Home > Trip Reports > December 15, 2015, Alpental, Chip's Couloir

December 15, 2015, Alpental, Chip's Couloir

12/15/15
WA Snoqualmie Pass
7978
15
Posted by cascadenative on 12/16/15 1:16am
Very stable conditions in the Alpental backcountry yesterday despite all the new snow. No shearing whatsoever even on steep open faces. Snow was great from the upper lot to the top of nash in the morning, warming up and getting a bit heavy below Lower International later in the day.



Brett and I skinned up Snake Dance and up to the upper sidecountry gate before digging a pit to see what was within scope for the day. With conditions as stable as they were and with all the new snow, we felt confident about booting up Chip's Couloir.





Where's Brett??

[img width=617 height=800">http://i.imgur.com/nZuDSeG.jpg" />



It was a slog in deep snow but well worth it. Coverage was fairly good and I made it down without any dings on the bases.



Haven't skied snow like that at Snoqualmie for a very long time.

We finished with some nice little pillow lines and headed to the Snoqualmie Brewery for some beers (ahem, medicine). It was a pretty sick sick day.
Thanks for the report. Indeed, it has been nice to ski some real Cascade powder up at the pass this week! Feels like old times.

So just to connect this report back to the post from Gib on the start of the usual restrictions on uphill travel in the resort permit boundary, I'm guessing you guys got clearance from ski patrol on your plans for the day...

author=Jim Oker link=topic=35083.msg143938#msg143938 date=1450288098">
Thanks for the report. Indeed, it has been nice to ski some real Cascade powder up at the pass this week! Feels like old times.

So just to connect this report back to the post from Gib on the start of the usual restrictions on uphill travel in the resort permit boundary, I'm guessing you guys got clearance from ski patrol on your plans for the day...


Yes, we met ski patrol near the lot and took the out of bounds approach. I say Snake Dance but we were on the other side of the line. I will give that a read though. Sometimes, when you ski at a mountain since you were two years old, you don't do diligence when trip planning like you would visiting new areas. Thank you for the link.

Looks great!  Is Chip's the same as the Bryant Peak Couloir?  Looks very similar, but it's been several years since I've skied it.

Doesn't look like it, but who knows, everyone has a different name for route up there.

Chip's is the col closest to Nash, Corey's is the one closer to the Cleaver / P. Pass





They gave permission for Chip's/Snake Dance/Elevator? Those are all most certainly within the permit boundary, which extends out to about Stokes.

From Gib, cleared areas are:
"...we do not preclude you from heading up the South Fork valley towards Source Lake in order to access points beyond our operating area.  ie   Great Scott, The Tooth, Chair Peak, Kaleetan, etc."

Nice riding in the little video there.

Post of the year.  So awesome on many levels.

I didn't even think to look above the high traverse.  Pretty awesome indeed!

author=bfree32 link=topic=35083.msg143970#msg143970 date=1450322648]
They gave permission for Chip's/Snake Dance/Elevator? Those are all most certainly within the permit boundary, which extends out to about Stokes.


You are right, however, when we spoke with ski patrol at the base of the mountain, they told us they were not doing avalanche control and that we could head out there but for future reference to check in and see if it was cool. I thought it was still early enough but when we began touring, we say that the lifts were running for prep work and that I had forgotten to check the in bounds uphill closure date. Luckily they let us in there though! It was a blast!

Cool. A line rarely skied these days by the GP. Very fortunate indeed. Wish I was there. Thanks for the report!!

Well - there's another line I'll not attempt in my tele skis!!!  Yikes.  Very impressive.

Fun, cool, yay!

Thanks guys, hey does anyone know the name of the couloir is directly on the other side of the ridge from Chips? When we got to the saddle and looked on the other side,there was an awesome looking chute. I can't seem to find the name of it anywhere.

I would really like to have a copy of that map in color like that. Do they have them at the resort? Somebody told me once that maybe ski patrol has them, but I keep forgetting to ask.

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cascadenative
2015-12-16 09:16:32