Home > Trip Reports > March 9, 2014, Clara Lake, snomo vid

March 9, 2014, Clara Lake, snomo vid

3/9/14
WA Cascades East Slopes Central
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Posted by mikerolfs on 3/10/14 1:44pm
Snow conditions were fabulous spring corn with 3 inches of ski penetration and a spongy firm base for good turnin'.  I made three runs, but the highlight/low-point of the day was the sled spectating.  Simply amazing how much ground these guys can cover in a short period of time.  Polite group of riders, skilled too.  I sent the young guy some photos.  I am convinced that they are not malicious in their activity.  They just have no idea that my area enjoyment is incompatible with theirs.

Video:  https://vimeo.com/88717687

and here are some fun photos





















one good thing, they tested the slope stability fairly well.  After watching these guys I skied a slope twice that last week I wouldn't have touched.  So they did give me that little gift.
E-gads! I'm sorry Mike...I was once in your shoes on the south side of Adams where the snow machines were way up on the top of Aiken Lava Flow and even going higher. We had summited and was back at our 8000'+ high camp snoozing when the machines did circles around our bivvy trenches, asking if we were alright...thinking that the skis stuck vertical in the snow was some sign of distress. One guy in our party got out of his bivvy sack and relieved himself in front of the riders and said we were "OK" , that we did not need rescue. They took off in a huff with 2 cycle noise, blue smoke and and waving goodbye with only one finger.
I don't know what to do except go higher and more remote...I can see doing logging roads on the approach, but park the damn thing and start kicking steps.
???

We were on Adams around Jan 25 and saw snowmobiles in the illegal zone. Another snowmobile started past the markers towards us, and I started gesturing for him to turn around. Then I realized it was a National Forest ranger who was tracking the 2 guys above us. We said 'hi' and told him they were up there. It seemed like they played hide-and-seek throughout the day, and I'm not sure he ever caught them. I hope so.

Roxy seems like the honey badger, don't care.

Thanks Mike.
Me being a every once in awhile sledneck and also a dedicated skier, I very much respect your comments.  We CAN all coexist.

It's the dickheads of any demographic that ruin the good name of the rest of them. Most of the sledders I have come across are totally cool, slow down when they pass, wave, and are respectful. Though there have been the exceptions; those who are rude and leave trash everywhere and give no concern to "no sno-mo" signs...basically just acting like typical white trash. I think most of the fellow sno-mo'ers aren't appreciate of this behavior since it paints them all with that broad brush.

All I ask is they do respect the no sno-mo'ing signs so we can enjoy our respective activities.

Bummer you had to share your favorite stash with the bubbas, but they were there legally, right?  I've skied some fantastic terrain off the 9712, dropping into the Devlls Gulch drainage.  No sledder is going down there.  Too far from the resort for day tours?

BTW - Cool hound!

author=Good2Go link=topic=31089.msg130431#msg130431 date=1394648869]
but they were there legally, right? 


Correct.  There is no current rule against Over Snow Vehicles in the Clara Lakes Basin. 

author=JoshK link=topic=31089.msg130430#msg130430 date=1394647641]
All I ask is they do respect the no sno-mo'ing signs so we can enjoy our respective activities.


That's the big problem, isn't it.  There aren't any such signs in my area except within the ski area special use permit area.

READ ON - this will be worth it.  I'd like to take this opportunity to share a great story about a meeting with the most amazingly WT sledneck I've ever encountered or even heard of.

First off, I myself own and use a real mountain sled - 2009 Skidoo Summit X 800.  I'm in full support of legal snowmobiling as I think it offers excellent access opportunities and sometimes is just pure fun in a different sort of way.  That said....

Back in 2009 after I had just purchased my sled, some friends of mine and I decided to do a tour up and over Baker.  We started from the Glacier side of the mountain where we all lived, snowmobiled up to the bathrooms/trailhead, and parked before sunrise.  We proceeded to skin up onto the Coleman Glacier, but were slow due to a member of our party who was pretty out of shape.  We summited in January just at sunset.  The plan was to ski the Easton Glacier, and be picked up on the other side.  These kinds of trips are great, but this is where it gets interesting.

