January 8, 2012, - Little Diamond Head, Blewett
1/8/12
WA Cascades East Slopes Central
1789
3
Anastasia and I figured we weren't likely to repeat the great snow we had last weekend, so we ought to at least maximize our likelihood of clear skies and views. We made a leisurely departure for Blewett with Jessica, David and the pooch, hoping for enough coverage to make some turns.
Click any image for larger size
http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/400973_2993788281841_1176207682_3294485_1130150230_n.jpg" /> http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/404524_2993773881481_1176207682_3294445_649520641_n.jpg" />
My abandoned skis in the trees Hopi doing an inverted backscratcher
http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/398043_2993781001659_1176207682_3294464_244880755_n.jpg" />
David boots through the forest
Tronsen Meadows has a foot, at most, at the trailhead, but it's pretty well consolidated and we were on snow the entire time. Unless we were on logs, rocks or saplings, which was probably 10% of the time... pretty thin cover in the trees, as expected.
We followed the roads around the north side of the meadow for a while, then cut up through the old clearcuts toward little Diamond Head. The area needs a couple more feet of snow for obstacle-free skinning, but we pieced together a path through the woods, with Jessica and David booting and AP and I log-aineering.
Spot the skiers
We were optimistic that the north facing slopes on little DH might be holding some old powder, but it was not to be. Sun crust on top of 6-16" of windpack on top of a rain crust on top of rounded loose grains, all on top of talus. North facing windloaded slope near the ridgeline had a CT4 collapse of the entire snowpack on the sugar snow sitting on the talus.
Skiing was survival at its finest -- lots of really awful breakable crust with talus and stumps well hidden by the snow, so we took it super easy and got down with no injuries. Shenanigans through the trees to get back to the road, then a fast cruise back to the car and dinner at the 74th Street Ale House back in town.
Sunshine on the Stuart Range
Great day to be out -- one of those "power of a positive attitude" sort of days, with exceptional views of Stuart and no one around.
Jessica, David and I practice mindful attitude
Click any image for larger size
http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/400973_2993788281841_1176207682_3294485_1130150230_n.jpg" /> http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/404524_2993773881481_1176207682_3294445_649520641_n.jpg" />
My abandoned skis in the trees Hopi doing an inverted backscratcher
http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/398043_2993781001659_1176207682_3294464_244880755_n.jpg" />
David boots through the forest
Tronsen Meadows has a foot, at most, at the trailhead, but it's pretty well consolidated and we were on snow the entire time. Unless we were on logs, rocks or saplings, which was probably 10% of the time... pretty thin cover in the trees, as expected.
We followed the roads around the north side of the meadow for a while, then cut up through the old clearcuts toward little Diamond Head. The area needs a couple more feet of snow for obstacle-free skinning, but we pieced together a path through the woods, with Jessica and David booting and AP and I log-aineering.
Spot the skiers
We were optimistic that the north facing slopes on little DH might be holding some old powder, but it was not to be. Sun crust on top of 6-16" of windpack on top of a rain crust on top of rounded loose grains, all on top of talus. North facing windloaded slope near the ridgeline had a CT4 collapse of the entire snowpack on the sugar snow sitting on the talus.
Skiing was survival at its finest -- lots of really awful breakable crust with talus and stumps well hidden by the snow, so we took it super easy and got down with no injuries. Shenanigans through the trees to get back to the road, then a fast cruise back to the car and dinner at the 74th Street Ale House back in town.
Sunshine on the Stuart Range
Great day to be out -- one of those "power of a positive attitude" sort of days, with exceptional views of Stuart and no one around.
Jessica, David and I practice mindful attitude
Those are some big smiles for such marginal skiing!
Makes the good days seem even better, right?
Makes the good days seem even better, right?
author=MW88888888 link=topic=23109.msg98299#msg98299 date=1326243722]
Those are some big smiles for such marginal skiing!
Makes the good days seem even better, right?
I suppose it would be full disclosure to say that those smiles were before the skiing happened, but the good attitude helped make the most of the day, for sure.
Skiied there a couple times last week. It was good, then bad. I don't think there's been any new since it was bad.
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