Home > Trip Reports > June 29, 2012, Silver peak

June 29, 2012, Silver peak

6/29/12
WA Snoqualmie Pass
3837
7
Posted by silaswild on 6/29/12 10:56am
Continuity of snow is getting very hard to find but we did get the west side 1100' and 950' runs on nice 1-2" corn this afternoon and were able to ski to the car.  Occasional sun breaks and muggy conditions with some pesky insects.

https://vimeo.com/44999474
Nice to meet you today Silas and crew!  Thanks for guiding me a bit through the bushwacking back to the car. Nice skiing higher up though. Here are some clips from the ski down that I strung together: http://youtu.be/Ilh-tiM2ZzY?hd=1

Thanks for the Vid Garrett! It was nice to meet you.

Here is some video and photos from the day...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Z27j1SdSCs&feature=colike

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.492117484138862.129789.100000218445455&type=1&l=edd718d7eb

Planning on heading up tomorrow, but have never actually skied Silver Peak.  Any info on the route?  I'm assuming it's clear as day, but would rather have an idea prior.  Trying to get my first year of turns all year with my wife AND see the Euro Cup Final tomorrow.  Silver looks ideal for this.

Thanks.

Was up there for after work tour. Fueled up on now-traditional Trailboss spicy pork sammy and got going ~5:40. 4 other cars there. A previous report said something about 'can drive to summer th' - welll ... can drive to the Cold Creek/Catherine TH, but NOT the PCT th.

Going through clearcut on way up, there were a few frustrating impasse where the snow ended and getting to the next patch maybe 50' away wasn't trivial, because the berrybushes and scrub hemlock have now sprung up in force. This annoyance ended once about at the level of the little pothole in forest lookers left that the main stream flows through. Still possible to make it from clearcut side to N basin side on tiny snow band.

Snow conditions are still real good. Caught a few sun breaks. Was definitely muggy. By time I hit ridgetop first time it was more cloudy and by second time socked in but with interesting midfog clear layers.

Now that I have seen the video evidence of its existence I punched through the 50' worth of crappy tight ridgetop trees to Silas' Surreptious Silver Snowstrip and rode nearly to level of Lake Annette (but 1/3 mi downvalley). Still goes! Excellent hard grain corn. A few sharks on way down and some punchy points on boot back up. Boot out was very tiring in the humid conditions and I sorta wish I hadn't forgot the whippets, steep and hard enough you'd slide at least a little if you blew a step.

TNT chutes still good, and quasi-groomed. On way back down took the spur road switchbacks just for yuks. Constant snow for about 2/3 way down but then on again off again. Probably slower than fighting the clearcut woulda been but fun just because the road is literally the only snow in immediate vicinity, so you're riding this unlikely stripe of winter amidst the world of oncoming summer. Back to car at 9:30 just before dark and just as first legit raindrops of my day fell.

Rad Vid, BirdMan! TeamTLT Rock'n "CONTINUOUS" Snow!

Sweet vids!  Nice meeting you guys (shred & FreeBird) and good to see Silas once again.  Till next time...

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june-29-2012-silver-peak
silaswild
2012-06-29 17:56:43