We skied what I would describe as the most beautiful run of my life - on purple snow.  We skied first over 8" rime ice crystals, then blue ice down the wall, then mixed ice through the maze of crevasses, and finally into frozen snowmobile track madness.  I'll make this part short - it got dark and we got lost in Schriebers meadow.  We followed snowmobile tracks with headlamps down until we realized that the last snowmobile track had turned around and started back up the mountain.

Dark, cold, January, lost.

We hiked back up some distance and suddenly were very hopeful when we saw a lone snowmobiler.  We watched the sled driving all over the place with a headlight until he stopped.  At this point, we started yelling and flashing our head lamps at this person.  We actually used the word "HELP"!!!  Response?

Us:  "HELP"
Him:  "What?!??"
Us: "Can you tell use which way to go to get back to the trail head?"
Him: "What?!??  I can't help you."
Him: "@#$% YOU!!"
Him: "I just got myself out.  I'm drunk.  All my friends left me.  Go over there."

Then he fired up his sled and bailed.  Left us to die if that would have been the outcome.  Fortunately, we made it to some trees on a ridge.  I dug a pit to the ground, broke off a bunch of dead branches and made a fire.  We stayed warm(ish) through the night, and skied out the next morning when we could see.

I've always loved that story.

That's a great story.  You should write the extended version and publish it.  Dave Wag's magazine just did a three part fiction adventure story about a snowmobile assisted tourer named Zed who, in part two, got buried and dug out, and then in part three, was eaten by a Yeti.  Was a fun read.    I'd spend the effort to read your story in three parts. 

author=mikerolfs link=topic=31089.msg130488#msg130488 date=1394727024]
That's a great story.  You should write the extended version and publish it.  Dave Wag's magazine just did a three part fiction adventure story about a snowmobile assisted tourer named Zed who, in part two, got buried and dug out, and then in part three, was eaten by a Yeti.  Was a fun read.    I'd spend the effort to read your story in three parts. 


I wouldn't have the first clue about how to publish something, but perhaps I'll try to figure it out.

author=plugNchug link=topic=31089.msg130337#msg130337 date=1394516707]
the machines did circles around our bivvy trenches, asking if we were alright...thinking that the skis stuck vertical in the snow was some sign of distress. One guy in our party got out of his bivvy sack and relieved himself in front of the riders and said we were "OK" , that we did not need rescue. They took off in a huff with 2 cycle noise, blue smoke and and waving goodbye with only one finger.


I think you should re-read your own post and re-evaluate how your group responded to this situation.  Let's make this scenario play out on a road instead of a mountain, so that you can't prejudge the other party.  Replace skis with road bikes and sleds with trucks. 

You and your friends on road bikes decide to take a break, leaving your bikes by the side of the road.  A group driving trucks sees your bikes strewn around, stops and asks if you need any help, thinking you may have an injury or flat tire.  One of your group stands up, whips out his jimmy, starts pissing in their direction, and says "NOPE WE ARE FINE. "

Then you apparently feel that their response of flicking you off when they leave is inappropriate?  SERIOUSLY?  It was not ok to piss on the playground when you disagreed with another kid, what makes you think it's a good idea now?  From the account you just posted your group has the maturity level of 1st graders and just about the same level of intelligence.  This should be an something you are ashamed of, it's not something to go bragging about them on the internet.

Were the snowmachiners playing "Highmark"??

author=ND link=topic=31089.msg130909#msg130909 date=1395419115]
I think you should re-read your own post and re-evaluate how your group responded to this situation.  Let's make this scenario play out on a road instead of a mountain, so that you can't prejudge the other party.  Replace skis with road bikes and sleds with trucks. 

