January 16, 2005, Mazama Ridge, Rainier
1/16/05
WA Cascades West Slopes South (Mt Rainier)
7651
15
We opted for a day of shallow slopes and snowpack evaluation. It was foggy all day, and the Pineapple Express moved in, so it was warm. We found a few layers, but it seemed that the snow was beginning to settle.
After a practice beacon search, we skied some suprisingly good snow, which I really enjoyed.
Here's a video:
...ahhhh... yeah, wands. right. oh, i had planned to use them as markers for a beacon search, but it never happened. yeah, that's right, for a beacon search. :)
but Sky's reason sounds more believeable...
RAD! ;D
hey Paul. no worries. btw, nice video!
After a practice beacon search, we skied some suprisingly good snow, which I really enjoyed.
Here's a video:
Nice. And to think I spent the day taking a truckload of stuff to the dump.
Nice video, Paul.
I was up there on Jan 15th (on snowboard and traveling with snowshoes of all things ... ) The wallowing upwards with snowshoes was unpleasant in the areas where the crust wasn't holding up, and I envied the AT and tele skiers who passed us (frequently) on the way up. But the snow probably proved to be better snowboard snow on that day after all so at least some of the suffering was justified. On a snowboard you could just flatten the crust and the 4" made a good turn surface.
I dug a pit almost to ground on a slope just over the crest above the relatively open E facing basin, didn't find anything too scary far as layers (once past 4" of fluff on a crust, all below seemed pretty cohesive 4-finger snow in profile, no spaces or hoar layers seen) and the block tested reasonably solid (slid on 3rd hard jump, on a sugar layer that wasn't obvious in profile). Forgot to do shovel shear. All that information now useless and probably literally heading downstream.
It started snowing around 10 AM on the 15th and snowed wet and hard whole time, with road being pretty snowy nearly all the way to the entrance station. Again, more outdated information. There were lots of people snowshoeing and trad x-c skiing all throughout Paraside Valley and the Ridge, and there were several also who like us thought that it would be a good time to brush up on beacon technique were up on the ridge.
I dug a pit almost to ground on a slope just over the crest above the relatively open E facing basin, didn't find anything too scary far as layers (once past 4" of fluff on a crust, all below seemed pretty cohesive 4-finger snow in profile, no spaces or hoar layers seen) and the block tested reasonably solid (slid on 3rd hard jump, on a sugar layer that wasn't obvious in profile). Forgot to do shovel shear. All that information now useless and probably literally heading downstream.
It started snowing around 10 AM on the 15th and snowed wet and hard whole time, with road being pretty snowy nearly all the way to the entrance station. Again, more outdated information. There were lots of people snowshoeing and trad x-c skiing all throughout Paraside Valley and the Ridge, and there were several also who like us thought that it would be a good time to brush up on beacon technique were up on the ridge.
Nice video (and nice music choice too, brought back memories of the mid 90s). I really liked the still of you jumping in the bright orange jacket--that jacket is really photogenic in the low light.
I think it's actually a function of the kamera ( ;) ) and the photographer, but the jacket doesn't hurt!
Why is someone carrying wands? ???
Nice work Paul! 8)
To magically turn the rain into powder, Phil!
Why is someone carrying wands? ???
...ahhhh... yeah, wands. right. oh, i had planned to use them as markers for a beacon search, but it never happened. yeah, that's right, for a beacon search. :)
but Sky's reason sounds more believeable...
Actually, we were going to use them to mark features to look out for given the flat light. Problem being that Kam was the one carrying them...
Why is someone carrying wands? ???
RAD! ;D
Great photos as always, Kam! I added them to the video, hope you don't mind. ;)
The students.washington.edu server is unfortunately down, first time it's happened in the past two years. I hope it'll be back online quickly.
The students.washington.edu server is unfortunately down, first time it's happened in the past two years. I hope it'll be back online quickly.
Great photos as always, Kam! I added them to the video, hope you don't mind. ;)
hey Paul. no worries. btw, nice video!
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