JoshK

"Although the NW snowpack has experienced considerable stabilization or melting over the past few weeks below about 5000 feet, the warming and sun should produce an increasing potential for wet loose or wet slabs around the 6-7000 ft level, along with an increasing likelihood of some large slab avalanches, icefall or cornice releases above 7 to 8000 ft. Also, melting snow from rocks or cliff areas are likely to trigger slides on the slopes below, with resulting loose or wet loose slides possibly triggering larger slab or wet slabs, depending on elevation and aspect. In short, this weekend should produce an increasing considerable danger around the 6 to 7000 ft level and a high to extreme avalanche danger on steeper higher elevation terrain above 7 to 8000 ft where signficant recent snowfall has been received"

Looking east towards Mineral and the N. Pickets:

Well that's asking an awful lot. I've been using 89 degrees on mine, though when I tried 88 I can't honestly say I noticed the difference - probably because the snow is always so different. The one thing that I really notice is when I don't de-tune the tips and tails after sharpening the edge. That definitely helps avoid them getting hooked on icy crusts and crap. Also... http://www.telemarktips.com/Edgetuning.html

Mike, you mentioned in winter you'd take the Reactor over the Jetboil, despite the relatively similar efficiency. Is your preference for the Reactor because of the faster boil team and larger pot? I have a Jetboil I was given as a gift, and overall I find it pretty decent, but that small pot sure does make snow melting a marathon affair.

In general, it seems you hit solid skiable snow around 4500 in the North Cascades right now. Below that there is still lots of snow in gullies, avy swaths, etc. even as low as 3500. As for cornices, they are particularly large this year, I think mostly due to all the late season snow. Still plenty of big ones ready to collapse and ruin one's day, so be wary of that. Don't be totally discouraged, though, as the heavier snow pack currently means less brush and bugs!

I dunno, safety first and all...I'd recommend people just stick with Mount Si or Tiger Mountain for the next month or so.

Here is a photo of Shuksan and Nooksack Tower taken yesterday. Wayne has an even better picture on his site at Wayne's Blog - Ruth Mountain Ski

What's a "real" climbing accomplishment? In my opinion hyping up a climb for sponsors is just as banal as putting a kid on top of Everest. Well, if you ask anybody outside the fairly small climbing community, I'd imagine most people would find it all equally pointless and banal.

Yeah, what they all said. This: .TONIGHT...SHOWERS. A SLIGHT CHANCE OF AN EARLY EVENING THUNDERSTORM. SNOW LEVEL 5500 FEET. .THURSDAY...SHOWERS. SNOW LEVEL 5500 FEET. .THURSDAY NIGHT...SHOWERS LIKELY. SNOW LEVEL 6500 FEET. .FRIDAY...BECOMING PARTLY SUNNY. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS. SNOW LEVEL 7000 FEET. Followed by this: SATURDAY...SUNNY. FREEZING LEVEL RISING TO 12000 FEET. AFTERNOON PASS TEMPERATURES IN THE UPPER 60S. .SATURDAY NIGHT...MOSTLY CLEAR. FREEZING LEVEL RISING TO 14000 FEET. .SUNDAY...SUNNY. FREEZING LEVEL 13500 FEET. ...equals not good.

OK, Ruth Mountain isn't particularly interesting with pictures, let alone without them, so here is some mtnporn.

Thanks alot Lowell. These are great!

Ruth is one of my favorites for good, easy, aerobic (and brush free) turns. It has all the views of a N. Cascades peak, with the laid back easy factor of a big hill.

And holy f'in shit, that is messed up!!

I would find something like this useful, but in this case would it really have mattered? It was easy to come to the conclusion that conditions might not be safe at that elevation on the volcanoes from the recent weather and/or telemetry alone. Sure, a blog like this would be nice *if* they had read one, but the fact that those 11 people were up climbing in that area given the large amount of recent snowfall and warming temperatures leads me to believe they did little, if any, research to begin with. I'm not trying to sound harsh, but there were a lot of red flags visible from one's armchair, let alone if you are sitting on the mountain staring at clear evidence of several feet of new snow.

Nice trip!! Man it is so cool to see all that snow in June still. I never would have thought it possible if you had asked me back during that crummy "winter" in February! I can't wait to get some turns in tomorrow since it's been a while...just need to decide where to go.

Funny, but most of the people I know who have done heli-skiing personally are what I would consider backcountry noobs. Obviously plenty of experienced people also have the money to afford to heli-ski but most of my backcountry compatriots are stuck with skinning up the hill. On the other hand, I know plenty of people with $$ who have gone heli-skiing but wouldn't know what a skin or touring binding is if it hit them in the face, let alone how to evaluate a slope. Of course, these are also the people that think you actually need a "powder ski" to ski powder.

Saw this earlier on the news, and while I know doing the armchair speculation thing is bad...it's first warm day after pretty much weeks straight of heavy precip at higher elevations, what were all those people thinking? I hope they pull out a miracle and find the missing guy, and all the searchers stay safe.

Apples, meet oranges.

She's a Brit, notice the picture does not feature her teeth...

Hmm, not that I have a clue what I'm talking about, but seems kind of hard to "put it to shame" when you are comparing ragged limestone cliffs to perfect granite formations. Those pictures look absolutely gorgeous though, that has to be a pretty amazing setting to be living in.

That's part of growing up. Not against the law. Maybe biking on US2 is illegal? I have no idea, but I don't recall seeing people biking on it much, if at all. If it is legal, I guess the oinker was just being a douche.

Great read, Josh! Early in my climbing days I had to turn around right at the top of Sahale like you did. I'm sure it was tough, but you made the right decision. I have since climbed it several times, so as you say, it'll still be there, and I'm sure you'll be standing on top of it before too long. Keep it up, man! P.S. Where did you see the cat? He sure looks fat and happy.

I would toboggan the bejeezus out of the Park glacier...

Most awesome!! A friend from out of town is coming to do Baker in a couple of weeks and I think he was planning on the Easton. I'm going to point him to your TR in hopes he "upgrades" to the Park. Also, it's great to see one of the boarder types understands snowboards are for the lifts and skis are for the mountains. (j/p splitboarders, I only kid...I have no self restraint )

One difference is that US 2 is a US Highway, and provides an important cross mountain highway necessary for inter- and intra-state commerce. It's primary function is to get people across the Cascades. Highway 20, on the other hand, is almost completely built for recreation. It is used by some trucks, but is almost entirely a recreation byway It helps spread out the impact of the tour bus size RV driving toolbag crowd on I-90 and US2 as well. I'd hate for them to have only 2 highways to drive their personal roadblock/hotels across.