Dan_Miller

Today's (04/03/12) report from WSDOT's Jeff Adamson and Dustin Terpening: Hi all, Week #2 got off to a good start: On the Westside, Mt. Vernon Supervisor Rod Hayes provided this update: “We started widening from Diablo Gate (MP 134) with a loader mounted blower and plow truck. We were able to finish clearing the slide at No Name Creek (MP 137) and two more behind that – Avalanche chutes Ruby #9 and #10 (between MP 137 and 138, below Ruby Mtn.) Beyond that, we found pretty benign conditions with only about 1-1/2 feet of snow from there up to MP 140 where our day ended.” On the Eastside, Twisp Supervisor Don Becker had this to say: “We started with Jason Newman on the grader working to remove more of the ice floor from Early Winters (MP 178) all the way to Silver Star Gate (MP 171). Once again Duane Wolley spent the day on the Kodiak snow blower clearing from Silver Star Gate toward Lone Fir campground and Cutthroat Ridge. The day began at 7 a.m. with clear skies and 24 degrees. At Silver Star Gate 2” of new snow had accumulated overnight bringing the total to 4-1/2 feet. By 2 p.m., he had cleared a mile and a half up to MP 169.3 and it had warmed up to 40 degrees.” …Positively balmy! There’s about 10 feet of snow on the ground right now at Rainy and Washington Passes which is about a foot more than last Thursday. Since Thursday, the amount of precipitation that came down was closer to 3 feet, but it got warm enough when the snow stopped falling on Saturday and Sunday that it melted/compacted down. Measurements are a lot easier to take on the West Slope of the Cascades at Stevens Pass where there are three electronic weather stations at different locations and elevations as well as WSDOT and Ski Area personnel who are taking physical measurements daily. Since last Thursday, Stevens got a total of 3’ of snow producing 150” on the shoulder (that’s 12 ½ feet). The total for the season is 551” (that’s 46 feet which is more than last year’s 443”or 37’- on April 2). In 2010 – the season total at Stevens was way below normal – only about 21 feet by March 1 (when snow had pretty well stopped falling, the ski area closed and everybody took their studs off early!) Again, for comparison purposes, the season average for the last 60 years at Stevens is 37 feet (that’s through the end of April, so we’ve still got a month left to increase this year’s total even more!) I think I forgot to pass this along - Last Thursday the mechanics made the permanent repairs to the rear wheel (steering) seal on the Kodiak (yes, it has 4 wheel drive and also 4 wheel steering!) Check out the new pictures: www.flickr.com/photos/wsdot/sets/72157629681048559/ jeff.adamson@wsdot.wa.gov (509) 667-2815 dustin.terpening@wsdot.wa.gov (360) 757-5997

Greg, I know that they're not available at REI, but perhaps take a close look at the Scarpa Triolet Pro GTX. They're a leather upper mountain boot that has served me well for a little less than a year now. They're reportedly available in a size 48 (USA size 14). Jim Nelson at Pro Mountain Sports is offering that boot at present.

Today's (Thurs., 03/29/12) update from WSDOT's Jeff Adamson. Hi all, The mechanics are keeping an eye on the Kodiak’s rear wheel seal, but it ran fine for another day and by the end of Wednesday, Duane Wolley had “blown” everything from guard rail to guardrail from Early Winters (MP 177) to Varden Creek (MP 174) and had completed two passes to MP 172, about a half mile shy of Silver Star gate. Jason Newman spent the day on the grader, scraping off the layer of ice down to the pavement for those first four miles that Duane had opened up. As the day began, it was 33 degrees and 2” of new snow had accumulated. The snow started falling again after lunch and continued for the next five hours or so. There was a break until about midnight when the snow began falling again and hasn’t stopped (which is the forecast for the rest of today and Friday.) Anyone planning to go up this weekend would be wise to check in with the Weather Service, the Forest Service and the NW Avalanche Center, first. With no snow blower on the west side available for another week, progress clearing the snow slide at no-name creek (MP 137) is slow going with just a loader. Working conditions would have to be considered pretty yucky – the snow depth total actually went down an inch between yesterday morning and this morning, but the water total went up – that means rain. (I’m not a La Nina fan). Here’s a picture of the Kodiak doing its thing Wednesday: www.flickr.com/photos/wsdot/6881309936/in/photostream jeff.adamson@wsdot.wa.gov (509) 667-2815 Minor update at 5:19 pm. Hi all, Work got underway this morning at 8:30 at Varden Creek (MP 174). It was 34 degrees. 3” of new snow had fallen since midnight and there was 4’ of snow on the pavement (packed, hard). By the end of the day, the road and shoulders were cleared to the Silver Star Gate, the parking area there was cleared and enough space above the gate so we could park all the equipment out of your way until the crews come back on Monday. Working conditions were less than ideal. By 3 p.m., it had warmed up a whole degree to 35, but the precipitation had turned to rain by then. On the Westside – progress is still to MP 137 where the no-name creek slide is. Be careful if you go up this weekend – the forecast calls for more snow and rain encourages avalanches. Our avalanche crew was busy on Stevens today and will be out again early in the morning to deal with what’s coming between now and then. There are about six new pictures, but I don’t think they’ll show up on flickr until tomorrow morning. jeff.adamson@wsdot.wa.gov (509) 667-2815 dustin.terpening@wsdot.wa.gov (360) 757-5997

