March 22, 2008, Snoqualmie Pass
3/22/08
WA Snoqualmie Pass
3819
4
In the spirit of Silas and others I am keeping it vague but with some snow info! Photos will give it away, I am sure. Not exactly a secret spot!
Yesterday while in Commonwealth on snowshoes, yes SNOWSHOES as I was with non-skiers, there was up to 8" fresh at 4000 ft. It stayed shaded by clouds and cold all day. So I knew we had an opportunity today.
Justin came down from Leavenworth so we got a crack of 9:15AM start from the car. We did a loop, skinning up treed south and east slopes above 4000' that held good snow in the morning but, unless very tight canopy for shade, I am afraid probably will crust overnight. Our skiing was on west slopes from 5500ft. down to 4000 ft., treed and open, that had pretty nice light snow along the shaded edges. About 6" to 8" deep on a thick, impenetrable crust that was scraped occassionally. Less snow where the wind hit. We were able to get a second run in before the day really warmed. This crust made us feel pretty secure, couldn't reach any of the older layers beneath it, leaving only the new on top of concern, and this showed to have little potential to slide.
Groups were everywhere and we met Trumpetsailor and his friend Will on a ridgetop. Great to meet you guys. We saw groups skiing on north, east, west and sw slopes. And there still seemed to be untracked lines around, if becoming a bit wet. Looks like north aspects will hold in nicely despite the warming. Probably will be busy on those tomorrow!
Yesterday while in Commonwealth on snowshoes, yes SNOWSHOES as I was with non-skiers, there was up to 8" fresh at 4000 ft. It stayed shaded by clouds and cold all day. So I knew we had an opportunity today.
Justin came down from Leavenworth so we got a crack of 9:15AM start from the car. We did a loop, skinning up treed south and east slopes above 4000' that held good snow in the morning but, unless very tight canopy for shade, I am afraid probably will crust overnight. Our skiing was on west slopes from 5500ft. down to 4000 ft., treed and open, that had pretty nice light snow along the shaded edges. About 6" to 8" deep on a thick, impenetrable crust that was scraped occassionally. Less snow where the wind hit. We were able to get a second run in before the day really warmed. This crust made us feel pretty secure, couldn't reach any of the older layers beneath it, leaving only the new on top of concern, and this showed to have little potential to slide.
Groups were everywhere and we met Trumpetsailor and his friend Will on a ridgetop. Great to meet you guys. We saw groups skiing on north, east, west and sw slopes. And there still seemed to be untracked lines around, if becoming a bit wet. Looks like north aspects will hold in nicely despite the warming. Probably will be busy on those tomorrow!
Great to meet you up there! It's fun finding gems in topo maps.
We kept skiing until ~4pm. NW facing stuff was getting heavy and manky by then at ~4200. Pass temperature was ~45F when we left. The W bound lanes of 90 were closed for a few hours due to avy control. Big booms on sunny afternoons are a little different. Conditions were just such that we could lap our up and downtracks without putting skins on. Only instability we noted was in small ~3-6" wet sluffs running on a soft crust on the same NW aspect late in the day. Here's hoping the N facing stuff's soft in the morning.
We kept skiing until ~4pm. NW facing stuff was getting heavy and manky by then at ~4200. Pass temperature was ~45F when we left. The W bound lanes of 90 were closed for a few hours due to avy control. Big booms on sunny afternoons are a little different. Conditions were just such that we could lap our up and downtracks without putting skins on. Only instability we noted was in small ~3-6" wet sluffs running on a soft crust on the same NW aspect late in the day. Here's hoping the N facing stuff's soft in the morning.
author=John_Morrow link=topic=9530.msg38491#msg38491 date=1206239968]
I am afraid probably will crust overnight. Looks like north aspects will hold in nicely despite the warming. Probably will be busy on those tomorrow!
Your slope was nicely crusted by about 6pm, but with all of today's new snow, it shouldn't matter much.
Conditions were ultra-stable, so it was a big suprise that the DOT closed I-90 and a crew traversed the slope above the highway around 2pm. 3 hand charges later, nothing budged. Did it really take closing the road for 2 hours to figure that out? ???
Nice pictures. Can't beat the combination of powder and sun.
It sure seemed like DOT was able to get some slides to come down. We left the pass right after the road re-opened and the right lane was covered with avi debris; they had the heavy machinery working to clear it. The clean up also took a half hour to hour longer then originally planned, suggesting they got a larger slide than expected.
It sure seemed like DOT was able to get some slides to come down. We left the pass right after the road re-opened and the right lane was covered with avi debris; they had the heavy machinery working to clear it. The clean up also took a half hour to hour longer then originally planned, suggesting they got a larger slide than expected.
Our theory was that a natural slide had hit the road, prompting DOT to head out and try to bomb the rest loose. The three bombholes we could see generated but one little sluff. The face in question catches the morning sun - bombs went off ~1 pm?
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