December 16, 2006, Phantom, Snoqualmie Mountain
12/16/06
WA Snoqualmie Pass
2825
1
Headed up Snoqualmie Saturday morning for a tour. Little bit of crust under the fluff from Friday night, but it still looked to be good skiing. The upper mountain was quite windy and cold. Lots of wind loading going on. We looked into the Slot, but with the conditions we knew wind slab conditions were certain. On the the summit for a quick de-skin and down the Phantom. A few wind slab releases to 8", and then out of the wind and into many great turns. Overall, snowpack was fairly stable with the rapid cooling Friday.
Cheers,
Stimbuck
Cheers,
Stimbuck
Thanks for the report, Stimbuck. Fergie and I enjoyed following your skin track, and then bailing early for first freshies. Impressive to summit in that wind! I also appreciated the use of the cold, dark patrol shack.
We also dug more into your hasty pit we found at around 5200'. There had been 5-6" on the slope skier's R of the upper Phantom, with a minor crust and then a rain or melt crust another foot down. Fergie did a shovel shear and the column failed about 18" down as soon as the blade went in the back. We also saw the 8"slab you set off below the first upper rocks, and those 2 factors bade us turn around. My slope cut set off a very shallow slab. As you said, the crust was pronounced under the new the whole way down, but actually made for better turning and speed at times.
I found another skinning buddy, David from REI, by the patio and we climbed about 300' above the top of Armstrong, and got 8-18" of fresh heavy pow down Debbie's and one of those short blacks below Cascade Traverse. Best snow day of the year for me so far. ;D
We also dug more into your hasty pit we found at around 5200'. There had been 5-6" on the slope skier's R of the upper Phantom, with a minor crust and then a rain or melt crust another foot down. Fergie did a shovel shear and the column failed about 18" down as soon as the blade went in the back. We also saw the 8"slab you set off below the first upper rocks, and those 2 factors bade us turn around. My slope cut set off a very shallow slab. As you said, the crust was pronounced under the new the whole way down, but actually made for better turning and speed at times.
I found another skinning buddy, David from REI, by the patio and we climbed about 300' above the top of Armstrong, and got 8-18" of fresh heavy pow down Debbie's and one of those short blacks below Cascade Traverse. Best snow day of the year for me so far. ;D
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