Today's update to Monday's initial day of snow clearing from WSDOT's Jeff Adamson and Dustin Terpening. Hi all, Day one of the 2012 Spring Reopening of the North Cascades Highway is History! From the east side, the crew got a single lane cleared about four miles up from Early Winters to Varden Creek before a rear wheel seal on the Kodiak snow blower blew, ending progress for the day. From the west side, the crew got about three miles above Diablo Gate before they encountered a big slide that pretty much ended the progress for their day, too. There are some pictures posted on Flickr: Maintenance Supervisor Don Becker said the first day was overcast and the temperature was pretty steady at about 40 degrees all day. The clearing was SLOW. Don said that the snowmobile traffic all winter compacted the snow into “two feet of ice”. The loader was used to get things started, but the Kodiak snow blower did the lion’s share of the work. They got as far as Varden Creek (MP 174) and turned around to clear the eastbound lane back down to Early Winters. Before they got very far that seal blew and day one was done. This morning, the mechanics worked some magic and while the repair isn’t permanent, the blower is back at work. Don’s Westside counterpart, Gary Ward tells Dustin they’ll clear as they can with the equipment available between now and Apr. 9 when the Kodiak from Skykomish arrives. Day one produced clear lanes above the Diablo Gate (MP 134) to MP 137 where the encountered a slide blocking all lanes in a location no one could ever recall seeing an avalanche there before. Today, there’s a winter storm warning in effect for the west slopes of the Cascades – 3 or more inches of snow forecast the higher you go. On the eastside, the forecast for snow is about the same, but there’s no “storm warning” (?). Anyway, trust that it’s wetter (the snow that started falling about 6 a.m. hasn’t stopped) and the camera shows it’s foggier than yesterday and the weather station shows it’s about 6 degrees colder, too. Let the fun begin! jeff.adamson@wsdot.wa.gov (509) 667-2815 dustin.terpening@wsdot.wa.gov (360) 757-5997

The latest update from WSDOT's Jeff Adamson: Hi all - here's the official news release - the clearing starts Monday! Washington State Department of Transportation - NEWS North Central Region – PO Box 98, Wenatchee, WA. 98807-0098, 509-667-3000 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Mar. 22, 2012 Contact: Jeff Adamson WSDOT Communications 509-667-2815 North Cascades Highway clearing starts March 26 Despite another La Nina winter, crews are optimistic SR 20 could reopen by May TWISP – Early Monday morning, a five-man maintenance crew and their collection of snow-clearing equipment will head west up State Route 20, past Mazama, to the winter closure point at the Early Winters Information Center. The annual trek marks the first day of work to clear the North Cascades Highway. Washington State Department of Transportation crews will begin clearing the four feet of snow at the east side barricades, which have closed the road to traffic since Nov. 21. WSDOT’s annual reopening work is starting almost three weeks earlier than last year. “Last year we opened in late May, and that mean visitors coming to Winthrop’s 49’er Days festival had to use Stevens Pass to get here,” said Twisp Maintenance Supervisor Don Becker. “We know that was hard on drivers, so we’re hoping that this year, we can get the highway open by the first weekend in May.” Using a Kodiak snow blower, road grader and a scoop loader, east-side crews will clear the first eight miles of the highway – between the Early Winters Information Center and the Silver Star gate. More equipment will move in by April as crews work their way west toward Washington and Rainy passes. West-side crews near Diablo can’t begin work yet due to heavy snowfall – nearly 10 and a-half feet at Rainy Pass as of today. Clearing work on the North Cascades Highway can’t begin in earnest until the avalanche danger on Stevens Pass subsides and they can safely move the avalanche crew north to SR 20. Clearing work from the closure gates to the first avalanche zones, however, can begin without the avalanche crew. During a scouting trip up the highway March 7, crews found snow up to 60 feet deep burying the road below the Liberty Bell Mountain avalanche zone. Last year, late-season snow from the La Nina winter led to the second-latest reopening on May 25, since the highway first opened in 1972. Last fall, the 34 mile stretch of SR 20 between the Skagit and Methow valleys closed due to avalanches on Nov. 21. For maps, pictures, frequently asked questions and a history of opening dates, visit the North Cascades Highway website www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/passes/northcascades/.

