Feb 2, 2019, Snoqualmie Crust Report
2/2/19
WA Snoqualmie Pass
1480
5
It was warm and sunny yesterday with intermittent clouds. Solar slopes softened up and were shedding small wet slides from steep terrain. On N aspects up high (5400'-4900') there was a 1 cm freezing rain crust atop 6-8" of fresh snow. It was less grabby higher up but not fun as we skied lower. With the amount of warming that occured yesterday, a cold night, and forecast cold conditions, I think most slopes in Snoqualmie pass are going to be poor skiing for the near future.
Thanks for the report. Do you think not-steep or beneath-steep south aspects that have gotten sun will have a supportive crust in open areas below say 5K or so? Or still breakable? Pondering some "hike on skis" thoughts and the potential for at least skiable dust on crust in some spots (i.e. able to stay upright even if it's not truly fun turns)...
Jim, the best skiing we had was the return slope above Source Lake. At lower elevations that didn't recieve much new snow, things felt kind of like "rain corn." But without yesterdays warming, it is probably firm and bumpy now. I think you can count on a pretty frozen but at least supportable surface on S slopes that warmed up yesterday.
THanks. Seems worth investigating then. I have low expectations but don't love the sort of breakable crust that can cut my face when falling :-) Your comments leave me mildly hopeful for something that might be more fun than hiking down Mt Si with the right route choice.
I will say that the lower 2/3rd of Nash gate skied as bad as I can remember yesterday, the stuff you can cut your face, break your leg, slide forever on and of course forget about turning on it either.
Good additional data. My thought is a route that is quite likely to have "snowmobile groomed" escape hatch options :-)
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