March 29, 2003, Mazama Ridge

Two of us toured from Paradise Inn N up above Edith Creek towards Golden Gate in day old wet snow starting at 11:30.  Sun came in and out through the afternoon. Lots of minor sloughing off on east facing slopes was visible, and avananches debris on steep east and south facing slopes, with new cornices. Lots more left up there to go later.  We watched snowballs come down and turn into wheels of snow off the ridge at Golden Gate, so turned east at about 6000' towards the falls away from runout area.  Snowpit before heading down south facing slopes showed about 24 inches of fairly dense consistent snow with no crusts or frost apparent to us. A column sheared at about 18 inch depth at denser snow layer. No movement on anything we went down, toward the creek east of Paradise River, with decent tele turns in heavy snow.  We went back up onto Mazama Ridge, and had fun yo-yoing the moderate slopes that are in line between the Van Trump Memorial and Paradise Inn.  Saw other tele tracks at the next open slopes to south, down to the road, and small avalanche debris on steeper slopes. We went back up to Paradise on the road, passing through an area which had a good amount of avalanche debris, arriving 3:30. A nice warm spring day in late winter snow! 8)