May 7, 2011, Norse Peak and Gnar Chutes exploration
5/7/11
WA Cascades West Slopes South (Mt Rainier)
20629
35
Decided to finally post a TR!
Headed to Crystal area last Saturday ready for anything. Ended up solo for the day and decided to tour and get some serious exercise, take in some views and avoid anything too crazy. Conditions were mix of sun and cloud, temp at 32 at the trailhead. Skinned up to East Peak, lookers left side, staying on ridges where possible. 12-18" of heavy snow on top of firm layer. Hoping it would stay clouded for my descent later in the day...From East Peak, headed north to Norse Peak, from there east towards the Gnar. Bagged a run down to Lake Basin to check conditions, challenging skiing, cold enough for no wet slide action with the heavy snow. Skinned up back to the ridge and headed up to the top of the Gnar Chutes. The runs from up there are something to behold, I have skied a couple of them previously in gloriously stable pow, no such thing on Saturday obviously. Looked down into each Chute across the entire ridge, there are at least 6 completely different runs with many options to switch from one to the other on the way down, all of them are steep and like nothing else around the entire Crystal area. The furthest east area turns into gentler terrain and is where I took a nice rib down the upper portion then a gentle bottom half trying my best to ski the mank. Stayed way far from the run outs of the chutes as I came back around to Lake Basin, gained my previous track and up to the ridge to head back home.
I decided to ski along the left side of the ridge of East Peak face for the return, the bottom was tricky as the sun had been out too much. Purposely cut across the top of the last steeper pitch and a 20 foot wide sluff slowly slid down hill, gaining momentum and running for 100 yrds before coming to rest. Skied my new safer line down and manked my way back to the car. Stoked on the day and what killer skiing there is up there when the conditions come together, which is not often I wouldn't say due to the steep, wind loading aspect (they face almost due north). Camera on the fritz, so shots are from my Droid phone.
All photos can be found here:
https://picasaweb.google.com/timmyfitz1/GnarChutesMay72011?authkey=Gv1sRgCMiL8_vcy4bc6AE#
There you have it, my first TR...
Headed to Crystal area last Saturday ready for anything. Ended up solo for the day and decided to tour and get some serious exercise, take in some views and avoid anything too crazy. Conditions were mix of sun and cloud, temp at 32 at the trailhead. Skinned up to East Peak, lookers left side, staying on ridges where possible. 12-18" of heavy snow on top of firm layer. Hoping it would stay clouded for my descent later in the day...From East Peak, headed north to Norse Peak, from there east towards the Gnar. Bagged a run down to Lake Basin to check conditions, challenging skiing, cold enough for no wet slide action with the heavy snow. Skinned up back to the ridge and headed up to the top of the Gnar Chutes. The runs from up there are something to behold, I have skied a couple of them previously in gloriously stable pow, no such thing on Saturday obviously. Looked down into each Chute across the entire ridge, there are at least 6 completely different runs with many options to switch from one to the other on the way down, all of them are steep and like nothing else around the entire Crystal area. The furthest east area turns into gentler terrain and is where I took a nice rib down the upper portion then a gentle bottom half trying my best to ski the mank. Stayed way far from the run outs of the chutes as I came back around to Lake Basin, gained my previous track and up to the ridge to head back home.
I decided to ski along the left side of the ridge of East Peak face for the return, the bottom was tricky as the sun had been out too much. Purposely cut across the top of the last steeper pitch and a 20 foot wide sluff slowly slid down hill, gaining momentum and running for 100 yrds before coming to rest. Skied my new safer line down and manked my way back to the car. Stoked on the day and what killer skiing there is up there when the conditions come together, which is not often I wouldn't say due to the steep, wind loading aspect (they face almost due north). Camera on the fritz, so shots are from my Droid phone.
All photos can be found here:
https://picasaweb.google.com/timmyfitz1/GnarChutesMay72011?authkey=Gv1sRgCMiL8_vcy4bc6AE#
There you have it, my first TR...
Oh well, looks like my efforts to load photos via thumbnails from Picassa failed.....TAY is not an easy site to post photos I must say...
