Dave_Schuldt Posted January 17, 2006 Posted January 17, 2006 (edited) There was 8 of us, MattP, Double E, Weekend Climberz 2 guys frome Portland Nic and Ian, Jim and some other guy. What time did you guys get back to Portland? Had a great time and great snow. Had some concerns about stability because of the wind transport, a quick pit suggested stability so we went for it. Top was wind blown but still good, once in the open trees it was great. The great MattP and his sunshine stogy Edited January 17, 2006 by Dave_Schuldt Quote
iain Posted January 17, 2006 Posted January 17, 2006 What time did you guys get back to Portland? We got back around midnight because we hung out in Seattle with some friends for a bit. But this... ...is worth driving for. Thanks for letting us tag along and passing on the local knowledge. We'll be back for sure. Good to finally meet some more of the cc.com'rs. Thanks to mattp for being our car tour guide of stevens pass too. Quote
mattp Posted January 17, 2006 Posted January 17, 2006 This is largely a repeat of my post in the Partners thread, but here goes (in case anybody wants to know about the snow): There was little snowpack at the lower elevations on the West side, anyway -- maybe as much as 18" at the hairpin below the climb up to the pass on Highway 2 where the "back side" descent from Cowboy Mountain comes out. An the central Cascades, at lower elevations below 3,000 feet, it didn't look to me as if there is much of a snowpack. However, the snowpack higher up was pretty good, and above 4,000 feet it was very good, with a good solid base of at least 4 feet. In the open, about three to four feet of new storm snow overlies the base and, while under the trees it was a tree-bombed mess below maybe 4,500 feet, there was still probably five feet of snow on the ground and the snow cover was good enough that there was relatively little problem with climbing over logs and undergrowth. Higher, in the open, it was bottomless deeps, and though the transition to heavier snow was not far below the surface there were no crusts or other nastiness. Above 5,000 or so, there was plenty of wind-effect with evidence of loading from multiple directions on open exposed slopes, and there had been a fairly extensive slide/slough cycle before this last storm cycle. On open slopes at 5,200' a hasty pit revealed no great variation in the newer snow, though it was generally lighter toward the top. A slab layer perhaps 8" below the surface that was detectable on some of our kick-turns did not cause the alarm bell to go off. The old rain crust from a week ago was about 4 feet down. Ski testing revealed an overall stable snowpack though the wind-loading up high was worriesome. The snow was pretty damn good -- resembling powder skiing though a little heavy. ---------- It was fun skiing with you guys! If you think THAT was good, come back when it is REALLY GOOD. I've skiied Lichtenberg in better conditions more than once and some of the other Highway 2 tours - Jim Hill, Nason Ridge, etc. etc. have some great terrain. Quote
DirtyHarry Posted January 17, 2006 Posted January 17, 2006 I skiied Skyline Ridge proper on Monday. The apparently much lighter and drier new snow that began falling Monday morning and continuing all day was not bonding to the previous snow pack at all and was breaking off on the steeper slopes leaving big ass (50 feet +) crowns. Normally sluffers aren't too scary, but at the rate it was puking it was kind of freaky. SIck and DEEP though. Yipe. Quote
Weekend_Climberz Posted January 17, 2006 Posted January 17, 2006 This is what it's all about... Deepness and Steepness. With a lot of good company with the peepness. Let's do it again sometime. Quote
Dave_Schuldt Posted January 17, 2006 Author Posted January 17, 2006 Nic's pics. http://www.flickr.com/photos/nickpope/sets/72057594049630518/show/ Quote
Double_E Posted January 18, 2006 Posted January 18, 2006 Yeah, fun times indeed!!! Here's some of my pics. Nic, ripping it up the uber-gaper, showing us how it's done. avy debris from a few days prior More pics here (lemme know if I got any names wrong.) Quote
JoshK Posted January 18, 2006 Posted January 18, 2006 AWESOME!! Looks like a great time. It's pretty neat you got a large group like that assembled. Must have been fun! Quote
mattp Posted January 18, 2006 Posted January 18, 2006 With deep snow making trailbreaking hard work, and with potential concern for avalanches, there is strength in numbers. Quote
Weekend_Climberz Posted January 18, 2006 Posted January 18, 2006 AWESOME!! Looks like a great time. It's pretty neat you got a large group like that assembled. Must have been fun! I hate to have to admit that I did not even help with the trailbreaking. Sorry dudes!! That means I've got double duty next time. Quote
Double_E Posted January 19, 2006 Posted January 19, 2006 Yeah I only helped briefly with the trailbreaking, and even that was only cuz at that one place where we regrouped I was getting cold and so I wanted to start moving soon. I woulda helped with it more if y'all had waited up for me more and actually allowed me to. As I observed to someone that day, who breaks trail and who doesn't is sort of decided by "natural selection" so to speak ... only the fastest members of the group have to break trail, cuz they're the only ones fast enuf to be in the front. :beergut: Quote
Weekend_Climberz Posted January 20, 2006 Posted January 20, 2006 Here's my attempt at a TR for our trip last weekend. I hope it's cool that I used some pictures from those who had cameras, as mine is dead at the moment. WeekendClimber's Lichtenberg TR Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.