March 14, 2003, Paradise

This is a second-hand report! I don't normally post second-hand reports, but since the conditions have been uncertain, there have not been any recent reports, and I know the source of this report to be reliable in reporting snow conditions, I decided to post relevant excerpts:

"Conditions were a lot better than I expected. Road up to Paradise was bare and wet. We had sunshine until about 2:00, with dark storm clouds all around us, calm winds. I was first thinking of going up to foot of Pan Point to ski down Sweet Potato Slope, but figured creek would be open, which proved to be the case...We went up the standard route to Mazama. There were rain channels everywhere on the west slopes, but snow was soft, with just a slight crust on top (1" new over night). Went over to Backbowl and found pretty decent snow there, especially the top part which was, predictably, somewhat wind loaded slab, but as I had never, ever seen it avalanche right down that middle slope, I deemed it to be harmless...so we yoyod it several times...Went over toward where we traverse above 911 slope when going to Cowlitz Rocks, and skied down from there to River Run...Didn't take over through the trees but turned left toward the gully which seemed easier...The snow was getting more sloppy and saturated...we skied down the rest of the way and skinned up to the parking lot."