Feb 18, 2006, Silver Peak Basin crust patrol
2/18/06
WA Snoqualmie Pass
2203
2
We thought maybe we were being clever, buying a nordic pass and getting a quick jump via chairlift over the ski area, with hopes of climbing up to find perhaps a ribbon of powder between the woods and the open low angle basin in the NW lobe of Silver Peak's north basin. We knew it wouldn't be as good as Charles got earlier in the week, but perhaps some powder would persist.
And some did. For maybe about 100vf. Otherwise, we encountered brief patches of chocolatey turnable snow along with about the widest variety of crusts that I've ever seen in one day, though a few of the nastiest types were fortunately not present.
Turns out the finest low angle powder was up around Grand Junction, both on the back side by the warming hut and down toward the highway, here and there among the teenaged trees.
We had great views and easy travel, but no sneaky powder fun but for a few turns in the stuff back by the chairlift. We copped a few more runs on the lift upon our return, and the hardpacked groomers were surprisingly nice.
And some did. For maybe about 100vf. Otherwise, we encountered brief patches of chocolatey turnable snow along with about the widest variety of crusts that I've ever seen in one day, though a few of the nastiest types were fortunately not present.
Turns out the finest low angle powder was up around Grand Junction, both on the back side by the warming hut and down toward the highway, here and there among the teenaged trees.
We had great views and easy travel, but no sneaky powder fun but for a few turns in the stuff back by the chairlift. We copped a few more runs on the lift upon our return, and the hardpacked groomers were surprisingly nice.
I wonder where the powder got blown to..... ???
Surely it must be somewhere.
Surely it must be somewhere.
There was a LOT of wind crust, so that used to be powder. Maybe the NE lobe, which is steeper, but appears perhaps a bit more sheltered, had a little more powder.
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