JoshK

Nothing like tree dodging in junky snow in the dark. "Character building" to say the least. Looks like a great ski though!

Very cool, nice job! My only question would be...where are your skis?

Very cool guys! That area is so incredible, and I imagine that face must have been stellar. Good call leaving out an M-wtf grade, that M scale has always seemed a little out of place in Alpine routes to me.

Skis evolved to travel over snow: up, down and flat. Snowboards evolved as lift toys. But lots of people like to snowboard more than ski, so splitboards seem like the best option for them if they are interested in backcountry. I can't imagine slow-shoeing with a snowboard on my back, so if I boarded I'd be on a splitboard myself. I'm just glad I like to ski so I don't have to worry about it.

That's a great tour. I did it early last Spring and the terrain and scenery is hard to beat. Only sad thing is in your pictures there appears to be sooo much less snow than there should be. Very nice trip!

She's very modest too

zomg that's scary. glad to hear the guy is still alive and kickin' sounds like it wasn't in the best condition, according to the speculators...

Cool! I've always wanted to ski up or around Cashmere. How is the snow pack over there? The west slopes are basically white concrete at the moment. I need to find some place to go Thursday and I'd like to avoid said concrete if possible.

That looks pretty cool, nice job. How cold has it been recently in the Icicle valley? It's warm as hell on the west side, but the passes are cold, so maybe the east slopes still have reasonably cold temps?

I skied up the Alpental Valley to the Snow Lake divide yesterday. It was windy as hell and thanks to the weather pattern, it was in the lower 20s at the pass and in the valley. Anyway, in case anybody is interested: there seemed to be lots of ice formed at the end of the valley. I didn't get close enough to inspect the ice, but visually it looks like things could be found to have some fun on. Ski conditions are absolutely terrible right now, but the trail is well packed.

Cool video Dan, as always. I'm curious what type of camera setup you use? My GF got me a small HD video recording for the holidays, but I'm considering exchanging it for something that can be head mounted. Ideally it would be better than just duct taping it to my head.

Sweeet!! I was up in Commenwealth Basin 2 days prior and there was still some nice powder up high, and that was in the sun. I imagine that sheltered stuff you found was awesome. Great pics!

DEFINENTLY for the chicks...that is the primary reason for FA's. Nothing gets girls more excited than a story about climbing something abscure when they have no idea what you are talking about. You know you have them wraped around your finger when they reply "why would anybody do that?"

Cool! Looks like a very sweet area.

Well, what they said was from last night, 1" - 3" by opening. When I checked their report at 11am they said it was still raining, but the snow level was coming down. I know i'm being a nit picker, and I don't really think they are lying or anything, I've just noticed their overly polished up forecasts before. Definitely not CO-oish. True CO-ish is measuring the accumulation in some pile next to the ski patrol shack and calling that the actual snowfall.

Seems all the energy and money these toolbags are trying to put in to mandating beacons could save many more lives being spent on starving children, or the homeless, or any number of things more important than worrying about us climbers. I mean why help those that could use it when you can force "help" on those who don't want it?

Yeah this isn't the first time I've noticed it, it seems they like to spruce it up a lot, I just was bored enough late last night when reading it to post. It seems a tad bit, what's the word..."Coloradoish" to exagerate snow reports, esp. when you are mt. baker, no need to exagerate.

anybody else noticed hat the mt baker ski area has a way of "dressing up" their snow forecasts? Baker's Site: GREAT NEWS! LOTS OF SNOW AND COLD TEMPERATURES ARE FORECASTED FOR THIS WEEK! Forecasts are calling for the warm spell to end tonight, and we expect to have 2 to 3 inches of new snow on the ground with 3,000 foot freezing levels for opening Monday morning, followed by approximately 10 inches of new snow for Tuesday with freezing levels dropping to 2,000 feet. We will be operating out of both base areas in Holiday operation. NOAA foecast for Baker Ski Area Monday: Rain before 10am, then snow showers. Temperature falling to around 17 by 2pm. South southwest wind between 11 and 17 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches possible. Monday Night: Snow showers. Low around 15. South southwest wind 5 to 8 mph becoming east. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New snow accumulation of less than one inch possible. Tuesday: A 50 percent chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 23. East wind around 5 mph becoming calm. Tuesday Night: A 30 percent chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 17. South southwest wind around 6 mph. Wednesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 24. Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 15. Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 29. Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 26. Christmas Day: Partly sunny, with a high near 39.

Not sure how the newer Cobras are, but my problem with them several years ago was the larger grip diamater. I felt the smaller Viper grips fit my hand well, but maybe I just have girly hands, who knows.

As far as I know, that Middle Fork Snoq road is still washed out, and I believe part of it has been abandoned. As for the 8-mile road, that is pretty commonly done in the winter as it only adds 4 miles. Of all the places you listed I would rank the Tatoosh as the easiest access of them all. Park at Paradise, put on your skis and you're good to go. The Shannon trailhead (for shuksan) will generally just be closed wherever the snow gets undrivable. With the snow level starting so low this year, then bouncing up and all the various storms, I have no idea how far you'd have to go now.

People can easily check the weather conditions on washington and decided to go up or not. I could just as easily walk out in to a blizzard in the flatness of the great plains and get killed by weather. If you go up washington and die in the weather, it's not like you'll be pinned on some ridge in the himilayas. you chose to go in to weather and you died. I dont think that inherent means the mountain is dangerous...just my 2 cents.

Well, I think the 8% probably contains a lot of us here, and the rest is expected from a poll to a wider audience. most people reading the story probably just think we are all death seaking nutjobs who waste taxpayer money.

Looks like a pretty damn stable day is needed to climb those, that big snow field right above all the drips is rather...intimidating.

Sweeeet!! Those look awesome. Not that it takes anything away, but are you sure they are FAs? If they form regularly it seems like they are too cool for somebody to have not tried them before. Or maybe the weird early season snow than warm up then freeze weather cycle brought out climbs that almost never exist?

Assuming we don't get a huge amnt of low elevation snow you shouldn't have to walk that far on the cascade river road. It was open to Eldo last week, and if this week is as warm as they are predicting, it will melt any new snow off that fell today. You should call the rangers before you go, but my guess is you'd be able to get to the TH, or at least within a few miles.