Surpringly Sweet Snoqualmie 2/26, 2/29, and 3/7

Posting in hopes of alleviating the general malaise I'm sensing here. "So bored" "Just a bunch of folks selling stuff".
I blame Trump.

Despite the lackluster freezing levels the past few weeks, friends and I still managed to get some good skiing.

First day in the series was just a day to get out while the weather was good. Phil and I had our first Red summit. Weather was excellent, snow was not: just softening rollerballs from the day before for most of the way. There was some proto-corn but less than we hoped. But the views were Kush and exercise is always nice.


Second day was a Monday morning mission to the local pow stash. These spring storms can bring surprisingly great powder, but the sun quickly does its work, so you've got to get it while you can.


Third day was yesterday. Rusty and I worked our way up the Phantom with the goal of checking out the Slot. After some mishaps (forgotten shovel & probe, thanks Summit West patrol!), we were on the upper Phantom. It was snowing hard by that point, with moderate wind. We made it up to the ridgetop while avoiding obvious windslabs. Actually, we booted the top couple hundred vert to the ridge which was the most I've ever booted there but pretty nice with the underlying crust and debris in spots. We threw a tiny chunk of cornice into the Slot and, as it slowly reached the first convexity within, triggered a thin storm/wind slab that propagated wall-to-wall. Concerned with the ease of this result and the rapid loading that was occuring, we pulled the plug on that and changed plans to skiing the Phantom. Which rocked. Enough for two laps. We left as the sun was coming out and the storm was clearing. I made it back in time to not completely miss an important meeting that I'd forgotten about and was able to run a few errands around town, too.

Turns in the (b)lower Phantom


From my Instagram it looks like the Slot gave it up this morning. Oh baby!

Snoqualmie delivers once again