June 10, 2013, Mt. Baker, Squak Gl Speed Corn
6/10/13
WA Cascades West Slopes North (Mt Baker)
4192
6
Uncertainty turns beautiful.
If anything the weather forecast was uncertain approaching the magic state when whatever is forecasted does not materialize. At least that was the case three days before the weekend.
We postponed for Sunday and Monday and it turned out to be the right call. After skinning up to Craig View under and in clouds we spent few hours sitting in zero visibility pondering our foolishness. But then clouds magically lifted on Sunday evening and we got a bluebird on Monday.
Left Craig View at 5:25 am, easy skin up with ski crampons all the way to crater, switched to boot crampons for Roman Wall, finished skinning up to Grant Peak in just about 5 hours. Sunny, light wind, pleasant temperatures. Loitered on the summit for an hour and started skiing down around noon. Roman Wall was still a bit hard but once on Squak the corn was just perfect all the way to Craig View. The best high speed backcountry turns in years. GPS showed max speed at 56.8 km/h. Top of Roman Wall to Craig View in the most beautiful 15 minutes of this spring ski season.
Ski out was on wet, suncupped snow dirtied by polen and lower down by branches and all that stuff trees shed.
Sign at the beginning of FR13 now says the snowmobile season is over so the South side should be quiet now.
Slideshow:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/runningclouds/sets/72157634089255303/
If anything the weather forecast was uncertain approaching the magic state when whatever is forecasted does not materialize. At least that was the case three days before the weekend.
We postponed for Sunday and Monday and it turned out to be the right call. After skinning up to Craig View under and in clouds we spent few hours sitting in zero visibility pondering our foolishness. But then clouds magically lifted on Sunday evening and we got a bluebird on Monday.
Left Craig View at 5:25 am, easy skin up with ski crampons all the way to crater, switched to boot crampons for Roman Wall, finished skinning up to Grant Peak in just about 5 hours. Sunny, light wind, pleasant temperatures. Loitered on the summit for an hour and started skiing down around noon. Roman Wall was still a bit hard but once on Squak the corn was just perfect all the way to Craig View. The best high speed backcountry turns in years. GPS showed max speed at 56.8 km/h. Top of Roman Wall to Craig View in the most beautiful 15 minutes of this spring ski season.
Ski out was on wet, suncupped snow dirtied by polen and lower down by branches and all that stuff trees shed.
Sign at the beginning of FR13 now says the snowmobile season is over so the South side should be quiet now.
Slideshow:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/runningclouds/sets/72157634089255303/
get a haircut hippy!
nah just joking, looks like a great time!!!
nah just joking, looks like a great time!!!
I like the pictures and am Jealous of the speedy corn.
Forgot to say the yellow line in the above google map pic is the Scott Paul trail.
author=runningclouds link=topic=28803.msg121150#msg121150 date=1371077165]
.. GPS showed max speed at 56.8 km/h. ...
Dude, for better speeds, stop turning.. You could even start your own website, Straight-Lining-All-Year.
Looks like you nearly SLAY-ed it.. ;D
author=runningclouds link=topic=28803.msg121150#msg121150 date=1371077165]
Uncertainty turns beautiful.
Which, in turn, is a beautiful way to describe it. Always so nice.
author=davidG link=topic=28803.msg121188#msg121188 date=1371158108]
Dude, for better speeds, stop turning..
:) But I like turning, turns are fun!
Thanks knitvt!
Reply to this TR
Please login first: