Jan 20, 2008, Skyline Ridge

Skiied up Skyline ridge for the first time today, with half a dozen friends.  Expected lots of crowds, but we only saw a couple of groups out there all day.  We toured up to the top of the ridge, just past moonlight bowl and dropped down into the valley below Lichtenberg.  A couple of laps in the glades as we worked our way out to the end of the valley and the snomo road to the Yodelin cabins.

Snow was excellent on E and NE aspects, with 8 to 12" of medium density powder on top of the rain crust, which was generally very thin and easy to ski through into the foot or two of well consolidated snow below.

38 degree NE aspect test pit:  CT 21, Q2 shear with no appreciable movement but a distinct line at the 10" deep rain crust.  Shovel shear: STE at the same layer, with another STE 8" farther down, both fast and clean.

Actual skiing observations were limited to 2-4" of light sluff, moving very quickly on slopes of 35 degrees or more.  Lots of cuts on small rolls and short steep pitches didn't even show that at times, though the 8-12" above the rain crust would slide easily and in a soft slab with no support from below (as in after a switchback around a steep roll).  Great day.

An aside, I tried Jane's (Larry's sister) Dartmouth switchback turn a few times today -- while possible, I think I'll need to work on the hip flexibility before it's integrated into any sort of touring quiver, though it's good for a laugh when you get stuck in that position.