Chinook Pass-Easy, but Sweet June 2 and 3, 2007
6/15/07
WA Cascades West Slopes South (Mt Rainier)
2709
3
Went up to the old stomping grounds.
The snow is consolidating very nicely on all aspects, very nice corn skiing without the stickiness I have been reading about.
The snow is melting quickly, the easy stuff should be accessible for the next three weeks. But the heat wave has taken its toll.
Both days had to time out runs near the end of the tour to avoid getting caught up in the lightning and thunder showers that passed through.
Before we left there was a lightning strike less than a mile from where we were skiing that engulfed a tree in flames, the flames were at least 20 to 30 feet high! Should have brought the marshmallows. :D
The rain showers must have doused the fire because there was no evidence of spreading fire the next day.
Joe
The snow is consolidating very nicely on all aspects, very nice corn skiing without the stickiness I have been reading about.
The snow is melting quickly, the easy stuff should be accessible for the next three weeks. But the heat wave has taken its toll.
Both days had to time out runs near the end of the tour to avoid getting caught up in the lightning and thunder showers that passed through.
Before we left there was a lightning strike less than a mile from where we were skiing that engulfed a tree in flames, the flames were at least 20 to 30 feet high! Should have brought the marshmallows. :D
The rain showers must have doused the fire because there was no evidence of spreading fire the next day.
Joe
You know, its amazing any of us survive this sport. About the only objective danger we don't have to think about is locust swarms. At least not until global warming really kicks in.
Michael
Michael
6/2/07 - Chinook Pass. Hiked the bowl above the eastern-most Chinook Pass parking lot. Made it just below the top rocks on Yakima Peak and skied down from there. Sunny and warm with good snowcover at the pass from Tipsoo lake and over the pass proper. Great view of Mt Rainer from the top, nice creamy snow on the way down. did a 2nd short run down the low saddle right off the lot. THis was our first time there, so we were very conservative and stayed in sight of the road instead of heading south along the PCT towards Naches Peak where the skiing is supposed to be better. TomK, Kerry, Chad, & Karrie
About this time 10 years ago at Chinook we had to ski for our life to beat the thunderstorm back to the car. It was everybit as exciting as the steepest chute. We made it to the car dry but before we could put our gear away we got soaked!
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