We're all here to help. Almost all of us anyway. It's a public service to like minded individuals. Happy Trails

Not to send you away from CC.com or TAY, but if you've not checked out the tremendous wealth of information over on Lou Dawson's www.Wildsnow.com you're missing out. Reviews, tech information, essentially everything Randonee you might imagine. Perhaps this is just too obvious. Just saying. One more thing, check out the Scarpa Maestrale, and the 3 buckle Scarpa Rush boots if you've not already.

Given the forecast for the next 10 days I'd say those depths are due to increase significantly. Let's hope so Jason! I'm going to go out on a limb here and predict that WSDOT won't be able to keep to the schedule as outlined above. I'm pretty sure avalanche control, and road clearing efforts at Stevens Pass will curtail the late March efforts to clear Hwy 20. Time will tell I suspect. I have my own selfish reasons for wanting to ski the continuing new snowfalls at Stevens' for at least a month or so yet! And I'm as eager as anyone to do the Birthday Tour, etc., all of course accesssed from Hwy 20.

Nine feet of snow at Washington Pass. Some worthwhile snowpack information contained in this annual pre-clearing assessment. Here is the most recent North Cascades Hwy. snow clearing effort for 2012 from WSDOT's Jeff Adamson, and Dustin Terpening. Photos: Hi all, This is the first email of the season and yes, it’s to tell you we went up to do the spring reopening assessment this week. I’ll jump to the end – we plan to start clearing work the last week of this month and hope to have Tootsie serving cinnamon rolls the first week in May. Last year, you may recall, we started clearing on April 11 and didn’t get the road open until May 25 – the second latest opening ever. Now to the story: The avalanche crew and some maintenance folks met at the Early Winters information center at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday morning. It was clear and cold – about 13 degrees - which is what they wanted. They were back down and packing up the vehicles and gear again before noon because it was already 35 degrees and the hillsides had become more and more unstable as the thermometer rose. Two avalanche technicians, Brandon Levy and Harlan Sheppard, were dispatched on snowmobiles to Washington Pass to dig a snow pit and do the technical snow-layer analysis and then to take the snow depth measurements from there over to Rainy Pass. The second group ventured off in a snow cat to do the observations and snow depth measurements up to Washington Pass. Avalanche Control Chief Mike Stanford, avalanche tech Monica Morin, Area 3 Maintenance Superintendent Dean Hills, Twisp Supervisor Don Becker and Twisp Lead tech Deed Fink shared the cold, bouncy, 3 to 5 mph, diesel fumed experience for the next several hours. (Not as much fun as you imagine it would be - I've done it.) What they found was much closer to the normal range of snow depths than they measured last year. At the Silver Star Gate, for example, the snow was 3.8 feet deep. Last year it was 4.6. Below Cutthroat Ridge chutes 6, 7 and 8, there was 16 feet of snow over the road. Last year it was 20. The snow in Spire Gulch/Spiral Gulch/The Hairpin (you choose your favorite) was 7 feet deep on Wednesday and 10 feet deep last year. At Liberty Bell Mountain, LB 1 and 2 were only 25 feet deep (this is a little misleading because the snow in the chutes that hasn’t come down yet, will likely double the depth by the time we come back). LB 3, which showed some evidence of recent slides, was 40 feet deep. Last year the highway below all three was covered to a depth of 60 feet. And just because I’ve got them and you probably want to know because I include them every year – Washington Pass - 7.5’ at the centerline of the pavement this year compared with 10’ last year. For Rainy Pass – 10’ last year and 8.3’ this year. You also need to be reminded that after the measurements from last year were taken, we got another 6 to 10 feet of snow before and during the reopening... The snow pit revealed some positive news. You are aware that there have been a lot of avalanches in the Cascades this winter. With the La Nina pattern, we got a lot of snow and a lot of rain. Together those produce layering that encourages snow to slide. In Mike’s words “We found a buried weak surface hoar layer that has been a problem throughout the region this winter, however, what we saw in the snow pit is that this layer does seem to be “healing”- that is, collapsing on itself.” For those of us who aren’t familiar with the 20+ varieties of snow or how to whisper to it – I’m told that means it’s become more stable, not less so. Obviously, Mike's crew will continue monitoring for stability before we put crews or equipment under a chute with snow in it. No one stopped by to chat, but Mike says they saw snowmobilers and cross country skiers. He also apologized that there were no pictures featuring Pink Floyd (the flamingo), as he’s recuperating at home from a broken leg. Mike says he should be back on the team by the time the reopening begins… Of course, that reopening can’t begin until the avalanche potential on Stevens Pass diminishes (like always). The weather also has to cooperate - the equipment has to be available (and operating) - the crew has to be available (and healthy). And don’t worry about the budget – the Governor and legislature committed to fully funding winter maintenance which includes reopening the North Cascades. Go check out the pictures on FlickR and Dustin is also posting them on a new site called Pinterest. Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/wsdot/sets/72157629175577076/ You will note that two photos of Spiral Gulch from the day before the assessment are credited to Cliff Schwab. You may also recall he and Joy were cross country skiing there last year when he took this amazing shot of Spiral Gulch - www.flickr.com/photos/wsdot/5613439648/in/set-72157607585733589. (It tallied as one of the most popular pictures on our WSDOT site!) (NO, I don't know if he's available to shoot your wedding - and NO, I don't know if Tootsie will cater it, but I do know you CAN get married at the Forest Service's Washington Pass Overlook, but you can't reserve it exclusively, so plan on extra, uh, guests.) (whew) Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/wsdot/north-cascades-highway/ I won’t be jamming your email in box with updates for another two weeks unless, of course, something changes! Jeff.adamson@wsdot.wa.gov and Dustin.terpening@wsdot.wa.gov

