Lambone Posted January 8, 2003 Posted January 8, 2003 It seems this current high preasure system might be beneficial to freeze-thaw dependent alpine routes. Any ideas on routes that might be coming into shape this week? Or reports from the feild (you lucky bastards that aren't stuck inside)? Now that school is back in, it's back to the weekend warrior routine. Thinkin about a climb for this weekend... Quote
Lambone Posted January 8, 2003 Author Posted January 8, 2003 oh yeah...sorry about the "climbing" related post. i'm just not all hat interested in bullshiting about polotics, stupid TV shows, human anatomy...and all that other crap that this board seems to be about lately. Climb on folks! Quote
forrest_m Posted January 8, 2003 Posted January 8, 2003 matt, i'm thinking the missing element right now is the "freeze" part of your equation. (this is supposed to be a winking icon but it looks more like a drunk dude) for this weekend, i'm thinking about rock climbing, maybe even alpine rock climbing. Quote
Lambone Posted January 8, 2003 Author Posted January 8, 2003 hmmm...you don't think it is freezing up in the mountains at night? Seems like the clear skies would allow for that. It was about 40 in seattle last night. I figured it'd be at least 8 degrees cooler about 4000ft and above... Anyway, thanks for the opinion. Quote
DPS Posted January 8, 2003 Posted January 8, 2003 Lambone, I believe there is a temperature inversion so higher elevations would actually be warmer. Quote
forrest_m Posted January 8, 2003 Posted January 8, 2003 check the national weather service, we're in an inversion right now, so though it's chilly in seattle, freezing levels in the mountains the last few days have been 9000-11000 feet. Quote
mattp Posted January 8, 2003 Posted January 8, 2003 There has been a temperature inversion on the West side, so it may not be freezing - or not freezing very hard -- at night on the likes of Mount Index or Big Four or Colonial, but over on the East side it has been colder. Quote
Lambone Posted January 8, 2003 Author Posted January 8, 2003 (edited) I see, thanks. I shoulda been looking at the weather reports...instead of just out the window. Damn it's nice out... Edited January 8, 2003 by Lambone Quote
Skisports Posted January 8, 2003 Posted January 8, 2003 Forest I am with you but on the bottom the screen it shows the projected pass temps... This afternoon 33 degrees at the pass. Dave Quote
forrest_m Posted January 8, 2003 Posted January 8, 2003 ski - iirc, the last couple of days, the forecast has called for high freezing levels but with the comment "freezing level at the surface at the passes", which would explain your temp. number. i think that this is a very localized phenomenon caused by the big air masses spilling over from one side to the other. it's very visible, for example when you ski at alpental on a day like today. from the upper lift, you can often see the lowland fog flowing like water out of a fountain across the pass below you, very fast, even though you are skiing in a t-shirt less than 1000 feet above I-90. Quote
Lambone Posted January 8, 2003 Author Posted January 8, 2003 (edited) ah...so the inversion layer would be just above the passes? Edited January 8, 2003 by Lambone Quote
forrest_m Posted January 8, 2003 Posted January 8, 2003 ok, i'm getting way out my depth here, so if anyone knows better, they should correct me, but here's my guess about how it works: i think that the inversion is really only on the west side. on the east side of the mountains, you have a big mass of mostly homogeneous cold air, contained by the cascades. on the west, you have a big mass of warm air, coming in from the ocean and getting corralled by the mountains on this side. but at the passes, the wall separating these two masses of air is punctured at low elevation, and the cold air is slipping across, and being colder, drops below the warm air, causing the inversion. doesanyone who actually has studied this stuff care to comment? Quote
Cpt.Caveman Posted January 8, 2003 Posted January 8, 2003 I'm going to invert my beer glass You guys think too much. I am not going to think but go climb instead If I had relied on the weatherman I'd never get anything accomplished in the winter. Not that I accomplish much Quote
cracked Posted January 8, 2003 Posted January 8, 2003 Screw weather. I'm going to go scare myself silly. (Climbing, that is, on Sat.) Quote
Lambone Posted January 8, 2003 Author Posted January 8, 2003 Right on Camevan. Turn of the old computer and go climb then. You're theory seems rational forrest. It's kind of odd how the weather link suggests two different freezing levels for tonight. One around the passes, and one at 9000ft. Ray is getting to the point though...what is really happening out there? You'd have to go out and stomp around and find out. Is there a warm air layer between 4000ft and 9000ft that is above freezing? Would all the snow in between be mush, and on either end be icy? Seems odd, and I'm trying to remember if I've come across that before out there... I'd love to go scope it out for myself, but unfortunately...life does not permit. So I'll settle with bullshitting about it on line. Anyway, have fun out there regardless. Quote
Cpt.Caveman Posted January 8, 2003 Posted January 8, 2003 Yeah you see lamebone- when you were bouldering on fake shit I was climbing the real mountains like toof and pilchuck. So go back to the gym. Quote
Lambone Posted January 8, 2003 Author Posted January 8, 2003 Haven't climbed in a gym for over 3 months dood. I'm stuck on campus all week, but plan to get out on saturday. Sunday I'll be on the 50 yardline at the Raiders game....have fun on the toof hardman. Quote
allthumbs Posted January 8, 2003 Posted January 8, 2003 Lambone you lucky fuck. I'd give it up to Anna Nicholle for some Raiders tickets. Quote
Cpt.Caveman Posted January 8, 2003 Posted January 8, 2003 I never said gym. Raiders!? Shit it's all about Detroit 'wings. I see that losers last year shut up after they won the cup Quote
CascadeClimber Posted January 8, 2003 Posted January 8, 2003 Would all the snow in between be mush, and on either end be icy? Seems odd, and I'm trying to remember if I've come across that before out there... I don't know what it's like right now, but I've seen that very thing going into and out of Chair: Bullet hard amidst the ice-fog in the valley, mushy glop above the ice-fog, and nicely frozen again on the North Face. Quote
allthumbs Posted January 8, 2003 Posted January 8, 2003 you talkin hookey jackson? I'm talkin fooooballl Quote
Ben Posted January 9, 2003 Posted January 9, 2003 The telemetry info from Alpental confirms the inversion (assuming the sensors are working right). The link below shows that temps at 3200 feet are around freezing, but up in the 40s higher up. Check out: Alpental Telemetry Info Quote
Cpt.Caveman Posted January 9, 2003 Posted January 9, 2003 With an average max wind speed between 20-30 mph between 0700 and 1500 (prime climbing time) I bet it's plenty cold enough. 2 or even 50 miles away north or south on the crest it could be way different for instance as well. I believe I remember climbing one "alpine ice climb" this year in pretty damn warm weather... Quote
Dru Posted January 9, 2003 Posted January 9, 2003 I will climb alpine on Friday and report back here on Saturday before the next front moves in. Quote
j_b Posted January 9, 2003 Posted January 9, 2003 I bet it's plenty cold enough. no offense intended but 40F for mixed alpine winter climbing? Quote
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