philfort

If we got a long-lasting high pressure system that firmed things up, and left stable old powder on the north face, it might be not too crazy?. But this year, it would still mean a long approach. You might be able to snowmobile to the park boundary, but its still many more miles to Cascades pass. I would be very suprised if Buckner hadn't already seen a winter ascent.

You have to put the picture on a web server where people can access it. i.e. - not on your local harddrive!

What climbs did you lose them on?

Also, there is 1000 feet of skiing immediately below the summit, before skiing off the cliff with your paraglider.

Both Alex and I have bought old beater sleds for this purpose. Renting is really expensive, I can't imagine it being worth it.... don't know of anyone who rents crap sleds. As for it getting stolen, I guess it depends on where you park it, and how much of a shit-mobile it is. I parked mine at Rainy Pass for two days and nothing happened, but of course who's gonna steal an old '88 with a small track and drag it out 20 miles, when they've got a super-powered modern mountain sled? They have ignition keys, so its not so trivial to just drive off with it anyway. Also keep in mind that an old sled isn't going to get you up a snow-covered road unless its already packed down a bit (by other sleds, say)..

quote: Originally posted by hakioawa: Also I'm not a huge fan of the Dynafit binding system. It is light. And tough too. But it awfully difficult to get into and switching the heal hight is a pain in the . It's extremely easy to switch the heel height with the new Tri-Step. However, the tube where you put your pole tip tends to clog up with snow/ice on powder days. Also, dynafit makes a boot that is like the TLT4 but with laces instead of buckles, so presumably more of a mountaineering boot, but dynafit compatible. light! Unfortunately, its only available in Europe, and its for some reason not in production this year anyway (but will be next year). [ 01-30-2002: Message edited by: philfort ]

Loren, in the second picture, the guy is skiing the upper section of the couloir, the part you had to downclimb 'cause it was late in the season. Same couloir. The "crooked couloir", isn't really very couloir-like. It starts all bowl-like up top, then funnels through a slot lower down, emerging just a short distance (couple hundred feet) northeast of enigma gully. Actually, crooked couloir would be a good name for enigma gully/slot couloir. There's another slot couloir to the west of enigma gully. Where you go to approach NY gully I think (not sure)? It sounds like AlpineK skied that one the first time they tried to find enigma gully (see Alpine Lake's TR's).

quote: Originally posted by CascadeClimber: Right hand sun patch is the access gully, as you said.Next one is what I assume AlpineK skied the first time.Enigma comes next, completely hidden, except you can see where it emerges.The next one with some rocks in it is Crooked couloir. The photo in Volken's book (taken from a plane) makes it all clear.

quote: Originally posted by CascadeClimber: That aside, there are multiple couloirs on the northern aspects of Snoqualmie. Anyone have info on the others? Martin Volken's book describes the "Crooked couloir", the next one to the east of enigma gully. Better not call it anything else or shit will fly!!!

quote: Originally posted by erik:[QB]it sounds like you didn't do complete researxh for the article. martin's book has been around for way more then a year....[QB] Wrong. Martin's book just came out a few months ago. Maybe there were 'secret copies' floating around, but I guess I'm not in with that crowd. The first time it appeared in the stores was late this fall. First of all, we'll call it whatever we damn well please. The first time I had *ever* heard the term 'slot couloir', was when Mike Adamson mentioned it in response to a post here by John Sharp who climbed it the same day we skied it. I had already been using the term "Enigma Gully" for a year. I'm sorry, but we're not "in" with the backcountry ski crowd at Alpental, so we didn't know what the 'proper' name was. Does "slot couloir" have some special significance or something? You guys make it sound like we're chest-beating about this ground-breaking descent. C'mon! It was a big deal for us, and that's all. I'm not a great skier, and it was the steepest line I've ever skied, so it was a big deal for me, and one of the best runs of my life. What made it even better is that we'd never heard of anyone else skiing it - so, no beta. Uh, sorry for not knowing the "right people". I fully realize skiing it is no big deal for many skiers, such as AlpineK. We certainly never even considered that it could be first descent, and I'm sure Greg did not mean to imply that in his article. The first draft he let me read (as he indicated above) made it clear that it had been skied before. And also that it "others call it the Slot Couloir". (and as I said, the only mention we'd ever heard of that term was from one mikeadam post). Some of you seem really hurt and offended by his article. Why don't you write couloir and get them to "correct" the "mis-information" you think got printed, and indicate the "correct" name. On a lighter note, the snow this weekend was absolutely epic. I think I logged over 5000 vertical feet of nearly continous face shots through two and half feet of fluffy powder. [ 01-28-2002: Message edited by: philfort ]

Hikerwa, I sure hope that was a joke, for your sake. There aren't any trees around half of Source Lake. The south end of the lake, and quite far beyond, also has huge piles of broken trees from avalanches that have crossed the lake. Considering the avie danger was high to extreme (natural avalanches certain), not a good place to be. Who knows the whole story though, maybe they were off in the trees on the 'safe' side of the lake, and got hit by a small sluff...

From today's avalanche forecast: "A pair of ski tourers who unbelievably decided to camp at Source Lake near Snoqualmie Pass on Thursday had their camp buried by an avalanche late Thursday but apparently escaped unharmed."

<sigh> Just like that dork who posted about his upcoming trip to climb the west butt of Denali. "Look at me, I'm so original, I'm heading to Olympus Mons. I have a website set up. You can follow our expedition every day." yadda yadda yadda.....

You may be an amazing skier, but it's still a really boring debate.

Hey, are you dissing the King 5 First Alert weather team?? Jeff Renner rocks!!

Temps in eastern washington seemer warmer than in western washington today.

quote: Originally posted by Dru:

Seabury Blair's backcountry skiing book has stuff listed in the Olympics. Take a peek, but definitely don't buy the book, it's quite lame. I've only been up there once, but Mt Angeles has some nice south-facing gullies that drop right down to the hurricane ridge road, a couple of miles before the lodge. I tried to ski'em once, but it was a little too icy. You can bag the peak too.

???Where is the real beer? http://www.unibroue.com/products/3pistoles.cfm ??

zzzzzzz.....

Cascades: ...WINTER STORM WARNING FOR THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT... .TONIGHT...RAIN OR SNOW. SNOW LEVEL RISING TO 2500 FEET.5 TO 10 INCHES OF NEW SNOW. WIND IN THE PASSES WEST TO 15 MPH..THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT...SNOW OR RAIN...HEAVY AT TIMES. WINDY.SNOW LEVEL 3000 FEET. 1 TO 2 FEET OF NEW SNOW. AFTERNOON PASSTEMPERATURES THURSDAY 30 TO 35. WIND IN THE PASSES WEST 10 TO 20 MPH.SOUTHWEST WINDS 30 MPH GUSTING TO 60 MPH HIGHER ELEVATIONS..FRIDAY...SNOW AND RAIN TURNING TO SHOWERS. 6 TO 10 INCHES OF NEWSNOW. SNOW LEVEL 2000 FEET LOWERING TO 1000 FEET. AFTERNOON PASSTEMPERATURES 25 TO 30. AFTERNOON PASS TEMPERATURES NEAR 30. WEST WIND15 TO 25 MPH. .FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY...SNOW SHOWERS. 5 TO 10 INCHES OF NEWSNOW. SNOW LEVEL BELOW 1000 FEET. Adds up to 28 to 54 inches (70-137cm) by saturday.... hmmm.

Same reason it say he "Mountain Dude".

I bet I can't.