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Topic: 2012- Chinook Pass/ Cayuse Pass- SR 410 (Read 3351 times)
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Stimbuck
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Posts: 145
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Hello,
Our WSDOT crews are once again clearing the way to get these areas open. No surprise, but there's quite a bit of snow. Needless to say the going will be slow. Good reminder to those wishing to travel in the Chinook and Cayuse areas that our crews- snow removal and avalanche control- work Mon-Fri. I'll give an extra heads up if we happen to be there on a weekend. Lots of snow moving about when we are working so best to keep clear.
I'll try to keep you informed about progress and related snow stability info as well
Cheers,
Stimbuck
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ron j
Moderator
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Posts: 2463
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Thanks, John,
We appreciate your work and the head's up.
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"When I stop having fun I'm turnin' around"
“Prediction is very difficult, especially if it's about the future.” - Niels Bohr
"If a given person makes it a priority not to die in an avalanche, he or she stands a very good chance of living a long, happy life in the mountains." - Jill Fredston
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Stimbuck
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Posts: 145
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Eastside crews are moving along and above the timber. Westside crews still working on Cayuse. I'd expect we will see some good natural avalanche activity this weekend with the expected warming. Lower elevation snow is quite wet beneath last week's surface crust.
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ron j
Moderator
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Posts: 2463
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Thanks for the update, John.
With what is left, how much time would that normally take to finish up... say two, maybe three weeks?
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"When I stop having fun I'm turnin' around"
“Prediction is very difficult, especially if it's about the future.” - Niels Bohr
"If a given person makes it a priority not to die in an avalanche, he or she stands a very good chance of living a long, happy life in the mountains." - Jill Fredston
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Stimbuck
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Posts: 145
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I'd guess a couple of weeks still on Cayuse. We always try for Memorial Day on Chinook, but it may be early June this year. The log bridge at the summit is completely buried.
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Stimbuck
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Posts: 145
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Continued progress on both sides this week. Westside crews are getting closer with Cayuse. River levels have been way up on the eastside as the lower snowpack begins to drain. We did a little cornice control this week and triggered a deep wet slab.
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Joedabaker
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Posts: 1778
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That is a huge fracture. Did it go down to an older facet layer?
I saw a rather large fracture in Morse Creek a couple days ago caused by a cornice failure. Lots of those going on still.
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If it's called common sense, why isn't it more common?
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Stimbuck
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Posts: 145
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The slab above, and other recent cornice triggered and explosive triggered avalanches, have been running on a wet layer about 1.5 to 2.0 meters down. The wet layer is just above a thin ice lens that marks the boundary between large wet grains and fine grained winter snow.
We had wide-spread natural and ski triggered avalanches in the new snow yesterday. Mid-day new snow total near Chinook Pass summit was 37cm. Be careful out there, what hasn't slid certainly will when temps rise and the sun comes out.
$
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Robie
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Posts: 1145
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Just got back from MC ride up to help being one of the first vehicles over Cayuse Pass
Good job DOT. Lots of snow .Impressive road cuts as deep as ive seen . 6" boot pen at Cayuse.
Also Stopped at Crystal snow at lower lodge and Bullion /East peak looked real good from The lot.
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"I bought my rope at Walmart ,my gloves at costco but paid dearly for my dynafits"
Apparant Moderator of what sucks
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hyak.net
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Posts: 553
WWW
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Is Cayuse open?
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Robie
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Posts: 1145
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yes you betcha
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"I bought my rope at Walmart ,my gloves at costco but paid dearly for my dynafits"
Apparant Moderator of what sucks
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Stimbuck
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Posts: 145
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We continue to move forward, though the warm weather may push the maintenance crews back a bit after weekend avalanching and a little effort on our part. Lots and lots of snow.
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Stimbuck
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Posts: 145
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Good week of progress. Check the WSDOT mountain passes page next week for updates about an opening date.
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ron j
Moderator
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Posts: 2463
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Nice work, John and crew.
I was up there last weekend and there is still a HUGE amount of snow up there.
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"When I stop having fun I'm turnin' around"
“Prediction is very difficult, especially if it's about the future.” - Niels Bohr
"If a given person makes it a priority not to die in an avalanche, he or she stands a very good chance of living a long, happy life in the mountains." - Jill Fredston
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Kyle Miller
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Posts: 537
WWW
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Ditch the splitboard, bring skis and some guns then we'll invite you!
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vogtski
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Posts: 499
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WA DOT & TNT are reporting Chinook Pass is expected to open at noon on Friday, May 25th!
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I feel like I'm diagonally parked in a parallel universe.
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RonL
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Posts: 362
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Whoohoo! Thanks guys!
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Stimbuck
Member
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Posts: 145
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Thank you for appreciating our efforts.
Today I had to close Chinook for the afternoon due to an avalanche. Investigation revealed it was caused by two skiers side-slipping their way into a steep avalanche path above the highway. They likely realized their mistake, traversed out of the path and then side-slipped again, only to cause a second slide. We can't take any chances, so I brought in additional crew and performed more ski cutting and such.
We have signs warning people that this is an area where avalanche control can take place. We don't have an official closure and I don't plan to pursue anything like that. BC travelers need to understand the implications of their actions, whether above a highway or another group of people. I'm sure the WSP would have a different feeling about affecting a highway, but the important point here is that when people are stopped by an avalanche they get out of their cars. If another slide comes down they are very vulnerable to that avalanche (i.e. being buried).
Try to encourage others to refrain from pushing snow onto an open highway. Events like today's will have a lasting impression on our management and may delay seasonal pass openings in the future. I don't want to see that happen.
On a side note- If the person who caused the avalanche reads this and they own the dark blue Subaru parked at the summit, you know the meaning of Instant Karma. The person who hit your car was turned around due to the avalanche. If the Subaru's owner wasn't responsible please know that the proper info was given to MRNP personnel who were on scene.
Cheers!
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glenn_b
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Posts: 230
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We were caught up in this today while skiing(nice views but marginal skiing) back to the west parking lot from the S shoulder of Naches Peak. There was nobody about on the snow and, more ominously, no traffic at all on the road below. Being left behind during the Rapture was discussed. A note on the car let us know the road was closed to eastbound traffic. We had a nice drive down SR 123 to Hwy 12 and then over White Pass back home.
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RonL
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Posts: 362
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Your efforts are definitely appreciated. I didn't get to ski Sat but was up there playing with the kids when the slide happened and on the way back to the car we saw the trailer take out that car! Oh man it was like watching a horror movie in slow motion. Big bummer for both parties I'm sure. From our vantage point we couldn't see the slide just the taillights and traffic backing up. I look forward to getting back up there to ski soon.
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