tiaga Posted March 21, 2007 Posted March 21, 2007 Anyone been on Granite Mountian this past weeK. I've been hearing conflicting reports, from a spring walk to a terminal avalanche ready bale off the SW ridge. If you'v been there, what's the story. What snow conditions did you run into? Thanks!!! Quote
ilookeddown Posted March 21, 2007 Posted March 21, 2007 Well the SW ridge looked very bare yesterday, but it is snowing. If you plan to go, just stay in the trees until you can gain the ridge. Quote
tiaga Posted March 21, 2007 Author Posted March 21, 2007 Thanks for the input! I know, looks kinda bare, even today with the new dusting. Met a couple in the parking lot at Si last Sat. that said they just been up and it was great. The local mtn. shops and the USFS tell me that 1/2 the Mtn. might ready to come down. Any more first hand beta out there? Thanks for reading and for any comments. Quote
brian_m Posted March 21, 2007 Posted March 21, 2007 Was just up there 2 days ago. Avy danger was "relatively" low. Most of the upper layers had consolidated well during the recent rain and warm weather. I used snowshoes on the upper slopes which made the going pretty easy. Lower trail portions (in the trees) were fine without snowshoes and made for easy travel. Quote
jhamaker Posted March 22, 2007 Posted March 22, 2007 I was up there yesterday. Had I knows the snowlevel was going to stay low, I'd be up there today as well. I headed for the SW side (Avy forcast mentioned heavy deposition on N and E aspects). The avy folks were right on. No good skiing in the tight trees - bare, patchy or icy w/ windfall on ice/snow. Soft, but consistent snow (open areas) to about 4K ft. New snow moderately well bonded to old. Lighter, better skiing on snow above 4K ft, though the old (pre-Tue) snow was a solid (walkable) crust under the new. Lots of strange wind eddies. Many fallen cornices. Many cornices on both sided of ridges. SW side looked glazed and icy, great for walking, but not for skiing. Unless conditions are very stable I stay away from the habitual avy slope that runs down the E side of the S side of Granite. The avy debree can be viewed through the trees at the second switchback (a thousand?) ft below the snowline. I generaly just head through the open trees a hundred or so ft either side of the large stream that drains the SW side of Granite. Quote
tiaga Posted March 22, 2007 Author Posted March 22, 2007 Thanks jhamaker! Great info - that helps a lot! 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.