February 6, 2006, Snoqualmie Mtn.
2/6/06
WA Snoqualmie Pass
2358
1
The sunny, yet relatively cool forecast lured me away from work today...hoped to ski the slot couloir but conditions kept us out of it. Occational wind slabs were found on the skin up adjacent to the phantom path, the slabs we tap tested sheared cleanly at the third or fourth hit from the elbow.
Fortunately the sun stayed behind high overcast for most of the skin up, once it came out though, the snow quickly got soggy.
We got to the slot entrance and I skied down 100' on belay. The snow surface was firm windslab, maybe it would've improved further down but we didn't have any more rope. I dug pits in several locations, each time as soon as I sawed completely through the back side of the column it failed without tapping, at about 6" down and then another 8" down. It was tough to tell my buddies that we'd be skiing back down the way we came instead of the slot today, but it seemed like the right call to make. Granted, the entrance is steep and a little wind affected, but its not too often that I dig a pit and the bugger fails before tapping on it.
So I kicked steps back up and we skied the mashed potatoes back to treeline, where once in the shade of the forest we had suprisingly good turns back to the car.
Plenty of winter left...probably be back up there the next time the weather cooperates.
Fortunately the sun stayed behind high overcast for most of the skin up, once it came out though, the snow quickly got soggy.
We got to the slot entrance and I skied down 100' on belay. The snow surface was firm windslab, maybe it would've improved further down but we didn't have any more rope. I dug pits in several locations, each time as soon as I sawed completely through the back side of the column it failed without tapping, at about 6" down and then another 8" down. It was tough to tell my buddies that we'd be skiing back down the way we came instead of the slot today, but it seemed like the right call to make. Granted, the entrance is steep and a little wind affected, but its not too often that I dig a pit and the bugger fails before tapping on it.
So I kicked steps back up and we skied the mashed potatoes back to treeline, where once in the shade of the forest we had suprisingly good turns back to the car.
Plenty of winter left...probably be back up there the next time the weather cooperates.
And I'll hope to join you next time -- sorry it didn't work out Pete! Would've been nice to have had Sunday's powder instead, eh?
Reply to this TR
Please login first: