April 2, 2006, Silver Peak NW Basin
4/2/06
WA Snoqualmie Pass
2380
1
Pico C. and I met up at with Bill S. at the Silver Fir chair of Summit Central. We skinned up the Blue Diamond Trail to Nordic Pass on firm snow with a couple of inches of wet fresh in the forest. Then we dropped to Windy Pass and skinned up 4 inches of fresh on a very solid crust through the big clearcut. Then we turned into the NW basin and went through fog and poor visibility to the 5120+ foot knowl at the top of the basin. The poor visibility kept us from trying the NW Ridge completion to the summit.
We took two runs on firm crust with 4" of dense new snow in the basin. We went to 4100 feet below where the basin ends into the western edge of the clearcut. Quite turnable. Finished the day with the usual groomed run down to the Silver Fir Chair parking lot after retracing our Nordic Pass route. Surprisingly good day overall thanks to that firm, frozen, base.
I don't think it will crust up overnight above about 4500 feet. The temp was just above freezing. But it may below.
We took two runs on firm crust with 4" of dense new snow in the basin. We went to 4100 feet below where the basin ends into the western edge of the clearcut. Quite turnable. Finished the day with the usual groomed run down to the Silver Fir Chair parking lot after retracing our Nordic Pass route. Surprisingly good day overall thanks to that firm, frozen, base.
I don't think it will crust up overnight above about 4500 feet. The temp was just above freezing. But it may below.
Regarding mention of the "blue diamond" trail in John's post, I've got to give "kudos" (what exactly IS a kudo?) to garyw and friends (February 26, 2006, Nordic Pass Trail
post) for establishing a really fine route up the hill. The grade is moderate enough for the no-waxers and ascending the impressively open timbered slope to the crest of the ridge near Hyak Lk. is a most esthetically pleasing alternative to skinning against traffic on the downhill runs or riding the chair at the start of a Mt. Cathrine or Silver Pk. tour. The tour across the plateau to the base of Mt. Cathrine is equally pleasant; providing a feeling of solitude and isolation from the nordic grooming. The new blue diamond markers are well placed and frequent enough to pretty much preclude getting lost or confused and the wooden sign on the Windy Pass end makes finding the trail from that side a snap. If forest snow conditions are at all good, this will be my approach of choice from now on. To Garyw......Thankyou!!
PS: I certainly hope that whatever "improvements" Booth Cr. has in mind will not jeopardize the continued existence of this trail.
pc
post) for establishing a really fine route up the hill. The grade is moderate enough for the no-waxers and ascending the impressively open timbered slope to the crest of the ridge near Hyak Lk. is a most esthetically pleasing alternative to skinning against traffic on the downhill runs or riding the chair at the start of a Mt. Cathrine or Silver Pk. tour. The tour across the plateau to the base of Mt. Cathrine is equally pleasant; providing a feeling of solitude and isolation from the nordic grooming. The new blue diamond markers are well placed and frequent enough to pretty much preclude getting lost or confused and the wooden sign on the Windy Pass end makes finding the trail from that side a snap. If forest snow conditions are at all good, this will be my approach of choice from now on. To Garyw......Thankyou!!
PS: I certainly hope that whatever "improvements" Booth Cr. has in mind will not jeopardize the continued existence of this trail.
pc
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