Feb 11-23, 2019, Yakima Canyon and Manastash Ridge
2/11/19
WA Cascades East Slopes South
1989
8
The Prairie Eights club decided that the foothill skiing outside of Ellensburg is worthy of a trip report to share the sagebrush slalom fun and get more of us out!
Yesterday morning despite Alex's text that Yakima Canyon was "looking super bare" and "it's not skiable even in the drainage," I quickly convinced him it was at least worth taking the skis for a walk in the sun and we quickly were skinning across the Umtanum Bridge across the Yakima River. The Vista Trail is a pretty wicked luge track accented with basalt poking up until you climb out of the drainage where we found a thin but solid windblown crust with pockets of powder. Alex had to split to get back to work, so I plowed ahead to the ridge and took five mini laps with sharks no more than nibbling at my skis. Probably one of the last days I'd risk it skiing in Yakima Canyon with it 40 degrees and melting out when I get down at 11:00 (unless we get another big storm), but not too many people can say they've skied those line.
Extra pics from Yakima Canyon:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BuKwixJhWcZ/
The Manastash Ridge Trails just outside of Ellensburg have been providing some truly great mini-laps since the big storm cycle. I've been out there 8 days since the 11th and have found the Mansion Trails to be providing some really fun 500ft laps and the Five Mini Ridges between the bike trails and main Ray Westberg Memorial Trail to have really fun steeper short laps. Snow has stayed soft this whole period and once the snowpack set up a little the shark have been reduced to the rare nibble if you are smart about your lines and I've moved from cautious backseat skiing to actually carving some turns. Too much fun being able to ski every single day and looking like we might get a refresh this week!
Extra Pics from Manastash Ridge:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BuNltdDh_tt/
https://www.instagram.com/p/BuC40Twh4j3/
https://www.instagram.com/p/BuNlAf_hxMb/
https://www.instagram.com/p/BtzupczBhzL/
Yesterday morning despite Alex's text that Yakima Canyon was "looking super bare" and "it's not skiable even in the drainage," I quickly convinced him it was at least worth taking the skis for a walk in the sun and we quickly were skinning across the Umtanum Bridge across the Yakima River. The Vista Trail is a pretty wicked luge track accented with basalt poking up until you climb out of the drainage where we found a thin but solid windblown crust with pockets of powder. Alex had to split to get back to work, so I plowed ahead to the ridge and took five mini laps with sharks no more than nibbling at my skis. Probably one of the last days I'd risk it skiing in Yakima Canyon with it 40 degrees and melting out when I get down at 11:00 (unless we get another big storm), but not too many people can say they've skied those line.
Extra pics from Yakima Canyon:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BuKwixJhWcZ/
The Manastash Ridge Trails just outside of Ellensburg have been providing some truly great mini-laps since the big storm cycle. I've been out there 8 days since the 11th and have found the Mansion Trails to be providing some really fun 500ft laps and the Five Mini Ridges between the bike trails and main Ray Westberg Memorial Trail to have really fun steeper short laps. Snow has stayed soft this whole period and once the snowpack set up a little the shark have been reduced to the rare nibble if you are smart about your lines and I've moved from cautious backseat skiing to actually carving some turns. Too much fun being able to ski every single day and looking like we might get a refresh this week!
Extra Pics from Manastash Ridge:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BuNltdDh_tt/
https://www.instagram.com/p/BuC40Twh4j3/
https://www.instagram.com/p/BuNlAf_hxMb/
https://www.instagram.com/p/BtzupczBhzL/
My favorite type of skiing...what a hoot...thanks!
I love it. I've been wanting to ski that for years. If I get the call I'll show up and drive. I'm not afraid of grinding some sharks! Not back in Wenatchee until Friday though...
Big snow coming to central or mountains through Tues...maybe you'll get 😂it too.best be ready!!!
Oh my gosh why to get it. I am green with envy! Talk about a rare set of figure 8's!! Sorry to gush, but you stole the apple! Thanks for the report, this is the year for rare ski lines.
Thanks everyone. Conditions are definitely great for the rare low elevation lines we've all been staring about imaging how fun it would be if it ever got enough snow! And the absurdity of skiing so low down in the prairie just makes it all the more fun.
If there's more snow this week, I'll be gunning for some more adventures in Yakima Canyon (there are some real tempting lines that could be in if it snows again, but they would require getting across the river not at Umtanum where there is the bridge ...). Always happy to have others join the Prarie Eights club, just drop me a message. We've got our eyes on some other rare foothill lines for tomorrow!
If there's more snow this week, I'll be gunning for some more adventures in Yakima Canyon (there are some real tempting lines that could be in if it snows again, but they would require getting across the river not at Umtanum where there is the bridge ...). Always happy to have others join the Prarie Eights club, just drop me a message. We've got our eyes on some other rare foothill lines for tomorrow!
Wow beautiful tracks - must have been satisfying to look back!
awesome! The low lines are so great. Wish I could just take work off and ski every low line you can see from town.
Nice to meet you a couple weeks ago on Manastash Ridge. I hit it today, met snowboarder Derek on the ascent. We found a nice lee loaded rib skier's right of the usual line. Fun afternoon mini-tour.
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