Jump to content

Snoqualmie Pass Conditions


John Frieh

Recommended Posts

Just an FYI:

Check the avi forcast before you jump off the couch this weekend.

 

FRIDAY-

Generally light winds with occasional light snow showers early Friday should lead to a further decreasing danger early Friday. Increasing winds becoming very strong late Friday and Friday night and increasing rain or snow at warming temperatures late Friday should lead to an increasing danger. Mostly unstable snow should develop overnight Friday. The strong winds should easily transport recent and new snow and build large unstable wind slab layers by early Saturday.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 64
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

I hiked to the top of Ingrid's Inspiration near the top of Armstrong's Express lift at Alpental yesterday. Can't remember the name of the seep. There was enough ice for some climbing. I suppose the weather forecast puts it's duration in question, but thought I would report that there is some ice at this time.

Edited by gary_hehn
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...

Got out yesterday and waded up South Gully of Guye Peak. Hard work through soft snow on the way in (no snowshoes) but improved on the way up. Some sluffs with the sun, but that soon disappeared behind cloud banks. Narrow corner system at circa 4750ft sporting rotten ice, so cut right through Peruvian style powder. Rapped off. Weather better than expected, some flurries.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Those climbers you saw climbing some ice on what you thought was Bryant Buttress left on saturday was Glen and I. We saw the climb a few weeks ago while passing thru the area. Without a clue to what it was we went up and attempted it. While leading the 2nd pitch, when I was half way thru the longish WI 4/4+ crux section, I got clobbered by a train of spindrift avalanches, about one a minute. I tried to wait them out but after about 10 of them I was just about to freeze to death so I lowered off. I consulted with Alex Krawarik (co-author of the WA Ice book) and here's what he told me...

 

The climb is called "Flow Reversal" and its been climbed twice before, first about 5-6 years ago by Andreas Schmidt

and partner, and then more recently by Roger Strong and partner, both times in the very early season before the first pitches (what you term a long snow field) become completely buried in snow. In early season conditions is rated WI5 R or X.

 

... that sounds about right, because it was fairly challenging and the protection was generally poor. There was just enough ice (not alot though) but it was aerated, and hollow.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.




×
×
  • Create New...