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Sept 28, 2019, Low Snow lessons learned - Wenatchee

9/28/19
WA Cascades East Slopes Central
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Posted by mikerolfs on 9/28/19 1:29pm
I visit this patch of grass above Lake Clara that I keep secret and don't talk about. I dream of early season storms that would let me ski on 3 inches of snow on this little meadow paradise. I have cleared lanes on this grassy hill so that no rocks or sticks will impede early freak storm skiing. I knew weather was coming, so last night I walked up to this patch of grass and fine graded two lanes of rocks and sticks. I spent the night, hoping to wake up to snow. My weather guru, Matias, told me I'd have to sleep in if I wanted morning snow. I didn't, and he was right. No weather until about 9am. So I walked out as it started to snow. I came back in the afternoon, so smug that the SIX INCHES we got during the day would provide fantastic skiing on the grass.

So here is what I learned:
If you want to ski in grass in 3 inches of snow, the grass has to be less than 3" tall.
Clearing rocks isn't enough. I need to take my weedwacker up there and cut the foliage down.

I was SO SURE this was going to be the golden ticket.

I skied back to the car with my skins on. Still a great experience, but not what I'd been scheming at all!

The skiing was so dangerous! I could not control direction. I nose tipped into mole hills and grass knots.


The talus slopes are definitely not ready.


encouraging approach!


10 seconds of fun, followed by 60 seconds of "whaaaaaat!?"


BWAHH!!!!
You sure you're not from Vermont?

That's an A for effort, but a D- for sensibility!! Don't break your beak!

I can see that your "4 feet friend" follows behind the grass skier. ;)


author=mikerolfs link=topic=42147.msg165676#msg165676 date=1569731356]
I visit this patch of grass above Lake Clara that I keep secret and don't talk about. I dream of early season storms that would let me ski on 3 inches of snow on this little meadow paradise. I have cleared lanes on this grassy hill so that no rocks or sticks will impede early freak storm skiing. I knew weather was coming, so last night I walked up to this patch of grass and fine graded two lanes of rocks and sticks. I spent the night, hoping to wake up to snow. My weather guru, Matias, told me I'd have to sleep in if I wanted morning snow. I didn't, and he was right. No weather until about 9am. So I walked out as it started to snow. I came back in the afternoon, so smug that the SIX INCHES we got during the day would provide fantastic skiing on the grass.

So here is what I learned:
If you want to ski in grass in 3 inches of snow, the grass has to be less than 3" tall.
Clearing rocks isn't enough. I need to take my weedwacker up there and cut the foliage down.

I was SO SURE this was going to be the golden ticket.

I skied back to the car with my skins on. Still a great experience, but not what I'd been scheming at all!

The skiing was so dangerous! I could not control direction. I nose tipped into mole hills and grass knots.


The talus slopes are definitely not ready.


encouraging approach!


10 seconds of fun, followed by 60 seconds of "whaaaaaat!?"


BWAHH!!!!

Great story Mike and sad for the lost theory. Grass height huh? I don't think so. I had surprisingly  good turns thru tall grass and sagebrush at Burch Mountain last winter - but there was a bit more snow...😄

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sept-28-2019-low-snow-lessons-learned-wenatchee
mikerolfs
2019-09-28 20:29:16