N. Face - Table Mountain - July 2 - Dog rescue.
7/15/06
WA Cascades West Slopes North (Mt Baker)
3354
2
My buddy Jeff and I did the short tour up Table Mountain on July 2nd and loved the smooth snow on the north face of that tour. My Bernese Mountain dog - Zorro - had a different experience. I basically had to rescue my dog as he was too spooked by the steep pitches and couldn't find a way to stop sliding on the summer snow on the way down. It was a bit of a challenge to haul a 110 # dog with me, glissading down a pitch with him in tow, then go back and get my skis and ski down, then repeat the same procedure 2 more times.
The best part of the "rescue" was the last steep long run to the Bagley Lakes Basin. On a particularly dangerous part of the traverse, I packed my skis and heel stepped across a slope that we didn't want to take a ride on due to the cliffs below. We made that traverse then were on the 45+ degree pitch (full pack with skis, dog by the collar in R hand, and self-arrest ski poles in the left) then Zorro slipped and clipped by feet from under me. We started down the slope, picking up speed while I was attempting to arrest with the left hand. One self arrest hook took hold but then it was pulled from my hand so we kept going. I needed to switch hands to get a better grip on the last hook I had, so I transferred the dog to my left hand and the ski pole grip to my right while sliding, then jammed the sucker into the snow, while kicking my heels in. It worked...
So about a 250ft slide ended with 110# dog, pack and me holding on to my arrest hook. We weren't hurt but Zorro was really spooked at that point. Below was a safe runout to the basin (another couple of hundred feet) and I decided that it would be better is Zorro took the ride himself since he was out of danger. I let him go (feeling very badly...) and he slid on his fur covered belly about 800 ft to the bottom of the slope and stayed put.
Dog now safe, I booted back up the slope for the best part of the run - this time doing it on skis which was much more fun.
See the tour video at:
Mike
The best part of the "rescue" was the last steep long run to the Bagley Lakes Basin. On a particularly dangerous part of the traverse, I packed my skis and heel stepped across a slope that we didn't want to take a ride on due to the cliffs below. We made that traverse then were on the 45+ degree pitch (full pack with skis, dog by the collar in R hand, and self-arrest ski poles in the left) then Zorro slipped and clipped by feet from under me. We started down the slope, picking up speed while I was attempting to arrest with the left hand. One self arrest hook took hold but then it was pulled from my hand so we kept going. I needed to switch hands to get a better grip on the last hook I had, so I transferred the dog to my left hand and the ski pole grip to my right while sliding, then jammed the sucker into the snow, while kicking my heels in. It worked...
So about a 250ft slide ended with 110# dog, pack and me holding on to my arrest hook. We weren't hurt but Zorro was really spooked at that point. Below was a safe runout to the basin (another couple of hundred feet) and I decided that it would be better is Zorro took the ride himself since he was out of danger. I let him go (feeling very badly...) and he slid on his fur covered belly about 800 ft to the bottom of the slope and stayed put.
Dog now safe, I booted back up the slope for the best part of the run - this time doing it on skis which was much more fun.
See the tour video at:
Mike
Thanks for the report and video—nicely edited, with good routefinding descriptions. You're producing a backcountry route video for commercial purposes? How about some details?
Was that really July 2? If so, the snowmelt between then and the 8th, when I skied the same route, must have been remarkable. Last weekend, there were just two thin ribbons connecting the Inner Glacier benches and the lower snowfields, but the skiing was still good.
Mark
Was that really July 2? If so, the snowmelt between then and the 8th, when I skied the same route, must have been remarkable. Last weekend, there were just two thin ribbons connecting the Inner Glacier benches and the lower snowfields, but the skiing was still good.
Mark
As far as the backcountry touring video - yes, eventually, I'm going to put out commercial DVD of some of the great ski tours of the Northwest. It won't be gnarly skiing video, but a ski tour guide that will be fun to watch and give people an idea of the routes, terrain "features", and hopefully some reasonable skiing along the way.
I need to quit my real job first though...
MT
I need to quit my real job first though...
MT
Reply to this TR
Please login first: