March 18, 2016, Summit West
3/18/16
WA Snoqualmie Pass
2293
3
I am a lift-rider addict. Now I have said it. This is the beginning of the healing process. Today is the first time this season that I have put on my skins and actually started climbing with my backcountry gear. Jill and I rode lifts in WA, OR, ID, UT, WY, MT, CA, NM, CO, and BC. We are addicted. I asked Jill about skinning today; she looked at the wind and said she would work in her garden. OK. I know Silas is in another state, Robie climbs at Summit East and skis down to Summit Central for his lunch in the lodge, Eric is working. So sure, I'll have Summit West to myself. I arrived at 2pm and the wind was lowering. There were skier tracks under the Pacific Crest lift that had groomers.
I parked near the Little Thunder lift which had groomers under the lift with no tracks. This is the run for me. I skinned bottom to top without stopping 250' in 12 minutes. I linked all my turns going down and they were OK, when I was a backcountry ski instructor they were great. They did not look like turns with my downhill gear, but they were OK. I felt good so I decided to go higher. There was a groomer area under the Easy-Rider lift. I followed a snowshoe trail up to the top of Easy-Rider, and then followed a groomed trail to the top of the Wildside lift. I made a few stops to breathe as I skinned up. Over the past 4 months Jill and I have ridden lifts to 12,800' and we were in good shape, but climbing at 3800' with skins took more energy and deeper breathing. I skied the Thunderbird groomed trail and it felt good. I approached the Easy Rider trail again, and a snowcat was now grooming more area. So I skied the freshly groomed area and it was great. Got to the base of Easy Rider and skated on down to the base of the Little Thunder lift. My first skinning day this season: 2 runs, 1200vf and 2hrs. Not bad! I'm getting ready for the second part of our ski season when the lifts close and we start skinning more. I am a lift-rider addict, and I am on my way to the second session.
I parked near the Little Thunder lift which had groomers under the lift with no tracks. This is the run for me. I skinned bottom to top without stopping 250' in 12 minutes. I linked all my turns going down and they were OK, when I was a backcountry ski instructor they were great. They did not look like turns with my downhill gear, but they were OK. I felt good so I decided to go higher. There was a groomer area under the Easy-Rider lift. I followed a snowshoe trail up to the top of Easy-Rider, and then followed a groomed trail to the top of the Wildside lift. I made a few stops to breathe as I skinned up. Over the past 4 months Jill and I have ridden lifts to 12,800' and we were in good shape, but climbing at 3800' with skins took more energy and deeper breathing. I skied the Thunderbird groomed trail and it felt good. I approached the Easy Rider trail again, and a snowcat was now grooming more area. So I skied the freshly groomed area and it was great. Got to the base of Easy Rider and skated on down to the base of the Little Thunder lift. My first skinning day this season: 2 runs, 1200vf and 2hrs. Not bad! I'm getting ready for the second part of our ski season when the lifts close and we start skinning more. I am a lift-rider addict, and I am on my way to the second session.
Missed you darn it. I was at east and central letting my 3 1/2 year old shuffle on skis for the first time. Along with a lot of snow play.
About 130 pm there must of have 4 or 5 skinners over at east as things softened up along with one kite skier . Skiing on groomed areas at east or west was the way to go.
Taking a break this weekend.
About 130 pm there must of have 4 or 5 skinners over at east as things softened up along with one kite skier . Skiing on groomed areas at east or west was the way to go.
Taking a break this weekend.
My buddys and I put the tracks beside the Pac Crest chair. As we drove up we bemoaned our lack of BC time this year but after four sensational runs and one tired dog we agreed that for a trip that involved about 2 hours of driving and got us home ahead of traffic, having to listen to I-90 was really the only thing about this kind of skiing that was a negative. Hard to beat prime carving and good company.
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