February 18, 2005, Ptarmigan Ridge - Mt Baker
2/18/05
WA Cascades West Slopes North (Mt Baker)
4774
10
All I can say is that it was the best day of skiing that I have had in 2 years. The snow was perfect, the terrain out there is just a big playground for BC skiers. Saw Gary Brill and about 10 others doing the same thing.
So much untracked powder for it sitting around since last weekend. Hit some great 40 degree slopes just west of artisit point on the traverse towards CP.
TR and pictures/video coming soon
So much untracked powder for it sitting around since last weekend. Hit some great 40 degree slopes just west of artisit point on the traverse towards CP.
TR and pictures/video coming soon
The Ptarmigan Ridge/Coleman Pinnacles area has given me my best day of skiing in two years about 10 times already this winter. Tomorrow, I hope, will make eleven!
So, Scott, did you pretty much stick to north facing aspects?
We skied as much as we could on all north slopes just east of the coleman pinnacle down to the basin and drainage. A good 1000 foot drops it seemed like.
I am still giddy from the effortless turns we had in the baking sun :)
I am still giddy from the effortless turns we had in the baking sun :)
Make it eleven!
I've never seen so many tracks out by the pinnacle in 10 years of touring up that way. It looked like a heli-ski operation had been running out there.
Yanna (and Sasha, the almost 12 year old dog, who loved following the firm uptracks running everywhere almost as much as she loved diving down the steep pow on a firm-ish base) and I got out for some north facing powder yesterday, in a quiet little area closer to the ski area that had a few tracks from prior days but no one with us and fresh tracks for us all day until the end when we were exiting our bit of paradise and a skier/boarder pair was climbing up to it. We found nice "stale powder" (recrystallized) that was quite fun to ski. The snow surface was quite aspect-dependent, with a mix of sun and wind crust to be found, but other than running a few short icy/crusty gauntlets on the way back to the ski area, we enjoyed a mix of great views, warm sun, and fantastic skiing. I was (slightly) suprised at how much great skiing we were still able to easily find near the ski area close to a week after the last snow.
Yanna (and Sasha, the almost 12 year old dog, who loved following the firm uptracks running everywhere almost as much as she loved diving down the steep pow on a firm-ish base) and I got out for some north facing powder yesterday, in a quiet little area closer to the ski area that had a few tracks from prior days but no one with us and fresh tracks for us all day until the end when we were exiting our bit of paradise and a skier/boarder pair was climbing up to it. We found nice "stale powder" (recrystallized) that was quite fun to ski. The snow surface was quite aspect-dependent, with a mix of sun and wind crust to be found, but other than running a few short icy/crusty gauntlets on the way back to the ski area, we enjoyed a mix of great views, warm sun, and fantastic skiing. I was (slightly) suprised at how much great skiing we were still able to easily find near the ski area close to a week after the last snow.
Nice photo. I like the way the compressed perspective leads down the ridge to the Park Glacier.
Scott, your trip reports would be more useful if they included information on conditions: stability, aspect, pitch, surface, ski penetration, road reports, snow levels, depth, temperatures, routes, elevation....or whatever else seems relevant.
Scott, your trip reports would be more useful if they included information on conditions: stability, aspect, pitch, surface, ski penetration, road reports, snow levels, depth, temperatures, routes, elevation....or whatever else seems relevant.
Scott, your trip reports would be more useful if they included information on conditions: stability, aspect, pitch, surface, ski penetration, road reports, snow levels, depth, temperatures, routes, elevation....or whatever else seems relevant.
Conditions: Sunny Fu**ing bluebird
Stability: Some people think I'm crazy
Aspect Pitch:
1st Run: 35
2nd run: 25
3rd Run: 40
4th run: (table/herman saddle) 30-35
Surface: Wind blown powder
road report: parked at the ski area
temp: t-shirt
relecvancy: i had a great day and I don't always like to write all this junk, that's why the post started "all I can say is...."
I don't always like to write all this junk, that's why the post started "all I can say is...."
I gather that my previous post came across as more critical than I intended. My apologies. Please check your pm's.
After the rave reviews last week, I counted 24 people on the Coleman Pinnacles Sunday. Time for the other side of the story:
http://media.admcs.wwu.edu/video/test/coleman.wmv
;)
http://media.admcs.wwu.edu/video/test/coleman.wmv
;)
Reply to this TR
Please login first: