Kameron

Fischer Transalp Tour 30, $260 Excellent, high-performance ski touring boots. They have been used for last season as part of a boot quiver, so actual wear-and-tear is minimal. I love the way these ski downhill and the huge range of motion with little friction uphill. Unfortunately, the uphill was irritating my medial malleolus. There is a punch in this area that tried to fix the problem, but I have decided to give up on trying to make these work for my bony feet. Really good boots in excellent condition. Size is 30. However these fit more like a 29 in terms of length. I wear a US size 13 or 14 shoe. Nice roomy toebox but locked-in feeling throughout the midfoot and heel.

Latest update is that the project is cancelled. Apparently the proposers will have to reapply for permission to get their huts in. Not sure if this applies to the snowmobile club warming shelter as well or just the overnight huts.

Definitely is still in-season. I don't know about access, but I saw an instagram post from the Mt Hood climbing rangers looking down it in what looked like good snow cover.

Sweet, except for that gnarly wet slide. Cooper spur and the Eliot headwall are looking prime for skiing.

Timely report but yeah next time leave the drone at home. I find them quite annoying

Get your comments in by May 2, folks!

Regarding Roundhouse/Anderson-Watson: This is my favorite of the proposed locations from a ski perspective. However, one of the proponents has moved to Bozeman and the other hasn't been responding to requests to talk about it. It is unclear whether that group is seriously interested in making that hut happen or not.

I sure hope they put in bear boxes at the campgrounds. That makes things just so much easier than carrying bear cans/hanging/etc.

I was at the meeting, too. My takeaways were that things are just too vague--various clarifications were made at the meeting but we need to see things in writing to be sure that's the real plan. @tbickford I felt like I heard something different in what Abram said. I thought he said they'd like "2 huts at the Heliotrope trailhead", not Grouse ridge etc. I personally don't think there will be enough demand at Heliotrope midwinter to make even 1 hut work, since there is very limited protected terrain (at least that I'm aware of). Maybe the glamping crowd will be into it regardless. I am involved with CBA, and we put together this blog post asking people to comment: https://www.cascadebackcountryalliance.com/post/4-huts-proposed-for-mt-baker-region (There is a minor mistake in the post; the snowmobile club hut is not an overnight one)

t I was driving back from the end of the MF Nooksack FS road once and some guys were hanging around their car. One of them waved as we drove by and they chatted us up. The dude had been riding around on his dirt bike with a pistol in his waistband and it had fallen out. Kind of sheepishly, they asked if we'd seen it on the road. We said "nah" and got out of there.

Hi Max, I'm not sure what makes that approach more "legit" than going in from the MF Nooksack. As far as I can tell, either route passes through Hampton land which is gated and officially requires permission from the landholder. The route in from the MF Nooksack is also bikeable. If I'm off on those details, though, I'd be keen to hear it

Old timers tell me that back in the day it was unlocked. Back before ski touring or climbing was very popular... shit, it's listed in the Burgdorfer ski guidebook. I don't think the Hampton company has any interest in opening up that gate to anybody that's non-paying.

The snowmobile hut up Canyon creek is paid for by the club. The other 3 are paid for by the guide companies/businesses running them. That cost would be covered by use fees, some of which would be bundled into guided ski day fees.

New version of proposal surfaces: https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/USDAFS/2024/04/03/file_attachments/2836295/20240403-Temporary Winter Shelters-Public_Scoping_Letter_DRSigned.pdf 2 weeks until the public meeting in Sedro-Wooley

Yes! We are about 1.5 months ahead of the usual time when access to the volcanoes becomes doable. The coverage on the Baker glaciers above 7k feels "okay". These glaciers also melted a lot last summer... the ice features are changing surprising amounts year-year.