December 31, 2018, Stevens Pass Backcountry
12/31/18
WA Stevens Pass
1584
5
Skinned out the ridge towards big chief mtn from the top of DD. Beautiful views and blower snow. Snow evidence of wind loading and natural slides on some convexities in powder bowl. Opted to ski the ridge. Amazing snow up high.
- Some photos
[li]video of hero snow
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[li]
Love the video!
Man, steeps, big ascents/descents, adventure tours all have their value. But that's what it's all about right there. Nothin' beats the cold smoke flow. Thanks Devon!
author=coldseagull link=topic=41280.msg163291#msg163291 date=1546479600">
snow degrading in quality as we got into the trees.
Small creek crossing to get to the nordic trail then an easy skin out. I think in the future I'd just lap the top and traverse back into resort as the trees down low are a bit to tight to be fun.
Back in early December we found much the same conditions on a much thinner snowpack. Skier triggered point releases and small slabs in the exact area of your pictured slides. I've been out of the PNW for three+ weeks and assume warm rains have erased any deep instability that we found (shallower at the time, obviously).
Great to see a teleier!
We're thinking that a traverse to Yodelin from where the trees got thick could be a fun way to extend a tour.
John
author=John Morrow link=topic=41280.msg163301#msg163301 date=1546527013]
Back in early December we found much the same conditions on a much thinner snowpack. Skier triggered point releases and small slabs in the exact area of your pictured slides. I've been out of the PNW for three+ weeks and assume warm rains have erased any deep instability that we found (shallower at the time, obviously).
Great to see a teleier!
We're thinking that a traverse to Yodelin from where the trees got thick could be a fun way to extend a tour.
John
That bowl with the slides(I think it's actually called highland bowl?) has some weird convexity that always spook me. Would you just tour back up to the ridge and head east along it until you could drop into yodelin? I've haven't had good luck skiing that zone, due to all the bushes.
I switched to tele the last few years and it is soooo fun. I did get a light AT setup for longer days or larger objectives, but I've been pleasently surprised with how my tele tech (meidjo) and tele specific ski (pariah) have been skiing this year.
author=peteyboy link=topic=41280.msg163300#msg163300 date=1546526046]
Man, steeps, big ascents/descents, adventure tours all have their value. But that's what it's all about right there. Nothin' beats the cold smoke flow. Thanks Devon!
Totally agree... you really can't beat blower pow and sun. The video doesn't do justice how ridiculously sparkly the snow was. I was basically skiing glitter.
author=Roger Strong link=topic=41280.msg163297#msg163297 date=1546497879]
Love the video!
Thanks Roger! easy to get good video when it's that clear.
author=coldseagull link=topic=41280.msg163302#msg163302 date=1546541606]
That bowl with the slides(I think it's actually called highland bowl?) has some weird convexity that always spook me. Would you just tour back up to the ridge and head east along it until you could drop into yodelin? I've haven't had good luck skiing that zone, due to all the bushes.
I switched to tele the last few years and it is soooo fun. I did get a light AT setup for longer days or larger objectives, but I've been pleasently surprised with how my tele tech (meidjo) and tele specific ski (pariah) have been skiing this year.
We have noticed a cliffy band on the NE Ridge of Big Chief that would be most likely best to traverse below in lower angled forest before climbing toward the saddle with it and Yodelin ridgetop points (Welldiggers Rear 5273 or Point 5023')
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