Dec 12-13, 7007 Sasse Ridge
12/15/07
2245
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Your Sasse Ridge update, delivered personally to you via the wonderful folks at TAY: snow conditions were better than last week, whatever that means. By Thursday morning there was about 2 inches new on top of last week's hard base. I made it to 5760'+ ("Dawg Peak") and actually got a few half way decent turns above ~5600'. I skinned up the frontside for the first time this year, but there still is not anywhere near enough to ski down it.
A couple of things of note:
Pete Larned, yes, the very famous Pete Larned of the Cle Elum RD, has started grooming at Salmon La Sac again this year. This is a great program, funded by grants from the state. Last year there was little publicity about it, something that I hope will change. If Pete's schedule is the same as last year, grooming will be done Friday and Monday each week along the designated skier only trail that leaves from the Snow Park, and also up road 4315 a bit to the first switchback. The grooming equipment, towed by snowmobile, includes a "Ginsu 1000". Yes, that's what they call it. It's a device with 1000 little knives that chop up the snow. That's followed by a roller that produces an absolutely perfect corduroy surface for skating, and a track setter that makes a great track. Best of all use of the track is absolutely free, and if you park on the main road, parking is free too. Snow Park permits are required for the parking lot however. I'd recommend trying it out mid week to avoid the snomo scene if your schedule allows. Watch the weather report too and choose a good day, as the track is only at ~2400 feet elv.
See the pic below for an example on Road 4315. The right side of the groomed track has some snomo tracks overlying, but in this case they were most welcome. They were made by the Washington Snow Survey going up to fix the Sasse Snotel site, the data from which had recently gone off the deep end. Thanks much to Scott Patee for getting this fixed!
Not that much to photograph this week, so maybe the second shot below will amuse. Putting your ski boots on inside the tent in the morning saves a lot of body warmth, and prevents getting snow in them. Snow in boots = even colder feet. It can be hard to get them on sitting cross legged in the tent, especially during the cold part of the winter. The foam is stiff, the shell even stiffer. I've used the following little trick for quite a few years, perhaps others have too. I print my winter maps on National Geographic Adventure Paper, a special form of plastic which produces completely waterproof maps using only an inkjet printer. The folded map makes a great shoe horn. The more you use it, the slipperier it gets. Double duty; I like that.
By the way, if you are in the habit of putting boots on inside the tent, periodically check the buckles and other boot hardware for burrs. It takes only one sharp burr to really damage an air mattress.
Larry
A couple of things of note:
Pete Larned, yes, the very famous Pete Larned of the Cle Elum RD, has started grooming at Salmon La Sac again this year. This is a great program, funded by grants from the state. Last year there was little publicity about it, something that I hope will change. If Pete's schedule is the same as last year, grooming will be done Friday and Monday each week along the designated skier only trail that leaves from the Snow Park, and also up road 4315 a bit to the first switchback. The grooming equipment, towed by snowmobile, includes a "Ginsu 1000". Yes, that's what they call it. It's a device with 1000 little knives that chop up the snow. That's followed by a roller that produces an absolutely perfect corduroy surface for skating, and a track setter that makes a great track. Best of all use of the track is absolutely free, and if you park on the main road, parking is free too. Snow Park permits are required for the parking lot however. I'd recommend trying it out mid week to avoid the snomo scene if your schedule allows. Watch the weather report too and choose a good day, as the track is only at ~2400 feet elv.
See the pic below for an example on Road 4315. The right side of the groomed track has some snomo tracks overlying, but in this case they were most welcome. They were made by the Washington Snow Survey going up to fix the Sasse Snotel site, the data from which had recently gone off the deep end. Thanks much to Scott Patee for getting this fixed!
Not that much to photograph this week, so maybe the second shot below will amuse. Putting your ski boots on inside the tent in the morning saves a lot of body warmth, and prevents getting snow in them. Snow in boots = even colder feet. It can be hard to get them on sitting cross legged in the tent, especially during the cold part of the winter. The foam is stiff, the shell even stiffer. I've used the following little trick for quite a few years, perhaps others have too. I print my winter maps on National Geographic Adventure Paper, a special form of plastic which produces completely waterproof maps using only an inkjet printer. The folded map makes a great shoe horn. The more you use it, the slipperier it gets. Double duty; I like that.
By the way, if you are in the habit of putting boots on inside the tent, periodically check the buckles and other boot hardware for burrs. It takes only one sharp burr to really damage an air mattress.
Larry
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