Strong effort guys. I think conditions might have changed a bit in the fairly brief time since your ascent.

In the really tough situations apply tincture of benzoin first, then the leukotape over the top. Yes, I have done so on a few occasions. The best of both world's in my opinion.

My best understanding is that the only 'true' legal specialties are Tax (generally requires a JD and an LLM in Taxation) and Patent (generally requires a JD and an undergraduate degree in some form of engineering). The state of Wyoming is the only one I am aware of that doesn't recognize any legal specialities. In Washington State attorneys are specialists if they hold themselves out as such in the various practice areas. Thus Caveat Emptor. Perhaps a PM to Matt Perkins, Ballard attorney may reveal more. I'm a little too lazy to pour through the RCW's and a whole multitude of Administrative Regulations to give you an ironclad definitive answer. But I bet I'm fairly accurate in my statements above. Hope some of this is of benefit.

After checking out the Stoic Gauntlet's something more came to mind that might be an important consideration. Namely, I find it critical to have a removeable liner in a glove. It's far easier to dry out a potentially wet liner (and for that matter the outer glove) if one can remove it and dry it in the sleeping bag or elswhere for that matter. Not having a removeable liner would likely be a deal breaker for me even with a waterproof/breathable outer glove shell such as my Arete's. And as Dr. Layton said, the Arete's can't hold a candle to the Gauntlets on the pimp'in scale. Something more to think about.

Admittedly no pro here, but I've had great success with the OR Arete's both for backcountry sking and alpine climbing. They've been plenty durable, and warm and dry. This will be going into their third winter. You've an almost unfathomable number of choices. Best of luck!

Perhaps a GoLite Coal? I've one, it's been a great nonwinter belay jacket over the last 7 years or so. PMS used to sell them.

It's simply an outstanding video. Many props to Joshua Lavigne, Cinematographer.

Great job guys! I'm beyond jealous. And Dan, an apparent fine job of rehab. This overly high pressure that's been parked over us for nearly two weeks now provided those available to get out, quite an opportunity to get some climbs/skis accomplished. In normal late Nov/early Dec. this kind of long settled period doesn't often present itself. It's just about to change. Congrats to those that got out and got up stuff! Sshhh.., Cache Col doesn't exist.

I've had great success with mine for exactly what you seem to be interested in. A good general alpinism tool. 17oz for the 57cm length. Keep your eyes open for BD sales. Keenwesh's comments above, are spot on to my way of thinking.

I liked this more and more as it went on. Highly unique. Both a city skiing, and fine editing tour-de-force!

Boots and a sleeping bag likely first (obviously dependant on what your wearng and carrying at this point). Look with an eye to lightening your load is nearly always a worthy approach.

Drew (aka G-spotter) supplies some valuable information to my way of thinking. That's fairly close to how I'd deal with my cherished garment, were I you.

Arcteryx should do a fine job (however none of my dead bird stuff has needed to be sent back to them), so no real first hand experience. Since I've long been in Seattle, Rainy Pass is my go-to for such repairs. They've always done real well on all the work I've asked them to accomplish. RP has been fairly quick with the turn around on the work as well.

Anderson/Watson Lakes approach to the pass at the head of Noisy/Diobsud Creek isn't too bad of a brush bash particularly earlier season. The worst of the brush you will encounter is in the vicinity of the aforementioned N/D pass. Once you get up to Bacon, and perhaps beyond you'll be real glad you put in the effort. It's real wilderness, and a pretty good chance you may not encounter others. Have fun!

Thanks Lowell! A wonderful addition to the climbing archives. Even today things have to be set up weather wise pretty good to have a reaonably fair chance on making the summit within the official months of winter. I know it took a few tries for my partners and I to finally get up the Fuhrer Finger Route in winter. It makes me wonder how many peaks in the Alps had a recorded successful winter ascent by 1922? I'd bet not a bunch.

My thoughts as a student amd follower of the snowpack as well, Bronco. A timely and important post!