February 4, 2005, Yodelin
2/4/05
WA Stevens Pass
6233
10
Anastasia and I rolled the dice in the face of 50 mph wind forecasts -- it's nice to gamble and win from time to time.
We pulled into the Yodelin lot at about 8:30 to a high cloud ceiling, light winds and good visibility. A group of 6, plus dog (hello Chris, et al!) were just heading out, so we had trailbreakers until we caught them at the end of the logging road, where we took our turn for a while.
Up until this point, (around 4300) the snow showed evidence of a thin rain crust with deep, dense powder below. We figured that the pass effect winds didn't manage to keep it quite cold enough that low, but everything above that got lighter and fluffier.
A tap test on a 33 degree NW facing slope showed fairly uniform snow (dense powder, forming into a soft slab) down to about 8 inches, then a loose 4 finger layer about 3 inches thick, then dense snow without real significant layering for another 3 feet.
The top 3-4 inches of looser powder crumbled gradually on taps from the wrist and a loose, uneven fracture broke 4 inches down on the 2nd tap from the elbow. It failed entirely, along with another fracture on the 4 finger layer, on the 4th and 5th taps from the elbow. Multiple shoulder taps broke the entire column off about 3 feet lower.
Increasing winds (15-25, with gusts to 40) over the course of the day out of the SE, backing to the SW by the early afternoon with lots of lee slope loading.
The nice thing about Yodelin? The trees are (and were) fantastic. We did a couple of laps in the trees and a couple down through the more open glades, sticking to lower angles. It was a "free refills" day, with the wind erasing our tracks, especially in the open, by the time we started skinning back up. Of course, the skin track was usually refilled too -- good with the bad.
EDIT: To add the link to a video from the day. Thanks to N8 and Q of 30 Cementimeters Productions for the hosting and video services. ;D
We pulled into the Yodelin lot at about 8:30 to a high cloud ceiling, light winds and good visibility. A group of 6, plus dog (hello Chris, et al!) were just heading out, so we had trailbreakers until we caught them at the end of the logging road, where we took our turn for a while.
Up until this point, (around 4300) the snow showed evidence of a thin rain crust with deep, dense powder below. We figured that the pass effect winds didn't manage to keep it quite cold enough that low, but everything above that got lighter and fluffier.
A tap test on a 33 degree NW facing slope showed fairly uniform snow (dense powder, forming into a soft slab) down to about 8 inches, then a loose 4 finger layer about 3 inches thick, then dense snow without real significant layering for another 3 feet.
The top 3-4 inches of looser powder crumbled gradually on taps from the wrist and a loose, uneven fracture broke 4 inches down on the 2nd tap from the elbow. It failed entirely, along with another fracture on the 4 finger layer, on the 4th and 5th taps from the elbow. Multiple shoulder taps broke the entire column off about 3 feet lower.
Increasing winds (15-25, with gusts to 40) over the course of the day out of the SE, backing to the SW by the early afternoon with lots of lee slope loading.
The nice thing about Yodelin? The trees are (and were) fantastic. We did a couple of laps in the trees and a couple down through the more open glades, sticking to lower angles. It was a "free refills" day, with the wind erasing our tracks, especially in the open, by the time we started skinning back up. Of course, the skin track was usually refilled too -- good with the bad.
EDIT: To add the link to a video from the day. Thanks to N8 and Q of 30 Cementimeters Productions for the hosting and video services. ;D
Nice report weekender -- good times indeed. Skinning by braille was a fun mental exercise... ;D
I was early enough in the pack that I was able to follow the skin track by watching to Cosmo's post holes. Thanks Cosmo. Great high danger day. Loved the old growth.
Yeah, good times fer sure!!! Nice video Marcus, I like the way you mixed in a little bit of wind noise along with the music!
Wish I'd taken some pics of people skiing downhill, like thru the old growth maybe ... was kinna just having too much fun to bother stopping to do so. ;D
couple more pics here.
Wish I'd taken some pics of people skiing downhill, like thru the old growth maybe ... was kinna just having too much fun to bother stopping to do so. ;D
couple more pics here.
Nice pics Double_E -- I enjoyed watching Cosmo. He must have been a riot to see coming down through the trees...
Couldn't leave out the wind noise! That was half the fun.
Couldn't leave out the wind noise! That was half the fun.
GREAT video!
Can you give me some insight as to how to approach the yodelin area? It looks like you park in the overflow lot and go from there. Is there a preferred route up to the area in the trees? I really like to stay in the trees for avi reasons ;-) but the open glade areas look awesome too!! How high up can you go? I appreciate any input.
Thanks!
Can you give me some insight as to how to approach the yodelin area? It looks like you park in the overflow lot and go from there. Is there a preferred route up to the area in the trees? I really like to stay in the trees for avi reasons ;-) but the open glade areas look awesome too!! How high up can you go? I appreciate any input.
Thanks!
We went back up there last sunday and did pratically the same tour as earlier in the month.
Yes, you park in the overflow lot about a mile east of the pass. Then head up behind the condos around on the right and use the old road to switchback twice (starting by traveling left from above the condos) uphill to where there is a nice flat area. Then work through the trees and across the bottom of several clear cuts; the first clear cut will have an old lift hut on the left. We then worked up through the old growth, generally following the old road tracks. By this time there should be tracks all over with a good path leading to the top of the ridge at about 5200'. The trees below that ridgeline are pretty safe even in high avalanche conditions, but alway make sure to check the snow with a pit before going anywhere for that matter.
Cheers
Yes, you park in the overflow lot about a mile east of the pass. Then head up behind the condos around on the right and use the old road to switchback twice (starting by traveling left from above the condos) uphill to where there is a nice flat area. Then work through the trees and across the bottom of several clear cuts; the first clear cut will have an old lift hut on the left. We then worked up through the old growth, generally following the old road tracks. By this time there should be tracks all over with a good path leading to the top of the ridge at about 5200'. The trees below that ridgeline are pretty safe even in high avalanche conditions, but alway make sure to check the snow with a pit before going anywhere for that matter.
Cheers
Thanks! If we get some new snow this week and it stays cold, I plan to check it out on Sunday ;-) yahoo!!
Here's a little topo of the approximate line that we take, with the red being the skinning and the blue the run through the trees. Staying in the trees should be pretty obvious while you are there.
WOW! Thanks a million. :)
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