June 27, 2011, Sun Bowl via Green Butte, Mt. Shasta

I started early for me at 9:15am from Bunny Flats.  The flats were already mushy and heavily sun cupped.  I headed up through the old growth to escape the sun and the sun cups became smaller as I ascended.  I was moving so slow due to a poor night€™s sleep that I was glad no one was around and asked me if I wanted a 911 call. Once above tree line the sun cups were quite small and the snow remained soft.  An approaching weather system provided welcome shade cover at times. 

Sun Bowl was untracked and looked appealing from the upper cornice rim.  I waited for a cloud to clear and began the descent with high hopes.  The snow was mushy with a few inches penetration even with my wide Sidestash skis.  I now know what the folks who ski the steep fins of powder experience in Alaska in the ski movies, except my snow was slush.  The pitch is steep but I would make 2 turns and traverse skier€™s right to avoid the snowballs and hissers.  Jill could watch the whole thing from the campervan at Bunny Flats.  It was the worst snow I have experienced on this trip.  After 900vf, I entered the world of soft mushy sun cups and a continual traverse skiers right back to Bunny Flats.  A disappointing tour.

While I was drying my stuff, I noticed a familiar skier descending to the parking lot-Amar.  He was just completing a short tour, for him, above Giddy Giddy Gulch.  He was finishing his latest southern adventure and heading back to Seattle.  The snow pack is still huge on Shasta and the upper mountain looks great. The lower sun cups are negotiable when soft.

Photo: Evening view from our campsite of Shasta. Green Butte and Sun and Powder Bowls on right

Here's the link to last years report to compare photo of the snow coverage.

http://www.turns-all-year.com/skiing_snowboarding/trip_reports/index.php?topic=17064.0