April 25-26, 2007, Smith Brook Road
4/25/07
2920
7
After reading the recent reports of the most absolutely amazing trips I'm having second thoughts about posting this. Sort'a like posting a report of a trip to the grocery store. :)
It's pot luck at Smith Brook. Last week I had the usual slush-out by 10:30 or 11 am, but by the next morning there was 2 inches of new and temps down to 26. The run off McCausland was so very nice! Four inches new on a hard and billiard table smooth base. But even by 9 am when I got back to my tent the snow was getting rotten.
At 4600 feet there was/is at least a foot of newer granular snow on top of quite hard older snow, filled with moss, needles, etc. This newer layer is still in the rotten snow stage and has not really consolidated into more typical spring snow. If there is an inadequate freeze, well, you can imagine.
That's what happened this week. Cloudy and above freezing skiing in, then rain turning to snow in the evening. Two inches new by Thursday morning, but the low was only 31 degrees. Because the new snow acts as an insulator, and it was cloudy all night, there was no freeze. Just slush that was not really worth skiing, at least with the energy I had at the time.
But I was still glad to be there, and I did get to see some fresh bear tracks near where I usually camp. The camp robbers were amusing too. Here's a pic of one trying to steal the loop of cord that I use to attach the runaway straps.
Larry
It's pot luck at Smith Brook. Last week I had the usual slush-out by 10:30 or 11 am, but by the next morning there was 2 inches of new and temps down to 26. The run off McCausland was so very nice! Four inches new on a hard and billiard table smooth base. But even by 9 am when I got back to my tent the snow was getting rotten.
At 4600 feet there was/is at least a foot of newer granular snow on top of quite hard older snow, filled with moss, needles, etc. This newer layer is still in the rotten snow stage and has not really consolidated into more typical spring snow. If there is an inadequate freeze, well, you can imagine.
That's what happened this week. Cloudy and above freezing skiing in, then rain turning to snow in the evening. Two inches new by Thursday morning, but the low was only 31 degrees. Because the new snow acts as an insulator, and it was cloudy all night, there was no freeze. Just slush that was not really worth skiing, at least with the energy I had at the time.
But I was still glad to be there, and I did get to see some fresh bear tracks near where I usually camp. The camp robbers were amusing too. Here's a pic of one trying to steal the loop of cord that I use to attach the runaway straps.
Larry
Thanks for the confirmation that below treeline near the crest is its usual April thing - inbetween season.
I'm thinking that your usual haunts a little further east might be in much better relative condition right now. Do you think it's too late to do Jolly, for instance?
I'm thinking that your usual haunts a little further east might be in much better relative condition right now. Do you think it's too late to do Jolly, for instance?
Nice report. The observations of the snowpack were interesting. The warm cloud cover and wet percipitation are frustations with spring skiing in this area. Not to mention the low visibility at higher elevations. But it is all good and keeps us turning all year. Climbing peaks is fine but it is a different discipline and the TRs tend to focus on the objective instead of the process. Its good to know whats happening on the way to the grocery store.
I don't know about Jolly, but I can tell you that the snow in the Teanaway is prime right now - at least on more southern aspects. We were up on Earl last Sunday by way of Bean Creek, and there was maybe an inch of wet new on top of a very firm base. We only made it up to about 6000' due to poor visibility and the onset of heavy squalls. Excellent skiing nevertheless. The road was driveable maybe 1/2 mile past the forest service station.
Thanks, MD2020 - that confirmed my suspicions. Sounds like it's likely still a hefty walk to get to Beverly Creek (unless you're Jason driving his truck).
author=Jim Oker link=topic=6950.msg27913#msg27913 date=1177698902]
Thanks, MD2020 - that confirmed my suspicions. Sounds like it's likely still a hefty walk to get to Beverly Creek (unless you're Jason driving his truck).
On my bald tires ;D. Ha. I'm just fortunate my brother brought the chains. I'm still sweating from that.
Larry - Thanks for the TR. I'm glad that you still posted.
author=Jim Oker link=topic=6950.msg27907#msg27907 date=1177691868">
Thanks for the confirmation that below treeline near the crest is its usual April thing - inbetween season.
I'm thinking that your usual haunts a little further east might be in much better relative condition right now. Do you think it's too late to do Jolly, for instance?
You are not too late. I skied out to Jolly last Saturday. Although I did not have the best weather, th snowpack and conditions exceeded my expectations for this time of year. Trip report here. - boyd
author=Jim Oker link=topic=6950.msg27907#msg27907 date=1177691868]
Thanks for the confirmation that below treeline near the crest is its usual April thing - inbetween season.
I'm thinking that your usual haunts a little further east might be in much better relative condition right now. Do you think it's too late to do Jolly, for instance?
Jim, there was a huge difference in the snowpack at Smith Brook compared to Jolly. As Boyd mentioned, I'm sure there is still lots of good snow at Jolly; it's just how far you want to walk to get to snow. A good freeze at night could make the skiing quite good there because if you get an early start you can follow the thaw all day. My impression is that clear sky at night is more important than temp; even a low of 34 to 35 at night can produce an adequate freeze this time of year provided it's clear.
You can make an educated guess about the cloud cover at Jolly by looking at the rate of temp drop as well as the daytime solar radiation on my cobbled up Sasse summer charts here:
http://web3.foxinternet.net/lrobinson/Current/Current.htm
Larry
Reply to this TR
Please login first: