danhelmstadter

Trip: Shuksan - Crawshaw Couloir Date: 5/13/2011 Trip Report: Well I think I picked the wrong day to ski this thing. With ample POW on the White Salmon, I thought the Crawshaw Couloir would for sure be powder too! But I mostly found various icy breakable crusts on the steep upper half. I dug a snow cave near the top of the couloir and waited for several hours for the crusts to dissolve into soft snow with some NW afternoon sun exposure, but it was not meant to be, and I skied the thing in nasty crusty conditions which was quite scary at times, some sidestepping was necessary to negotiate the runnel, and I had to pack the skis and use crampons to get past a 10 foot 55 dg ice step that connected the couloir to the upper slope. This is the third time I've climbed the couloir this year, having found powder in the lower poriton twice back in January, but the steeper upper half was an ice climb. (Link to video -- ) I remmember someone saying they think Rene Crawshaw skied this couloir back in the day. view from the top

Thanks! John, I'm still useing the Mansalus, they're getting a little floppy. Adam from LMS hooked me up with some H2Os for Maude, they were sick!

Thanks Adam! we got a couple minute of a window of fog free weather that we waited a while for! I think that the slope angle was somewhere around 50, I haven't carried an inclinometer around with me for several years and have lost my ability to judge angle accuratly.

Trip: Shuksan - Variation to Hanging Glacier & North Face Date: 5/9-10/2011 Trip Report: The other day Drew Tabke and I skied a variation of the Hanging Glacier on the Shukhorn off the north shoulder. Weather was mostly cloudy but provided a few key windows which we patiently waited for, the snow conditions had been breakable crust for most of the morning, but softened up just enough for the crust to dissolve when we skied. The upper face was steep and very fun. We quickly skied the lookers left exit, which was a little scary because of the ice cliff above. The next day I skied the North Face solo. I hadn't intended to ski that day, but the allure of cold temps and blue morning skies proved irresistible. I found firm windpack on the steep entrance option (skiers right), and weak breakable crust for the mid portion, soft snow on the lower. The lower face is the most filled in that I've seen it, and I skied hugging skiers left, which is usually seracs. Our route (picture taken from my hg descent 5/4/11) tracks Drew Drew slayin Entering the knar exit The North Face, my tracks should be visible on upper portion.

JB, I took the lookers right exit.

no problem man, http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2669749330103935217HGRhAK

naw mang, that would be sick though, especially if a serac peeled off just as you took off!

Trip: Shuksan - Hanging Glacier ski Date: 5/4/2011 Trip Report: I was lucky to find the Shukhorn with bluebird weather and good snow conditions the other day. I ascended the White Salmon, putting in a skin track, there was a bit of a slab, but the sheer plane was dirty and there was no sign of propagation or collapse, the layer failed mostly around 20 with compression tests. I had another line in mind, but decided that the hg would be a better choice. Skiing was fun and route find fairly straightforward for the upper portion of the route, though there were some big holes lurking with little visible indication. I dropped into the skiers left gully, where I found a patch of nasty thick water ice crust that i sidestepped with an axe for 20 feet, the rest of the gully was mostly good, with a few sections of ice crust lurking under a few inches. The apron was sick, then the snow became manky below, with somewhat sketchy iso-muck for the ascent back up to the parking area. I met Zach Clanton at the parking area, he's a photographer and happened to get a few shots of me skiing down, big thanks! I did a little solo tr at Mt. Erie yesterday, incredible place! stoked to check out some seaside rock at deception pass later.

nice!

Trip: Maude - north face & west couloir Date: 4/31/2011 Trip Report: The other day Erik Svege and I skied the north face of Mount Maude, we then regained the summit and skied a couloir on the west face. Instabilities existed on SE aspects in the morning, but we took care to find the safest way. We found very fun snow on the north face, and a mixed bag of fun snow in the west couloir as well. Erik brought a bunch of stuff to share that made the trip more enjoyable for me including an apres ski micro brew, extra food, and a snowmobile. It was a pleasure to meet Greg and Bob at Trinity, such a cool place, and a fantastic trip. More details and pictures in Erik's TR http://www.turns-all-year.com/skiing_snowboarding/trip_reports/index.php?topic=20722.0

great story! man, that sounds like a brave moment starting the rappel with the gorilla.

great video, you guys are pretty funny.

Trip: Cannon & Cashmere - Date: 4/22-23/11 Trip Report: Early April 22 Telemarker and I set out on foot from the Icicle up the Rat Creek drainage with overnight packs and skis on our backs. We climbed and skied the NE couloir of Cannon, then climbed up to the north shoulder and skied the N couloir, skiable (but not for long) down to Eightmile creek, where we camped, and I endured a chilly night in my new $35 jr nomad sleeping bag. The next day we climbed Cashmere and skied it's NE couloir, then booted back up and skied the SW (pinner) couloir from the summit. The hike out to my rig at Eightmile CG was quite pleasant, with the beautiful crags of Icicle ridge glowing in afternoon splendor. My thoughts at times and especially on Cashmere were with Danny Zimmerman, and his family and friends. I ran into Danny in the Icicle once or twice, I didn't know him very well, but I am getting to know the soulful timeless mountains he loved and called his home, and I will return again to surround myself In their beauty. Rest in peace Danny. John's TR with Pictures -- http://www.turns-all-year.com/skiing_snowboarding/trip_reports/index.php?topic=20638.new

wow! that place looks unreal.

Thanks for your comments! Jordan, I didn't get a clear look at the north face but I think there is a monster cornice gaurding the route.

Trip: Chair Peak - NE Buttress ski Date: 4/19/2011 Trip Report: Yesterday I had the pleasure of climbing and skiing the NE Buttress of Chair Peak with Drew Tabke. We found good ice, and good skiing. Careful snowpack evaluation and safe travel techniques were necessary as there were some weaknesses and loaded areas, though we were blessed with ideal cool and cloudy/sun breaky weather which helped to hold things together while affording visibility for the descent. It was nice to end the day with a few laps in late day sun at Vantage. Drew's TR with photos. http://www.turns-all-year.com/skiing_snowboarding/trip_reports/index.php?topic=20601.msg87757

Damn what a badass trip report!

Spent some time out there recently, good climbing in a very asthetic setting. Locals are really friendly (the owners of a cafe in Electric City bought me lunch the third or fourth time I was in there.) Sounds like poison ivy and rattelers are abundant in the warm season -- the gas station has a pic of a local holding an eight foot ratteler as big around as a leg. Dave A. - Thanks for the offer! I need to go over to the wet side soon, I think I'll check out REI. Drew the man/monkey Drew on Dr. Suess

Awesome!

Thanks Off White!

i'm planning a trip up there soon, hard to find beta. are the routes generally pretty difficult to spot? i'm not planning on taking a boat. sounds like the shoreline of steamboat rock park is the area to scour for routes, are there any good landmarks besides the above mentioned? thanks

Ouch, good luck with your recovery Tyson, I hope it's a short time.

yikes! cool pic! do you remmember what nwac forecasted the danger as? I think i remmember hearing something about east winds saturday morning loading west aspects. edit: looks like they had it at considerable for nw alpine aspects -- nwac archive for 2/19/11

Thanks for your comments! Andy, let's ski soon! Gaucho, sorry it's taken me a few to get back to you, the red line is the ski descent. i ascended on skis up the white salmon glacier, partially in view on lookers right. cheers Dan

Congrats! very inspirational. must have been cool to get on the boat with skis and watch bonanza fade into the distance.