May 13, 2007, Alpental
5/13/07
WA Snoqualmie Pass
1124
0
Beta for prework tourers: Alpental is still quite tourable right from the parking lot. Sunday morning it was actually snowing, nice fat flakes that eased their way down, and the 2" of fresh snow both on surface and in the trees made it seem pleasantly wintery. Once turning the corner at top Debbies this turned more to rain. As I reached the top of C-2 the lift started turning. Once again (for like the 3rd year in a row) I had timed a morning Alpy tour to coincide with Patrol's "Bamboo Day", and a dozen patrollers soon appeared on top.
Visibility had unfortunately gone very bad, made worse by the smooth snow surface and fact that it was kind of a matte white, reflecting the dirty snow beneath. Could see no contour of the plentiful moguls that were formed during Alpy's weekend fiestas, so going was slow and tossy. Best results were obtained by deliberately going slow enough that your own pinwheels passed you and offered tracer lines of the slope. Intl entrance was mostly rocks, to avoid gnashing I side stepped in as much as possible on the few inches of snow remaining on the built ramp. To avoid more bumps I got out of main run at lower BC traverse gate then regained 150ft to reach a small knoll that (normally) offers view of and refuge from the big spring cornices hanging from Denny 400ft above, hoping for change for better in visibility. Nope. But over in the little ropeline gully no bumps made the instrumentless flying more pleasant. Viz better by Lower I and snow went from sticky->stickier->stickiest; by Sessel, it was the closest to a water skiing sensation as I've ever experienced on snow, but it was actually fun in a novelty sort of way.
Coverage details: can skin either Debbies mainline (thin w bumps in parts) or Sessel still (better). Past Sessel top cover is good everywhere, although if you go Debbies be careful at big creek crossing (is there a real bridge under that somewhere? the whole thing was starting to trench.) C-2 initial face bumpy, I headed towards Gunmount as soon as I could, snow seemed good there. Kante still goes although watch out for moat. Rollen looked dubious. Didn't investigate Edelweiss. Upper I very bumpy and entrance almost gone. Transition from upper/lower, where there can be a rock garden in early season, does have a few sharkfins; I headed towards Felsen to avoid then cut over low. Felsen itself not visible but I've been burned on that run before in late season (cliffs, waterfalls, gulley at end can hollow out). Lower I best if you head out onto the fans below the cliffs.
Visibility had unfortunately gone very bad, made worse by the smooth snow surface and fact that it was kind of a matte white, reflecting the dirty snow beneath. Could see no contour of the plentiful moguls that were formed during Alpy's weekend fiestas, so going was slow and tossy. Best results were obtained by deliberately going slow enough that your own pinwheels passed you and offered tracer lines of the slope. Intl entrance was mostly rocks, to avoid gnashing I side stepped in as much as possible on the few inches of snow remaining on the built ramp. To avoid more bumps I got out of main run at lower BC traverse gate then regained 150ft to reach a small knoll that (normally) offers view of and refuge from the big spring cornices hanging from Denny 400ft above, hoping for change for better in visibility. Nope. But over in the little ropeline gully no bumps made the instrumentless flying more pleasant. Viz better by Lower I and snow went from sticky->stickier->stickiest; by Sessel, it was the closest to a water skiing sensation as I've ever experienced on snow, but it was actually fun in a novelty sort of way.
Coverage details: can skin either Debbies mainline (thin w bumps in parts) or Sessel still (better). Past Sessel top cover is good everywhere, although if you go Debbies be careful at big creek crossing (is there a real bridge under that somewhere? the whole thing was starting to trench.) C-2 initial face bumpy, I headed towards Gunmount as soon as I could, snow seemed good there. Kante still goes although watch out for moat. Rollen looked dubious. Didn't investigate Edelweiss. Upper I very bumpy and entrance almost gone. Transition from upper/lower, where there can be a rock garden in early season, does have a few sharkfins; I headed towards Felsen to avoid then cut over low. Felsen itself not visible but I've been burned on that run before in late season (cliffs, waterfalls, gulley at end can hollow out). Lower I best if you head out onto the fans below the cliffs.
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