bit at times -- including tipping over a few times on the fireroad -- but with a little advice from a nice baker local things went pretty well overall. Down is still better than up, but cruising around on skis w/ skins was actually a lot of fun in itself.
first day on a splitboard, and I'm a true believer. I floundered a little bit at times -- including tipping over a few times on the fireroad -- but with a little advice from a nice baker local things went pretty well overall. Down is still better than up, but cruising around on skis w/ skins was actually a lot of fun in itself.
Cool. We are getting a significant splitboarder presence on TAY. That makes me, jimjar, snoslut, philfort, stefan(screen name?) and you (if I didn't forget anyone else). Maybe it's time for a NW splitfest this season. Mob the volcanoes in May?
Nice to hear the end of 542 is getting an early start.
Do 2 ski's duct-taped together count as a splitboard on the descent, or as a monoski?
Do 2 ski's duct-taped together count as a splitboard on the descent, or as a monoski?
No, for a monoski to be a splitboard, you would have to slap fat skins on a pair of em and skin up. ???
Your contraption would only qualify if you were to hold both ski poles in one hand during the descent.
Your contraption would only qualify if you were to hold both ski poles in one hand during the descent.
Excellent conditions there today too, and good visibility with sun in the afternoon. Just lapped the slopes below table mountain - great powder, lots of people out, good vibes. The place was pretty tracked up by EOD.
Two slabs triggered in windloaded rolls during the day, one of them was ~1.5ft thick (didn't see it happen, but ski tracks led into it).
The splitboard proved once again its unsurpassed climbing ability in deep snow. ;D
all the "tracktion":
Two slabs triggered in windloaded rolls during the day, one of them was ~1.5ft thick (didn't see it happen, but ski tracks led into it).
The splitboard proved once again its unsurpassed climbing ability in deep snow. ;D
all the "tracktion":
Nicest powder I've seen in October: soft, dry, stable, supportive. Even the visibility was pretty good after our first few runs, which was a good thing, since I left my goggles on the kitchen counter at home. I skied all day on north aspects between 4200 and 5200 feet (went back for three more runs after my partners left for home); some of the lower reaches stiffened up during the course of the day, but up high the quality remained outstanding.
Although there were several obvious layers, everything felt very stable up to the limits of what we skied, around 40 degrees. I did see one small slab which had released about 18 inches deep and run a good distance in a crossloaded gully, and there were stress cracks at the corresponding spot in the next gully over. I made a minor adjustment in my uptrack and had no trouble just fifty or a hundred feet away, but if the wind picks up, the temperatures warm or more snow arrives (all three are predicted), a degree of caution might be indicated.
The Mt. Baker backcountry was very well attended today. Hope everyone had as much fun as I did.
Enjoy,
Mark
Although there were several obvious layers, everything felt very stable up to the limits of what we skied, around 40 degrees. I did see one small slab which had released about 18 inches deep and run a good distance in a crossloaded gully, and there were stress cracks at the corresponding spot in the next gully over. I made a minor adjustment in my uptrack and had no trouble just fifty or a hundred feet away, but if the wind picks up, the temperatures warm or more snow arrives (all three are predicted), a degree of caution might be indicated.
The Mt. Baker backcountry was very well attended today. Hope everyone had as much fun as I did.
Enjoy,
Mark
The splitboard proved once again its unsurpassed climbing ability in deep snow. ;D
Yeah, but in all the photos of you boarding you look like you're standing still. While the dudes on skis are obviously moving. Face it, Phil, you're just not 'core. ;)
Just kidding, man! Incredibly awesome day. Username, WTF were you??
Yes I should have gone snowboarding. In fact, I should go snowboarding every day. But I can't (anymore). >:(
I was snowboarding in spirit, man. Like today, while working, I did this fat 720 flip off of Table Mountain, you shoulda been there man.
I was snowboarding in spirit, man. Like today, while working, I did this fat 720 flip off of Table Mountain, you shoulda been there man.
While the dudes on skis are obviously moving....
What the heck? Who punched Jason in the nose? Was he mouthing off again? ???
What the heck? Who punched Jason in the nose? Was he mouthing off again? ???
I don't think that's a bloody nose, I think that's what happens when you SHOOT DIGITAL...Paul, take note: GET A FRICKIN' SLR! ;)
Don't try to say that scanning the pic is what caused the photo to bleed like that 'cause I won't buy it.
Don't try to say that scanning the pic is what caused the photo to bleed like that 'cause I won't buy it.
Although there were several obvious layers, everything felt very stable up to the limits of what we skied, around 40 degrees. I did see one small slab which had released about 18 inches deep and run a good distance in a crossloaded gully, and there were stress cracks at the corresponding spot in the next gully over.
That was probably the slab I cut loose in a north-facing gully just east of Table Mountain on Saturday. The top of the gully was windblown, convex in the fall line, with rocks almost sticking out, but just below there was a steeper fall line-concave section with wind deposit. The slab broke loose at a jump turn and I spilled over the top edge onto the icy layer underneath, then rode it for ca. 50' before stopping. The fresh was cleared off the icy layer for another 50', then the debris spread itself over most of the way to the valley bottom, several hundred feet. I think the crown was about two feet when it was fresh, and about the width of the gulley - 25' perhaps? We called it a day and went for tacos ;)
Ha. Ha. That's pretty funny Paul.
I don't think that's a bloody nose, I think that's what happens when you SHOOT DIGITAL...Paul, take note: GET A FRICKIN' SLR! ;)I need to get photoshop. I used the gamma correction filter in Paint to adjust for adjusting the contrast and brightness, and it made Jason look like Rudolph. Sorry!
Don't try to say that scanning the pic is what caused the photo to bleed like that 'cause I won't buy it.
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