December 26, 2017, Mt Lichtenberg
12/26/17
WA Stevens Pass
2273
5
After doing the Smithbrook approach on the 24th and having to reset a completely snowshoer obliterated skin track up to Lichtenwasser, a friend and I tried the Nason Creek approach yesterday. Starting off with headlamps and plans of multiple deep laps in the north bowls, we ran into an increasingly worrying surface crust down low in the trees before the main ascent. Once on that more exposed aspect, definite crust confirmed - small 1/2-1mm ball bearings bonded together into a layer about 2-3mm. Snow underneath was still that pristine and uncharacteristically light snowpack thats been getting enjoyed since the previous week. No slides or failures observed, about a dozen ski tracks from the weekend are now solidly etched into place. Evidence of winds before the crust formed.
We continued on a supremely set skin track up to the saddle and out left to the big lunch rock, where we finally popped above the cloud deck. North side looked like it could have avoided the crust-ification, but a small huck off the cornice lead to a very face first examination of the crust layer, which was anything if thicker on anything shaded.
Disheartened, we skied down a few soft yet crunchy lines. Skis and boards make a very strange zipper-like sound cutting through the crust with that much pow chilling underneath. Punched a track back out onto the ridge of the most north bowl and waited for a good gap in the clouds to ski back down the south side. So long Christmas pow, was good while you were with us. Having very strong thoughts about cancelling this weekends BC overnighter now having discovered that crust...
We continued on a supremely set skin track up to the saddle and out left to the big lunch rock, where we finally popped above the cloud deck. North side looked like it could have avoided the crust-ification, but a small huck off the cornice lead to a very face first examination of the crust layer, which was anything if thicker on anything shaded.
Disheartened, we skied down a few soft yet crunchy lines. Skis and boards make a very strange zipper-like sound cutting through the crust with that much pow chilling underneath. Punched a track back out onto the ridge of the most north bowl and waited for a good gap in the clouds to ski back down the south side. So long Christmas pow, was good while you were with us. Having very strong thoughts about cancelling this weekends BC overnighter now having discovered that crust...
Experienced the same crust at pinapple Pass that day. I think it was a light freezing rain the night before. We were disappointed, but with steep enough slope we were able to bust through fine and pretend it was perfect pow. We had to wear earplugs though ;)
We found the crust on the solar aspects softened in the afternoon making it better.
We found the crust on the solar aspects softened in the afternoon making it better.
We toured up the Smithbrook side on the same day and found that crust on virtually every aspect at every elevation from the road to the summit. It was so thin you could see through it if you dug the pow out from underneath the surface crust. I was at the resort at Stevens the day before, and most of the morning and early afternoon there was precip in the form of freezing mist, the kind where you didn't even notice it but I had to de-ice my goggles twice per run. Is the mist the potential culprit for the crust?
On a good note, I'm glad we pushed to the summit as it was just barely above the cloud deck and provided great views.
Also, the coverage on the lower mountain still needs a good couple feet to be in better shape. This storm cycle should help.
On a good note, I'm glad we pushed to the summit as it was just barely above the cloud deck and provided great views.
Also, the coverage on the lower mountain still needs a good couple feet to be in better shape. This storm cycle should help.
author=Rowen link=topic=39367.msg158632#msg158632 date=1514415560]
... we ran into an increasingly worrying surface crust down low in the trees before the main ascent. Once on that more exposed aspect, definite crust confirmed - small 1/2-1mm ball bearings bonded together into a layer about 2-3mm.
...
North side looked like it could have avoided the crust-ification, but a small huck off the cornice lead to a very face first examination of the crust layer, which was anything if thicker on anything shaded.
author=thatcherk1 link=topic=39367.msg158656#msg158656 date=1514470503]
Experienced the same crust at pinapple Pass that day. I think it was a light freezing rain the night before.
author=Onward. link=topic=39367.msg158660#msg158660 date=1514476975]
We toured up the Smithbrook side on the same day and found that crust on virtually every aspect at every elevation from the road to the summit. It was so thin you could see through it if you dug the pow out from underneath the surface crust. I was at the resort at Stevens the day before, and most of the morning and early afternoon there was precip in the form of freezing mist, the kind where you didn't even notice it but I had to de-ice my goggles twice per run. Is the mist the potential culprit for the crust?
That mist is properly called freezing fog. It's definitely not freezing rain, which is not possible given the temperature profile of the atmosphere on Christmas Day (and the days before and after), which had a freezing level almost down to sea level with temperatures well below freezing at all elevations above that. Freezing rain requires a layer of temperatures well above freezing, in order to melt falling snowflakes into rain, which then refreezes into ice as the falls into colder sub-freezing air trapped below. So the only possible culprit is freezing fog, which consists of supercooled water droplets which remain liquid despite air temperatures below freezing, but freeze instantly on contact with any surface. It's the same process that produces rime.
This very unwelcome Christmas present is apparently widespread now throughout a large length of the Cascades from at least Stevens Pass to south of Mount Rainier.
Myself and several friends skied from pt 5566 NW of granite mt to alpental that same day. The crust existed throughout the day but was the least prevalent (quite enjoyable skiing) high on our first descent which was the farthest away from the pass (once lower into the trees and into a cloud layer it became much more prevalent.). We were in the full sun looking at a cloud covered snoqualmie pass. From our observations it seems that further west of the crest may have been spared from the freezing fog.
author=Rowen link=topic=39367.msg158632#msg158632 date=1514415560]
After doing the Smithbrook approach on the 24th and having to reset a completely snowshoer obliterated skin track up to Lichtenwasser, a friend and I tried the Nason Creek approach yesterday. Starting off with headlamps and plans of multiple deep laps in the north bowls, we ran into an increasingly worrying surface crust down low in the trees before the main ascent. Once on that more exposed aspect, definite crust confirmed - small 1/2-1mm ball bearings bonded together into a layer about 2-3mm. Snow underneath was still that pristine and uncharacteristically light snowpack thats been getting enjoyed since the previous week. No slides or failures observed, about a dozen ski tracks from the weekend are now solidly etched into place. Evidence of winds before the crust formed.
We continued on a supremely set skin track up to the saddle and out left to the big lunch rock, where we finally popped above the cloud deck. North side looked like it could have avoided the crust-ification, but a small huck off the cornice lead to a very face first examination of the crust layer, which was anything if thicker on anything shaded.
Disheartened, we skied down a few soft yet crunchy lines. Skis and boards make a very strange zipper-like sound cutting through the crust with that much pow chilling underneath. Punched a track back out onto the ridge of the most north bowl and waited for a good gap in the clouds to ski back down the south side. So long Christmas pow, was good while you were with us. Having very strong thoughts about cancelling this weekends BC overnighter now having discovered that crust...
We were behind you on the same route that day. Well I assume it was you as it appeared there were two people ahead of us. We weren't as ambitious and bailed before the summit and only did one run.
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