March 4, 2013, (aborted) Granite Mountain (I90/WA)
3/4/13
WA Snoqualmie Pass
1761
2
Got a late start and found basically little and no snow from the TH all the way to the south face slide path. There is not enough snow in the forest to skin directly to the SW shoulder, so I followed the Pratt Lake --> Granite Mountain trail into the slide path, which was the first place I was able to actually start skinning. By that time it was getting late and I was running low on time, so I don't get up to the shoulder. Disappointed for sure in my trip planning and conditions down low, but it is what it is.
There was a pretty stiff east wind and a lot of visible plumes on the ridge. Snow in the slide path is slushing in the exposed area, some decent powder stashes in the sheltered areas.
Bottom line is you gotta work for it.
There was a pretty stiff east wind and a lot of visible plumes on the ridge. Snow in the slide path is slushing in the exposed area, some decent powder stashes in the sheltered areas.
Bottom line is you gotta work for it.
We were out at 6am this morning and found great conditions away from the obvious ice chunks from avalanche cycle. At 8:30 the East winds were picking up on the ridgetop and we bailed on a short ridge from col to summit due to wind slab formation. We ski cut the top with nothing but our 1st skier when starting his descent did release a 6" windslab which was only 15 ft wide and ran a few hundred ft below. I had just put the camera away and this would have made a great shot as he was above it. Elevation around 5500ft, E facing which is odd as the winds were from that direction.
As for trip planning, start higher!
As for trip planning, start higher!
author=haggis link=topic=27783.msg116818#msg116818 date=1362455178]
We were out at 6am this morning and found great conditions away from the obvious ice chunks from avalanche cycle. At 8:30 the East winds were picking up on the ridgetop and we bailed on a short ridge from col to summit due to wind slab formation. We ski cut the top with nothing but our 1st skier when starting his descent did release a 6" windslab which was only 15 ft wide and ran a few hundred ft below. I had just put the camera away and this would have made a great shot as he was above it. Elevation around 5500ft, E facing which is odd as the winds were from that direction.
As for trip planning, start higher!
Great report, I wish I had started earlier. As for that E aspect wind slab... that's not a surprise, as the prevailing winds are from the W, and the avy forecast for today was wind slabs N - SE aspects increasing at 6k'. Very glad to hear your buddy and party came out okay.
Where did your group start from?
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