September 9, 2006, Clear Creek, Mt Shasta
9/9/06
US elsewhere
2756
1
I went down to Mt. Shasta with a pair of non-skiing friends on Friday night. We were the only ones at the Clear Creek trailhead. Started hiking at 5:00am Saturday. First light showed there was still plenty of snow on the Wintun and some large patches below.
The Clear Creek trail is snow free all the way but I cut over to climb the snow field at 12,800 ft to find out how the snow was. It was UGLY! The snow was formed into very thin ridges (I think they're called penitentes) that looked like radiator fins. The ridges were somewhat soft in the sun so I thought I'd be able to mush them down when skiing. I climbed the snowfield in crampons and it was a struggle to climb in the spaces between the ridges. I managed to shred the bottom part of my pants leg with the crampons. I was tired when I met my buddies at the top of the snowfield (they took the snow free route around). I dropped off my skis just below the summit plug. We topped out and signed the register after 2:00pm. We were alone on the summit, although a few people had signed the register earlier in the day.
As my friends headed down via the trail, I got into my skis and started trying to find ridges that were soft and that would yield to my edges. I tried sideslipping down the ridges simulating a rail grind . I traversed across the snow to the sides looking for softer, less sharp ridges. I was able to make a few jump turns, a couple of kick turns, but gave up after 1500 ft or so of descent. The worst snow conditions I've ever had the pleasure of skiing :)
I was able to ski a few of the patches on the way down that were not much longer than 20 or 30 turns, but at least they weren't shark fin city. They had some amazingly deep suncups, though. I use Dynafit boots and bindings and cleaning out the scree/pumice that fills the fittings on the boots before skiing each patch slowed me down considerably. We made it back to the truck at around 7:00pm and were home in Corvallis well after midnight. Next month will be my 2 year milestone!
The Clear Creek trail is snow free all the way but I cut over to climb the snow field at 12,800 ft to find out how the snow was. It was UGLY! The snow was formed into very thin ridges (I think they're called penitentes) that looked like radiator fins. The ridges were somewhat soft in the sun so I thought I'd be able to mush them down when skiing. I climbed the snowfield in crampons and it was a struggle to climb in the spaces between the ridges. I managed to shred the bottom part of my pants leg with the crampons. I was tired when I met my buddies at the top of the snowfield (they took the snow free route around). I dropped off my skis just below the summit plug. We topped out and signed the register after 2:00pm. We were alone on the summit, although a few people had signed the register earlier in the day.
As my friends headed down via the trail, I got into my skis and started trying to find ridges that were soft and that would yield to my edges. I tried sideslipping down the ridges simulating a rail grind . I traversed across the snow to the sides looking for softer, less sharp ridges. I was able to make a few jump turns, a couple of kick turns, but gave up after 1500 ft or so of descent. The worst snow conditions I've ever had the pleasure of skiing :)
I was able to ski a few of the patches on the way down that were not much longer than 20 or 30 turns, but at least they weren't shark fin city. They had some amazingly deep suncups, though. I use Dynafit boots and bindings and cleaning out the scree/pumice that fills the fittings on the boots before skiing each patch slowed me down considerably. We made it back to the truck at around 7:00pm and were home in Corvallis well after midnight. Next month will be my 2 year milestone!
I'm headed for California next week, and will be carrying skis. Thanks for the reminder to not even bother in the absence of fresh snowfall. FWIW, I've tried to ski neve penitentes (locals seem to call them "shingles") like those you describe high above Clear Creek in June, and have skied foot-deep windblown powder on Hotlum-Wintun in mid-September.
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