Home > Trip Reports > December 30, 2013, Stemilt Chocolate Chip Bliss

December 30, 2013, Stemilt Chocolate Chip Bliss

12/30/13
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Posted by jtack on 1/1/14 2:10am
There are still small pockets of worthwhile skiing out there, but they are getting harder to find here in the Wenatchee area.  Mike and I had been trying to make our schedules meet, and not having all that much luck.  We have been talking about skiing Stemilt for awhile, and finely, we put it together.  Our expectations were not all that high, temperatures were above freezing with a forecast of rain.    When a trip starts like this at 4000 feet in December, you know there are going to be complications. 





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And when you get to the "goods" they look like this.



We put on our skis, and started up, after about five minutes, we drifted to a stop, and questioned the wisdom of our idea.   But in classic The Bear Went over the Mountain style we had to see what was up on the next bench, and so off we went.  It was about then then that the forecast for rain started paying off.  As we made the upper bench the rain had saturated my skins, and we stopped for a skin waxing.  The snow coverage looked good enough to go have a further look. 

We actually found some fun snow skinned to the top of an enticing pitch and stopped for lunch, which is always nice with Mike,because he always brings a stove so its hot chocolate!

Conditions were "variable" one minute, firm, and the next a foot of mank, but it really was fun, so we made a couple of laps.

As usual Mike having too much fun.

 

Me hanging on for dear life.



Joe making dollar signs out of our turns.



The mankey end of the spectrum.



The way out was thin.



We had a little brush with a slough, (wet snow avalanche?) we missed the slope we intended to ski and ended up on a steeper piece than we really wanted ~ 35  (East facing)we guessed.  We decided to cut it, Mike being the better skier made a slash on it and to our surprise, away it went not fast at first, but it gathered steam, and by the time it hit the slope break it was going fast.  Did not go to the the ground, but took about half the depth of pack, maybe eight inches and did not propagate.   We decided if we had skied the slope fast, we would probably have out run it, but if you fell, or skied slow (like me) it may well have knocked you down, with a nasty beating at the bottom in an Alder thicket.  Mike did another cut with the same results, and I skied down the slide path. 

The ski out went OK, but there was a penalty to pay in the form of petex, and of course some serious skin loss if you fell!











As a very discouraging side note, Mike took a fall skiing on a groomed run at Mission (classic slow speed twister) and broke his Tibia and will be  out of action for six weeks, a real confidence rattle to see mister invincible with a broken leg!!!
Just a little side note lol.

Will be missing his awesome trip reports!

The shame and irony of getting hurt skiing slow on a groomer at the ski area.  Ug.   

Jamie that was a great trip and although the soft snow exposed us to rock contact potential, the skiing was better and more consistent than what is available next door at the ski area.  Here are a couple of the hazards encountered at Mission Ridge the next day:

My sis getting buzzed by a snow biker


Extreme example of the frozen surface:


If I could, I'd go back right now!  (To Stemilt)

However, this lady says I can't go back out right now:


And this picture seems to confirm it:


It's called the medial malleolus, and its just the itty bitty tip of the tibia.  Such a small piece!


"Nasty beating by Alder" is quite the picture of backcountry skiing! Sure sorry to hear of Mike breaking his leg. In retrospect it was a pretty good deal it didn't happen in the middle of nowhere (where he's been skiing lately). Dragging him out through the brush, and rocks, and iced over dirt trail would have been much more of a problem!

We actually had a conversation about what if's and decided it would be tough sledding to get out of where we were.

He is to modest to say, but Mike managed to ski off under his own steam. I stopped in for a visit he is fine, just totally discouraged, and trying to think of a way to be skiing quicker than six weeks!

Luckily 6 weeks is a very short time. Certainly not long enough time to risk a more prolonged injury/condition by pushing it. If we ever get some some snow on Blewett, I'll try to get you over to some of the areas I go to. We can send Mike pictures to help with his rehab!

Mike, do you have a TAY streak at risk here?  ???

Arg!  So sorry to hear about the break Mike - I've been skiing vicariously through you ;)  Heal up fast.

author=telemack link=topic=30170.msg126368#msg126368 date=1388646272">
Mike, do you have a TAY streak at risk here?   ???


It hadn't occurred to me in a TAY context before, but perhaps an adaptive skiing program would be willing to help TAYers with streak-threatening leg injuries?

Josh Dueck certainly was having fun in the Freedom Chair. It's been more than a decade since I last went sledding in playboat kayaks, but it was a ton of fun.

author=telemack link=topic=30170.msg126368#msg126368 date=1388646272]
Mike, do you have a TAY streak at risk here?   ???


38 months right now, and I did it on the 31st, so January is NOT in the bag.

author=Marcus link=topic=30170.msg126379#msg126379 date=1388679921]
Arg!  So sorry to hear about the break Mike - I've been skiing vicariously through you ;)  Heal up fast.


Thanks Marcus!  My turn to ski vicariously through the stories on TAY.

author=Charlie Hagedorn link=topic=30170.msg126382#msg126382 date=1388680367]
It hadn't occurred to me in a TAY context before, but perhaps an adaptive skiing program would be willing to help TAYers with streak-threatening leg injuries?


There was a guy who skied at Mission Ridge for years with one ski boot and one Sorrel.  Pretty inspiring.  If the doc tells me that I can put weight on the foot, I expect I'll try some one legged runs on Mimi at the Ridge.  Too early to tell yet, but I'm going to live in that fantasy for a while.

author=avajane link=topic=30170.msg126364#msg126364 date=1388638655]
Luckily 6 weeks is a very short time. Certainly not long enough time to risk a more prolonged injury/condition by pushing it.


Yeah, neither patience nor moderation are strong qualities of mine.

Just talked to Mike, and he will not have to wear a cast, and can ski when he can stand the pain, it will realistically be weeks (maybe 6) but much better than a cast, and non weight bearing.

WAHOOO! 

Dr. Rossi is magic.

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2014-01-01 10:10:56