Any advice appreciated
Any advice appreciated
The shutes look sick! Awesome shots, especially the last one. Thanks for taking the time to post!
author=timmyfitz1 link=topic=20811.msg88790#msg88790 date=1305256187]
Oh well, looks like my efforts to load photos via thumbnails from Picassa failed.....TAY is not an easy site to post photos I must say...
Any advice appreciated
Apologies Timmy -- the thumbnail script has been broken for a while now and I've not gotten to getting it taken care of...
The easiest way to post photos is to use the IMG tag, just left of the thumbnail tag. You need the URL for the picture itself (i.e. it has to end in .jpg or some either picture format). Example:
Marcus, thanks for the info. I see you successfully posted my last photo. When I copy the link to that picture from Picassa, here is what I get:
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Qd2RCntif-HC-TNptF9IaTocyD4x6ylReVhlKLy3gxs?feat=directlink
As you can see, it does not end in .jpg or photo type format, so I need further guidance it would appear. To post mine as you did, did you download it off Picassa to another site and then link to it from TAY in the fashion you described??
Thanks for your patience as I figure this out!
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Qd2RCntif-HC-TNptF9IaTocyD4x6ylReVhlKLy3gxs?feat=directlink
As you can see, it does not end in .jpg or photo type format, so I need further guidance it would appear. To post mine as you did, did you download it off Picassa to another site and then link to it from TAY in the fashion you described??
Thanks for your patience as I figure this out!
If you "right-click" on the image that you linked above you should get a list of options, one of which will be "Copy Image Location" (or something similar). That should be the pathway that has the ".jpg".
This is what you should get:
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_uF_Y_BtK9yU/TcyaaMOQgwI/AAAAAAAAArY/iEkadeYn6wc/s576/Gnar%20Chute%20%235.jpg
Then you dump the [ IMG ] brackets on either end [ / IMG ] (no spaces in any of that)...
To get this:
This is what you should get:
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_uF_Y_BtK9yU/TcyaaMOQgwI/AAAAAAAAArY/iEkadeYn6wc/s576/Gnar%20Chute%20%235.jpg
Then you dump the [ IMG ] brackets on either end [ / IMG ] (no spaces in any of that)...
To get this:
Nice first report Tim. It does momentarily take your breath away looking down from those runs and appropriately not taken lightly. I like the variation you skied with the rock wall on your right down into the hole. Gotta do those on the most stable of days since you are so trapped once you commit and have to cross run outs to exit. We never had a name for that area we always kept out of the publics eye, but Gnar seems appropriate.
We call that area Chutesbekistan. Thanks for posting it; actually not.
Why? Why would you post this? (I don't really care, but a lot of people probally do. Nothing personal. I'm sure you're just sharing your enthusiasm for bc skiing.)
I want to rephrase in a less sarcastic way; I am disappointed you posted this.
Though I share the gut reaction, this is back there. How many actually get there before it gets beat by the conditions anyways? There are so many in Union, Cement, and East Peak that its fairly easy to follow a skin track if you're strong enough to enjoy it and more power to you. When I first skied this I thought about posting, but I didn't.
There is an understanding amongst most of the Crystal BC regulars that by mutual agreement , certain areas are not talked or posted about. It took me a while to learn this.... and don't blame me 'cuz I never made the rules.......just reporting!
Marcus please delete this thread or we'll all come to the Pass and mass attack the Slot .
Marcus please delete this thread or we'll all come to the Pass and mass attack the Slot .
Hum, I would have passed by this TR without noticing it if it hadn't been for all the responses. Seems ironic that they are calling attention to something they want to keep secret.
Nice work Tim and good post.
Any secret rules from any group, should be broken.
Keep cranking and keep posting.
B
Any secret rules from any group, should be broken.
Keep cranking and keep posting.
B
Tim, I'll pull the post if you want me too. Totally up to you.
If this is going to become another debate on "stash posting", it'd be good to have that in Random Tracks, not here.
