June 2, 2007, Silver Peak
6/2/07
WA Snoqualmie Pass
2590
2
After all the recent reports about Silver, Rob and I arrived about 9:30 and watched a large group of scramblers heading up the road. As we started skinning from the end of the drivable section another large group arrived to practice self arrest skills. So much for a wilderness experience. I was so optimistic as we started skinning right from the vehicle and it lasted about 50 yards then bare patches on the road. OK a short portage and reskinning for another 50 yards and more bare spots. We decided to shoulder the skis and I actually was hiking with skis on my shoulder for about 300vf along the road. A violation of one of my cardinal rules on tours. It's obvious the recent warm spell is wiping out the snow on the road and thru the trees. We followed a pair of 'duckbills' to the point the trail departs the road and heads west through the trees to the trough up the east bowl.
I was surprised that the snow was corned nicely and not too slushy considering the warm temperatures. We encountered the teleskier as we were approaching the east bowl and had another skier follow our track up to the ridge. The descent was pleasant with a few inches of corn and small suncups were starting to develop. There's about 1000vf of skiable terrain before you return to the lower trees and road. I did not notice my skis "sticking" on the descent. When I returned home, I did find the bases had a bit of pollen. My skis have quite a bit of "structure" and I assume that helped minimize the pollen sticking situation. Todays walking to the continuous snowline confirms my desire to locate tours that begin skinning at the vehicle and to analyze TR a bit closer. ;)
I was surprised that the snow was corned nicely and not too slushy considering the warm temperatures. We encountered the teleskier as we were approaching the east bowl and had another skier follow our track up to the ridge. The descent was pleasant with a few inches of corn and small suncups were starting to develop. There's about 1000vf of skiable terrain before you return to the lower trees and road. I did not notice my skis "sticking" on the descent. When I returned home, I did find the bases had a bit of pollen. My skis have quite a bit of "structure" and I assume that helped minimize the pollen sticking situation. Todays walking to the continuous snowline confirms my desire to locate tours that begin skinning at the vehicle and to analyze TR a bit closer. ;)
We were able to ski to and from the road just a little below Windy Pass (maybe 100 yards past someone else's bumper - lotsa cars from the Bushwhackers and Mounties groups that were up there along with multiple ski groups). But it involved a little bit of maze-work and 2-3 very short stretches of skiing on branches and logs (worth it for the short drive in my book). It will get rapidly more bare. We managed to still ski 1000vf continuous snow from NW summit ridge down toward the west, but passed two spots that I bet will require skis off by sometime tomorrow. We christened the run Blue Ribbon. We had nice step kicking back to the ridge, and much faster snow down low in the clearcut above Windy Pass than last week. The crowd made it festive up there compared to last Sunday.
Went up Sunday with my friend Doug. "What a difference a day makes." That's what we heard 3 times from folks who said they had been up the day before and could get up without bare spots. But today it was bushwack city in the clearcuts. Still, snow skiing in June when it's hot enough for air conditioning on the way from and too ain't bad.
Reply to this TR
Please login first: