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June 9, 2013, Silver slopes

6/9/13
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Posted by silaswild on 6/9/13 4:44am
Another party crowd on the ridgecrest. Skiing is getting cornier but the bushes are more problematic in Windy Acres. We skied out the winter xc road and it seemed longer than just thrashing through a few spots on the direct route down.

https://vimeo.com/68022205
We chose the thrashing option for the exit and it wasn't that bad (more on the amusing side than the suffering side).  We did walk the last 100 feet of the PCT back to the road, but could then ski again most of the way to the car.

The run down toward the lake is still very nice - but won't be continuous for long.

More excellent laps with the DOF.

Some great Silver sessions this year, it won't last much longer now.


author=Mofro link=topic=28776.msg121052#msg121052 date=1370889884]
More excellent laps with the DOF.

Some great Silver sessions this year, it won't last much longer now.



Was up with Buster, M@, & H yesterday, saw your car on the road.  First time skiing Silver, fun skiing but no sure it will last much longer.

Sunday was my first visit to Silver and it was a great afternoon. Many thanks to Silas and Big Steve for critical route finding!

Thanks for the photo, Silas.  I'm sure it's the first time that a New Iberia (Louisiana) High School  Yellow Jackets cap has graced the pages of TAY.

Dusk patrol today, the 10th. Not sure we need a whole new report ...

Unable to figure out the puzzle of how to get thru lower Windy Acres from where PCT goes into forest without epic brushing, so gave up, returned to TH,  and went up the (long, winding) road. Took longer but uncomplicated. A few short snowless gaps early but then easy skinning all the way up. Transition into lower basin still went on snow ... barely.

Surreptious Silver Snowstrip on skiers right down Annette side still goes ... barely. Several sharky or undercut spots. Still possible to side slip into it from ridge .... barely. Great snow over there, better than the basin side. Boot pack back up from the extended Silver Siege of days past still findable and usable.

Today I saw just one other person up there. Maybe the party's over? Brush on lower part (or having to use road) is certainly a party pooper but once getting into the basins the cover is still good as is the snow quality. The evening's weather wasn't very bikini-worthy either, clouds building, breezy, but no threat of rain and comfortable for climbing.

Did pick up some gunk (making the ski down the road slow) probably all from that stretch of forest getting back to Windy Acres after returning from the bottom of the middle chute.

r/e Silas's initial thread on the melting exit route...at the bottom i  have found it usefull to aim for the small tarn near the PCT there is a small gully leading to it that holds the snow..then you are a just a few tromps from the trail
http://www.flickr.com/photos/11723786@N06/9013774560/in/set-72157634061803994

other pics from the day
http://www.flickr.com/photos/11723786@N06/sets/72157634061803994/

Was up last night. There's a lot of pollen right now top to bottom.

Used the PCT to approach. Crossed the wood bridge, then two more stream crossings, then headed up through easy forest. Connected back with the clearcut about 3/4 of the way up.

With the forest hiking and pollen it's getting a bit desperate. Still fun for a Wednesday evening.

Went up there this morning in the wind, rain and fog. It was 42 degrees when I left the car. Took the scenic route(the road) as I did not feel like getting soaking wet from brush tromping. Had the place all to myself and I swear it started snowing for about 30 seconds. Good turns up high but coming out the bottom it was very sticky, picked up a lot of gunk on the bases. Still worth it though! Here are some pictures:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.471229252959248.1073741832.100002165333526&type=3&uploaded=6#!/media/set/?set=a.471229252959248.1073741832.100002165333526&type=1

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june-9-2013-silver-slopes
silaswild
2013-06-09 11:44:56