Home > Trip Reports > January 5, 2008, Mt. Hood, Bennett Pass powder

January 5, 2008, Mt. Hood, Bennett Pass powder

1/5/08
OR Mt Hood
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Posted by steve_f on 1/7/08 4:02pm
Great dry powder on the north facing slopes near Bennet Pass.  About a foot.

John and the Dogs had fun.

We found some nice untracked powder.

Even had fun going back up a few times.


Holy smokes, the storm happening right now (Monday night) is dumping gobs of new snow, for oregon that is.  Do you guys ski only lower angle stuff after big dumps?  Or just stay away from the really heavy wind loaded aspects.  It seems like a paradox that the super sweet steep deep powder is probably the most avalanche prone.  Or do you just stick to resorts until it's settled? 
The unequivocal, sure fire answer to your question is...






























it depends.  ;)

I wouldn't say a slide couldn't happen in the clear cuts at Bennet Pass but myself and my skiing buddies usually consider the clear cuts to be reasonably safe low angle skiing when the avy danger elsewhere is up.



I measured BP clear cut #1 at 25% at the top and 28% half way down where it is steepest so that is the lower danger zone.  Also, it has some good anchoring with all the stumps and baby trees.  Still, this year is unusual.  I jumped all over a section of slope above a tree at 30% and couldn't get it to budge. 

My biggest worry was all the tree wells!

author=OldHouseMan link=topic=8740.msg35070#msg35070 date=1199838696]
I wouldn't say a slide couldn't happen in the clear cuts at Bennet Pass but myself and my skiing buddies usually consider the clear cuts to be reasonably safe low angle skiing when the avy danger elsewhere is up.

What the hell are you talking about Aaron? Everyone knows whenever there is fresh powder there are no reasonable slopes to ski at Bennett Pass or in that area or basically anywhere in the Mt Hood backcountry. Best to go to the resorts ;)


(I'm kidding)

author=Jeff Huber link=topic=8740.msg35113#msg35113 date=1199926134]
What the hell are you talking about Aaron? Everyone knows whenever there is fresh powder there are no reasonable slopes to ski at Bennett Pass or in that area or basically anywhere in the Mt Hood backcountry. Best to go to the resorts ;)


(I'm kidding)


How would you know...you skipped out on us this weekend.

Thanks for the input.  It looks like that was a good area for the conditions Saturday.  But where else to go around the Hood?

I got a deal for you guys, I'll break trail AND let you have first tracks if you show me some new areas.  Desperate, maybe, but I'm powerless over this fluffy white powder...

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january-5-2008-mt-hood-bennett-pass-powder
steve_f
2008-01-08 00:02:12