March 20, 2011, Snoqualmie Middle Folk Attempt
3/20/11
WA Snoqualmie Pass
2642
2
A group of 6 mtnrs set out with a hope of completing the Middle Folk loop in powder. However, the cold and windy weather had made it pretty challenging trip. Skinning up the Phantom was straight forward on variable conditions: some deep powder in tree, soft snow lower open slope, mostly sun crust higher up with some frozen shallow avy debris from Sat's sun. We made good time to the Snoqualmie summit before noon.
The last two times on the summit, I had dropped into the north basin through a break in cornice on the summit ridge. But not this time, it was big and intimidating. Another option was to go down and across the south slope to the east ridge. Since it was cloudy and windy just like any Winter day, the snow was nice and stable re-frozen crust. Thanks to the warm sun yesterday!
We managed to get up on the east ridge where the gusty wind had been working on more challenges for us. The new snow from Friday had been swept into variable surface conditions. We did remote-trigger a shallow wind slab on a small rollover. The snow in the basin was not indicative of safe skiing, so we decided to go back up to check out another option to descend which looked good lower but the entrance was below a big open slope with possible wind loading.
At this point, we decided this was not the day for us and to turn around. Of course we had one more challenge to get back. Instead of going back up over the summit then ski down the sun crusted snow, we chose to go across down toward the Cave Ridge saddle, then traverse around below cliff bands back to the Phantom. This was all based my faint memory of the past trips, but we all managed to get back safely.
As if we needed more challenges, I foolishly suggested to ski the powder in the tree, instead of soft corn on the lower Phantom. The trees turned out to be a little too tight for our tired legs. Oh well, it was short.
Although skiing was challenging, the trip was interesting. I'd call it fairly successful. Hope other guys agree.
The last two times on the summit, I had dropped into the north basin through a break in cornice on the summit ridge. But not this time, it was big and intimidating. Another option was to go down and across the south slope to the east ridge. Since it was cloudy and windy just like any Winter day, the snow was nice and stable re-frozen crust. Thanks to the warm sun yesterday!
We managed to get up on the east ridge where the gusty wind had been working on more challenges for us. The new snow from Friday had been swept into variable surface conditions. We did remote-trigger a shallow wind slab on a small rollover. The snow in the basin was not indicative of safe skiing, so we decided to go back up to check out another option to descend which looked good lower but the entrance was below a big open slope with possible wind loading.
At this point, we decided this was not the day for us and to turn around. Of course we had one more challenge to get back. Instead of going back up over the summit then ski down the sun crusted snow, we chose to go across down toward the Cave Ridge saddle, then traverse around below cliff bands back to the Phantom. This was all based my faint memory of the past trips, but we all managed to get back safely.
As if we needed more challenges, I foolishly suggested to ski the powder in the tree, instead of soft corn on the lower Phantom. The trees turned out to be a little too tight for our tired legs. Oh well, it was short.
Although skiing was challenging, the trip was interesting. I'd call it fairly successful. Hope other guys agree.
Thanks for sharing the realities of backcountry touring. Your groups observations and decisionmaking made it a safe "roundtrip".
Just one "educational" pic. The big fracture line across, maybe a few feet deep...
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