You and your friends on road bikes decide to take a break, leaving your bikes by the side of the road.  A group driving trucks sees your bikes strewn around, stops and asks if you need any help, thinking you may have an injury or flat tire.  One of your group stands up, whips out his jimmy, starts pissing in their direction, and says "NOPE WE ARE FINE. "

Then you apparently feel that their response of flicking you off when they leave is inappropriate?  SERIOUSLY?  It was not ok to piss on the playground when you disagreed with another kid, what makes you think it's a good idea now?  From the account you just posted your group has the maturity level of 1st graders and just about the same level of intelligence.  This should be an something you are ashamed of, it's not something to go bragging about them on the internet.




From general posting guidelines:
"Be civil and respectful, avoid personal attacks - that is the norm here;"

See...this is why I rarely get involved with this blog. I think the majority of you all are great folks, however, there are those who seem to develop over-zealous ownership with a bent towards their subjective justice. Get a life.

As much as I would like to dive deeper justifying my experience (and writings) that I saw with my own eyes instead of reading about it in a blog, I'll just say forget it, not worth the worry.

author=plugNchug link=topic=31089.msg130916#msg130916 date=1395431985]

From general posting guidelines:
"Be civil and respectful, avoid personal attacks - that is the norm here;"

See...this is why I rarely get involved with this blog. I think the majority of you all are great folks, however, there are those who seem to develop over-zealous ownership with a bent towards their subjective justice. Get a life.

As much as I would like to dive deeper justifying my experience (and writings) that I saw with my own eyes instead of reading about it in a blog, I'll just say forget it, not worth the worry.



It's too bad that you don't feel it is worth the worry, because maybe, just maybe, there was some sort of explanation for your groups behavior.  At least I would *like* to believe so.  Here is the thing about internet forums, those of us reading this do not know you and have nothing to go off other then what you posted.  The way it reads makes your whole group sound like a group of immature kids (to put it as nicely as possible).  This is not a personal attack, I'm simply stating how your post reads to the rest of us.  I'm sorry if this has hurt your feelings and wish you an enjoyable life of urination in the alpine.

author=ND link=topic=31089.msg130922#msg130922 date=1395441619]
I'm simply stating how your post reads to the rest of us.  I'm sorry if this has hurt your feelings and wish you an enjoyable life of urination in the alpine.


I can't speak for everyone on this forum, but your interpretation is not now I read plugNchug's comment. This does happen to be a forum for backcountry skiing, not backcountry slednecking, and as such I think that plugNchug's story probably resonates with many of us who have had unpleasant encounters with snowmobiles. I personally wouldn't have the guts to whip it out in front of a group of slednecks, but I agree with the message. Sleds serve their purpose as great approach tools for unplowed roads in the winter, but again, I have to agree with plugNchug - "park the damn thing!" Legal or not, there is something not right about the smell and sound of screaming engines in the alpine. Alpine urination on the other hand, is much less obtrusive, - a skier can't be heard pissing from 3 miles away - and can actually be quite enjoyable.

Just my thoughts

Besides the asinine practice of high-pointing (wrong for so many many reasons) and the obvious track out...it's those g*d**mned 2 stroke engines that really get me.  if i were God or some kick ass deity I'd out-law two strokes without mufflers.  That's right: those crap weed eaters, 7.5 HP black smoke spewing lawn mowers, and leaf blowers all need some modifications or BOOM! illegal! 

the devices I'm fine with, their noise and how they are often used...not so fine with.  snomo license should be required along with an lesson in BC etiquette.  leave the avi education as optional.  :)

great editing on the vid. 

author=savegondor link=topic=31089.msg130932#msg130932 date=1395450460]
Besides the asinine practice of high-pointing (wrong for so many many reasons) and the obvious track out...it's those g*d**mned 2 stroke engines that really get me.  if i were God or some kick ass deity I'd out-law two strokes without mufflers.  That's right: those crap weed eaters, 7.5 HP black smoke spewing lawn mowers, and leaf blowers all need some modifications or BOOM! illegal! 

the devices I'm fine with, their noise and how they are often used...not so fine with.  snomo license should be required along with an lesson in BC etiquette.  leave the avi education as optional.  :)

great editing on the vid.   


Its called the Wilderness. Use it.

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2014-03-10 20:44:16