If this is going to become another debate on "stash posting", it'd be good to have that in Random Tracks, not here.
Sorry Marcus, I can't help myself:
People, we're not surfers. Let's leave the territorialism to that community- if you need a secret stash you should find a place that is secret. This place is so far from being secret that it's laughable. Plus, this is a sharing site, share away... IMHO
People, we're not surfers. Let's leave the territorialism to that community- if you need a secret stash you should find a place that is secret. This place is so far from being secret that it's laughable. Plus, this is a sharing site, share away... IMHO
I was hoping it wouldn't get ugly, but I knew some would be upset. After considering things, I posted with the following in mind:
This area is tough to get to, time, effort required and out of the way location all will keep plenty away. The number of days where this will be safe skiing in the winter is very limited (in my opinion) due to aspect and pitch. There are several lines to ski up there, unlikely to get "tracked out", particularly in light of the first two items. Finally, yes, I am stoked and wanted to share a cool place instead of just being a receiver of others posting efforts and their willingness to share.
You guys bitching are all posters I noticed, so I will assume some of your posts have actually turned others on to a new area or benefited others somehow like with a conditions report etc. As one noted, this is a sharing site after all.
Ultimately, if there are two camps, one which shares the stoke and exposes others to glorious new options vs the other which is more selfish in nature, then you know where I stand now I guess.
Cheers
This area is tough to get to, time, effort required and out of the way location all will keep plenty away. The number of days where this will be safe skiing in the winter is very limited (in my opinion) due to aspect and pitch. There are several lines to ski up there, unlikely to get "tracked out", particularly in light of the first two items. Finally, yes, I am stoked and wanted to share a cool place instead of just being a receiver of others posting efforts and their willingness to share.
You guys bitching are all posters I noticed, so I will assume some of your posts have actually turned others on to a new area or benefited others somehow like with a conditions report etc. As one noted, this is a sharing site after all.
Ultimately, if there are two camps, one which shares the stoke and exposes others to glorious new options vs the other which is more selfish in nature, then you know where I stand now I guess.
Cheers
Well stated Timmy, again nice first report.
It's not like you can just open the door of your car to get there as a matter of fact.. if we are sharing the love... head further south and really gorge on a chute fest in Goat Lakes, but you better bring game and have some left over for the exit.
I encourage all the rad Groms' to go hit both of those up. But be ready to get your ass handed back to you both on the hike and the avy dangers. There has been a Crystal Patroller injured out on those chutes once and one of the better skiers I know broke his ski on one of our tours on those chutes and skinned out and skied down on one ski. It's not for the meek, don't be afraid to back out.
If you really feel in the giving mood, please post a couple trail reports of your fav locations. ;)
It's not like you can just open the door of your car to get there as a matter of fact.. if we are sharing the love... head further south and really gorge on a chute fest in Goat Lakes, but you better bring game and have some left over for the exit.
I encourage all the rad Groms' to go hit both of those up. But be ready to get your ass handed back to you both on the hike and the avy dangers. There has been a Crystal Patroller injured out on those chutes once and one of the better skiers I know broke his ski on one of our tours on those chutes and skinned out and skied down on one ski. It's not for the meek, don't be afraid to back out.
author=coyote link=topic=20811.msg88884#msg88884 date=1305475502]
Plus, this is a sharing site, share away... IMHO
If you really feel in the giving mood, please post a couple trail reports of your fav locations. ;)
Remove Post. Creating inappropriate debate. Remove poster if behaviors persist.
Thanks for the TR. This place is not as secret as some here would like to believe. It is hard to get in and out of and involves some exposure when conditions are not perfect.
Thanks again for sharing.....I think I will throw a party out there and invite everyone I know.
Thanks again for sharing.....I think I will throw a party out there and invite everyone I know.
...many thanks for the TR...solid rationale in the context of safety...TAY is an excellent sharing platform...just my 2 skins...
Great report! There's no reason for protectionism. There's several thousand feet of reasons why the "regular public" won't ever climb up to abuse these chutes.
One only needs to google "Crystal East Peak" or the like to find information and photos of the area.
