March 12, 2006, Crooked Couloir (Snq. Mtn.)
3/12/06
WA Snoqualmie Pass
3610
7
Ben Kaufman & I decided to take advantage of his 1/2 day off (say it ain't so ???) & do a quick daytrip up to Snoq. Mtn. Our initial plans were to hit the Slot; however, it looked more like the Slut Couloir with all the tracks throughout as we approached the entrance.
We had initially planned to hang out on top anyway. Turns out it was like basking in the sun on top of a volcano in July due to the warm temps & no breeze.
Powder was well preserved in the trees on the skin up & began to cook the snow in those areas exposed to the sun. The entrance to the Crooked looked quite different from our descent of it 2 yrs. ago (much more filled in - as was the case down lower at the waterfall section). Anyway, there were only 2 sets of tracks, which was to our satisfaction. After close to an hour of gabbing, we decided to descend. I dropped in at the main entrance and traversed over to a spot that Ben had eyed from the top, which required about a 6'+ huck for the Crooked entry. After telling him it was good to go he dropped in as I ran the shutter on the digital. The skiing was excellent, with perfect boot cuff depth pow the entire descent.
Skiing out, the snow was well sunbaked. Ben hit the waterfall below the Phantom, it's firmer sections had me traversing out of it to tell him if there were any pertruding rocks to be advised of & we were back at the car in time for the next conference call (just kidding man ;).
We had initially planned to hang out on top anyway. Turns out it was like basking in the sun on top of a volcano in July due to the warm temps & no breeze.
Powder was well preserved in the trees on the skin up & began to cook the snow in those areas exposed to the sun. The entrance to the Crooked looked quite different from our descent of it 2 yrs. ago (much more filled in - as was the case down lower at the waterfall section). Anyway, there were only 2 sets of tracks, which was to our satisfaction. After close to an hour of gabbing, we decided to descend. I dropped in at the main entrance and traversed over to a spot that Ben had eyed from the top, which required about a 6'+ huck for the Crooked entry. After telling him it was good to go he dropped in as I ran the shutter on the digital. The skiing was excellent, with perfect boot cuff depth pow the entire descent.
Skiing out, the snow was well sunbaked. Ben hit the waterfall below the Phantom, it's firmer sections had me traversing out of it to tell him if there were any pertruding rocks to be advised of & we were back at the car in time for the next conference call (just kidding man ;).
Right On!
You passed us on the way out of the couloir. After skiing the slot, we were heading back up the slot to make another lap down the crooked. I saw your entrance and it looked good! Snow was SOFT.
Dave, got any photos of Ben hucking the cornice?
You passed us on the way out of the couloir. After skiing the slot, we were heading back up the slot to make another lap down the crooked. I saw your entrance and it looked good! Snow was SOFT.
Dave, got any photos of Ben hucking the cornice?
Those 2 tracks were from my wife and I on saturday.
The Slot was already tracked before we got there, so we too headed for the Crooked instead. Getting into the Crooked couloir in flat light is funky I thought. Did you drop off the cornice up high, or go in where we did? The run wasn't the deep pow we were hoping for up high,
but it was good snow and a great setting. But the lower section where it steepened and necked down was awesome. The 3 people who did the Slot saturday exited the Thunder Creek drainage over the ridge towards Snow Lake. Not being familiar with that, we skinned and bootpacked the more direct way back to the Alpental valley.
The Slot was already tracked before we got there, so we too headed for the Crooked instead. Getting into the Crooked couloir in flat light is funky I thought. Did you drop off the cornice up high, or go in where we did? The run wasn't the deep pow we were hoping for up high,
but it was good snow and a great setting. But the lower section where it steepened and necked down was awesome. The 3 people who did the Slot saturday exited the Thunder Creek drainage over the ridge towards Snow Lake. Not being familiar with that, we skinned and bootpacked the more direct way back to the Alpental valley.
That was you guys, eh? Hooting and hollering? You guys should have followed our bootpack back up the slot... I did my best Ben impression at the Crooked.
I heard from Sky after the fact that you 2 were up there the same day. Didn't recognize anyone, as there were a number of folks in the "apron" area of both of those runs as we exited.
There were 3 snowboarders that came out of the Slot & skied down to us that were hollerin' their entire descent. Definitely some sick conditions 8)
There were 3 snowboarders that came out of the Slot & skied down to us that were hollerin' their entire descent. Definitely some sick conditions 8)
guilty as charged. although, it was only two of the three that were hollerin'. all slot virgins. i didn't make a peep as i was too shocked that i finally got to shred the slot-- and in those conditions. we shoed up with boards on packs. i think split boards may be the way to go though. i've waited a long time to get in there and am truly stoked on the experience. it was a lot longer of a run than i anticipated too. so many wall slashes that i lost count.
good times.
ciao,
mc
good times.
ciao,
mc
Hey Tony,
Damn that was a sweet day out there. I'm glad u were back there. Those were some nice high speed turns dow the apron!
If one wanted, the conditions were in that day to huck from the top along the ridge between the two peaks of Snoq Mtn. You would have about a 10ft drop in to a steep slope with a nice run out. I dropped it about 20 feet down on the shoulder and had a good side view of the drop along the ridge. It would go nicely.
I hope you guys are up to something fun this weekend. I'm a slave to the grind baby.
Ben
Damn that was a sweet day out there. I'm glad u were back there. Those were some nice high speed turns dow the apron!
If one wanted, the conditions were in that day to huck from the top along the ridge between the two peaks of Snoq Mtn. You would have about a 10ft drop in to a steep slope with a nice run out. I dropped it about 20 feet down on the shoulder and had a good side view of the drop along the ridge. It would go nicely.
I hope you guys are up to something fun this weekend. I'm a slave to the grind baby.
Ben
I got your tracks in one of my photos on my www site. We were a little apprehensive about trying hucks, even though the snow was reportedly stable. So I just dropped in via a little ramp higher up and tried to do a little cut. We thought maybe the top of the Crooked constituted a nice little start zone. Although maybe it would just be a small slide, coming to a rest in the flat spot immediately below...? who knows...
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