Home > Trip Reports > February 9, 2005, Baker BC

February 9, 2005, Baker BC

2/9/05
WA Cascades West Slopes North (Mt Baker)
4317
9
Posted by curmudgeon on 2/10/05 7:19am
For a terrible snow year, there sure have been a bunch of epic days this year. Wednesday was another one.

We left the upper parking lot at 7:30 and tortured across breakable sun crust on the south side of Table to reach Ptarmigan Point. We lapped the east side in the morning, the west side in the early afternoon, and when that got a bit soft, turned to the north side for our last runs. many grinning turns on great snow, but by the end of the day, the temperature had risen enough that I suspect we need another dump to keep the quality up.

Jeff and I pointed cameras around a bit, and I cobbled together this little sketch:

http://media.admcs.wwu.edu/video/test/ptarmigan.wmv
Nice, high quality video.  Good humor too.

What kind of skis are you using?  They're different from anything I've skied before.  Do they have little jet packs that provide thrust at the end of the turn?  Also perhaps a bulbous bow to keep the tips floating?  What are those things?

tim, excellent entertainment!!!

Superior viddy, Tim!


What kind of skis are you using?  ...  What are those things?


Well, the guy that can ski? That's Jeff, and he is on Pocket Rockets. That other guy is on Pocket Rocket Lites (AKA Jak BCs) with the binding in "guide mount".  That is, mounted 1" behind factory recommendations.  That puts them 2 and 1/2 inches behind BF/RLC mounting.  They are totally spastic for anything but heavy snow (AKA Baker Elephant Snot), but that's what I ski in.  The tips do stay up!

I will probably remount 1 and 1/2 inches forward for spring corn.

For a terrible snow year, there sure have been a bunch of epic days this year. Wednesday was another one.


That's right on the money, Tim.  The base may be a pitiful shadow if its normal depth, but I've skied more fast, dry powder than usual.  At least we can get quality, if we can't get quantity.

You're looking good on those Jaks, Tim.  Not as good as Jeff, of course, but good.  

Don't exactly know how we missed you Wednesday: maybe you'd already headed home by the time we arrived (10:00).  We did a shortened version of our Saturday tour and had a blast in almost faultless conditions.  I did persuade sb to drop another 500 feet into the drainage, and the snow got better and better (though shallower powder and scant base).  

Thought I heard vague mumbling about Lake Anne Butte the other day.  Something about barely-adequate creek crossings, but good skiing.  Maybe I'm mistaken about this.

Sweet Vid Tim!

You boys are stylin. And I agree...there has been some sweet powder days this year. Speaking of which...I hope to catch you down there this weekend as my regular partner has abondoned me for a few days in Utah.

Wow am I jealous.  The best turns I've had all year were still back around new years with you guys.  Go figure!  Good to see the "crappy" conditions aren't holding you back.  Nice vid Tim.

Nice video, looks like alot of fun.
Right on the money on what kind of year it has been.
Gonna be a hard summer for TAY'ers though, wearing down the pavement to Paradise and Baker.

Too bad St Helen's is out of the picture, could use another volcano to mix it up a bit.


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february-9-2005-baker-bc
curmudgeon
2005-02-10 15:19:10