Keep up the reports Tim!
One only needs to google "Crystal East Peak" or the like to find information and photos of the area.
Keep up the reports Tim!
author=timmyfitz link=topic=20811.msg88889#msg88889 date=1305478888]
I was hoping it wouldn't get ugly, but I knew some would be upset.
So you knew some people would be upset and posted anyway! mmmmmh . Sound like you could be a rabble rouser and troller.
Welcome! ;D
Tim Right on! and I'll vote for you for president. Keep posting and cranking. This area rocks.
It's all good.
It would be awesome if you went ahead and posted up the GPS tracks and waypoints. That way I'd know if I was looking down Gnar Chute #1 or Gnar Chute #2. Thanks! ;D
It would be awesome if you went ahead and posted up the GPS tracks and waypoints. That way I'd know if I was looking down Gnar Chute #1 or Gnar Chute #2. Thanks! ;D
The "Ridge too far" has been an epic and largely unknown series of chutes & colouirs that have been luring some of us for over 20 years. In all the winter visits, it has roughly a 25% to 30%chance of being "right". When it's not, well, retreat was in order. There has been a small herd of Goats back there & on one occasion got to about 40 feet from us before startling them. Hope this one stays low on the radar screen for a few more years. And assess it well if you plan to ride it.
author=skr link=topic=20811.msg88977#msg88977 date=1305573601]
NWAC special warning for the day you skied steep terrain solo:
"This is NOT the weekend you had hoped for, but is one in which your safest options should NOT include back country travel. Whether skier, boarder, rider, snowshoer, hiker or climber, we strongly recommend avoiding steeper avalanche terrain and remaining well away from avalanche path run-out zones. "
glad you made it back safe.
Nice that U are concerned, but I think that warning was for last weekend not the weekend before.
author=skr link=topic=20811.msg88977#msg88977 date=1305573601]
NWAC special warning for the day you skied steep terrain solo:
"This is NOT the weekend you had hoped for, but is one in which your safest options should NOT include back country travel. Whether skier, boarder, rider, snowshoer, hiker or climber, we strongly recommend avoiding steeper avalanche terrain and remaining well away from avalanche path run-out zones. "
glad you made it back safe.
Check your dates and then check yourself.
That warning was issued for the 14-15th, NOT May 7th.
edit: Joe beat me to it.
Now back to the previously scheduled pathetic whining of those feeling they own the snow.
Move the thread to TGR?
Is it okay for me to put out a guide book yet ;)
author=Mofro link=topic=20811.msg88979#msg88979 date=1305574694]
Now back to the previously scheduled pathetic whining of those feeling they own the snow.
If I can't go, I don't want anyone else to ski it either.
If I'm thinking about going, I don't want anyone to get there before me.
If I actually make it, I don't want to see you there unless I invited you (even then...).
You all should just stay home so you don't hurt my feelings ;)
I887 people have viewed this thread. I can't wait til 1887 people bump out these chutes. Thanks a lot.
Thanks for the TR, I don't get down there very often, but more ideas are always welcome.
paradise lost.
author=Kyle Miller link=topic=20811.msg88996#msg88996 date=1305605631]
Is it okay for me to put out a guide book yet ;)
No. You made a deal ... remember... pound of flesh?
author=altasnob link=topic=20811.msg89134#msg89134 date=1305780911]
I887 people have viewed this thread. I can't wait til 1887 people bump out these chutes. Thanks a lot.
...the # of curious that have read the thread is now up to 2497...an unknown # would know how to get to norse peak in winter or summer...an unknown # would know how to find the gnar chutes #1-5...the first time i strolled through was during a routine summer hike on the PCT...which goes right by this area of interest...all you gotta do is get your google earth in gear and viola!...several have correctly pointed out that you gotta have stable conditions before slicing through #1-5...
...there is minimal concern on my mind for the masses to suddenly descend on the gnars, unless crystal does run a chair 1/2 up east peak...then you got a quick scamper up a slide area and you're on the PCT...
Reply to this TR
Please login first: