Dec 2, 2007, Summit West Wallowfest (Snoqualmie)
12/2/07
WA Snoqualmie Pass
3790
5
too deep and not enough steep.
attempts to make it to Alpental failed as my chain-equipped Subie barely made it to the condos on a completely unplowed Alpental road where we finally found a place to turn around....the road had 2ft or more snow over it, 4x4 trucks were high-centering...it was crazy.
Had to settle for what we could actually drive to, which was Summit West...thigh-deep, sometimes waist deep trailbreaking/wallowing up to the top was at least a good workout. Skiing down was just as silly as the trip up....despite 100mm waisted skis, attempts to ski out of the skin track consisted of one or two short turns before getting stopped in a waist deep pile of snow.
Well it was at least fun to see how much snow had piled up....maybe some of it will survive Monday's warm weather.
attempts to make it to Alpental failed as my chain-equipped Subie barely made it to the condos on a completely unplowed Alpental road where we finally found a place to turn around....the road had 2ft or more snow over it, 4x4 trucks were high-centering...it was crazy.
Had to settle for what we could actually drive to, which was Summit West...thigh-deep, sometimes waist deep trailbreaking/wallowing up to the top was at least a good workout. Skiing down was just as silly as the trip up....despite 100mm waisted skis, attempts to ski out of the skin track consisted of one or two short turns before getting stopped in a waist deep pile of snow.
Well it was at least fun to see how much snow had piled up....maybe some of it will survive Monday's warm weather.
I was wallowing up there as well -- and dumb enough to go for a second lap. Partway down on the 2nd lap -- a groomer went by leaving a narrow swath of cordoroy paralleling the Pac Crest chair.
Pete, was that you with the '06-'07 Verdicts/Dynafits/Megarides? My partner Kevin commented "nice skis" at the top of Summit West?
Well, I got my Audi to the Alpy parking lot, but then got stuck and had to dig it out twice getting back to the Summit. Later in the day a cat actually made a run up to the top, so there was a "groomer" to ski down!
And Randy, I think that was you I was standing next to at the Learning Center while I was talking to Francine? Red coat and beard?
Well, I got my Audi to the Alpy parking lot, but then got stuck and had to dig it out twice getting back to the Summit. Later in the day a cat actually made a run up to the top, so there was a "groomer" to ski down!
And Randy, I think that was you I was standing next to at the Learning Center while I was talking to Francine? Red coat and beard?
author=gregL link=topic=8354.msg33404#msg33404 date=1196651494]
Pete, was that you with the '06-'07 Verdicts/Dynafits/Megarides? My partner Kevin commented "nice skis" at the top of Summit West?
Well, I got my Audi to the Alpy parking lot, but then got stuck and had to dig it out twice getting back to the Summit. Later in the day a cat actually made a run up to the top, so there was a "groomer" to ski down!
And Randy, I think that was you I was standing next to at the Learning Center while I was talking to Francine? Red coat and beard?
I was wearing a red coat and I haven't shaved in at least five years. My ride today was Karhu Guides with Voile switchbacks. I think K2 Pontoons might have been the ski of choice today.
I had thought about heading to Ski Acres and giving triple 60 a shot -- but after seeing the fracture lines that ran ahead on the skin up -- I think that anything steep enough to ski today would have had a higher chance of sliding than what I'm willing to do.
yup, that was me Greg...I thought that might've been you, but I wasn't sure.
and yeah, conditions like that make me think that rockered reverse sidecut skis in a 200 length might not be such a silly thing afterall...but then again I'm usually not trying to make turns through 3ft of unconsolidated snow on a 20 degree slope :)
and yeah, conditions like that make me think that rockered reverse sidecut skis in a 200 length might not be such a silly thing afterall...but then again I'm usually not trying to make turns through 3ft of unconsolidated snow on a 20 degree slope :)
In the afternoon yesterday (12-2) Alpental road had been plowed but the parking lots remained untouched. I saw two cars with skiers parking on the side of the road near the Armstrong Express lift so I figured I might as well too. Alpental was ridiculously deep. Near the road, the powder was part way up my thighs with my skis on and I am 6ft tall. It was easily 5ft deep or more in places up higher and rather unstable. I heard the Alpy crew set off at least two charges for avalanche control when I was there. Not a good feeling.
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