Snow is such an interesting and dynamic substance. It's got a certain character to it when it falls, and it continues to change once it's settled. It can remain as crumbled styrofoam or set up like oatmeal and eventually like concrete. The weather and temperature over the past week can influence its stability, and everything from aspect (compass heading of the slope) to slope angle can change the stability. Like crashing an airplane, the best possible thing is avoidance of risk. Unfortunately, good powder skiing and risky avalanche conditions often overlap. It's a necessary condition.

Kevin is probably the most knowledgeable of any of us in snow science, but I have studied a little over the years in avalanche training. There are few things I'd rather do than be out there in a fresh dump on a bluebird day. I can't wait to get more into ski flying if my situation ever allows it.

Tree wells, as mentioned, are a pretty sketchy phenomenon made serious mainly by the fact that 1) fresh powder cascades down into the hole on top of you, 2) your feet are restrained by the skis attached to them, making it very difficult to right yourself if you've gone in head-first and 3) thrashing and panic makes it worse. It kills resorts skiers and snowboarders every year who show up completely ignorant to the risk.

Haven't skied in 2 years other than skinning the 600 ft butte in my neighborhood last winter and GS-style street skiing. Been dropping the knee for the last 6 years, thinking about ditching that bullshit.



Free high five to anyone who can name this location.


Happy place.

Cool Zzz, thank you for the guidance. The mountains are dynamic and the intellect to survive is most fascinating.

I just got back from surfing the East Side of Oahu. My board caddy (wife) snapped a photograph this afternoon... Yes, that is My 9'6" Diffinderfer surfboard I brag about!

8GCBC wrote:

CamTom12 wrote:My little brother just told me that 49 North in Chewela still hasn't opened. I guess they had 5" started until it rained and washed it all away.

That is right near Colville, Washignton. My fishing boat was built in Colville by Hewes Craft...

I learned to ski @ 49, did many seasons there as a youngster.

This would be pretty early in the year for it to be open already, even back in the good ol' days.

Generally the first snows of the year would be right before thanksgiving. It was always a race to get a few good skates on the pond with clear ice before the snow ruined our fun there.

Calispell Peak 1976, 5 miles NE of 49 degrees north.

tcj wrote:Little Calispell Peak 1976, 5 miles NE of 49 degrees north.

That is a good size serac! Or is there a cabin under there?

8GCBC wrote: All you guys do not seem to be affected by my "Pineapple Express" theories.
.....

Kind of hard to take it too seriously, when I've been waking up to 20 degree mornings in the Puget Sound area. I'm not a skier, so my only concern about snowpack is how it's gonna affect water use next summer. But I'm on my own well, which has never gone dry in over 20 years, so I'm not really even worried about that.
I remember not all that many years ago when the big concern was another ice age, so I have my doubts about the whole global warming thing. Temps fluctuate up and down-- that's to be expected IMHO, since mother nature is dynamic, not static. They do say the ice packs are getting smaller, I guess if that's the case I'd have to concede that global warming exists. But even if it's man-caused, isn't an evolving environment still nature at work? We are part of the natural world, whether anyone wants to admit it or not.

T

hat is a good size serac! Or is there a cabin under there?

Its a little log cabin. Forest service radio shack.

Here's some trees

hotrod180 wrote:

8GCBC wrote: All you guys do not seem to be affected by my "Pineapple Express" theories.
.....

Kind of hard to take it too seriously, when I've been waking up to 20 degree mornings in the Puget Sound area. I'm not a skier, so my only concern about snowpack is how it's gonna affect water use next summer. But I'm on my own well, which has never gone dry in over 20 years, so I'm not really even worried about that.
I remember not all that many years ago when the big concern was another ice age, so I have my doubts about the whole global warming thing. Temps fluctuate up and down-- that's to be expected IMHO, since mother nature is dynamic, not static. They do say the ice packs are getting smaller, I guess if that's the case I'd have to concede that global warming exists. But even if it's man-caused, isn't an evolving environment still nature at work? We are part of the natural world, whether anyone wants to admit it or not.

Agreed, who really knows, there is so much scientific dogma? But, I do believe the Industrial Age may of affected the warmth in certain areas. It is all nature, I say, let's make the best of it. Next year it just may be Global Cooling.

Thank you for the info!

tcj wrote:T

hat is a good size serac! Or is there a cabin under there?

Its a little log cabin. Forest service radio shack.

Here's some trees

Spooky! But, very pretty. Buuuuurrrrrrrr!

8GCBC wrote:

tcj wrote:T

hat is a good size serac! Or is there a cabin under there?

Its a little log cabin. Forest service radio shack.

Here's some trees

Spooky! But, very pretty. Buuuuurrrrrrrr!

The one one the right looks like a woman's torso with nice plump breasts.

Zzz wrote:Haven't skied in 2 years other than skinning the 600 ft butte in my neighborhood last winter and GS-style street skiing. Been dropping the knee for the last 6 years, thinking about ditching that bullshit.

I haven't been out in a few years myself. Going to make the effort this year.

That video was pretty funny!

I'm an occasional downhill guy myself. Did some CC in AK and enjoyed that pretty good, too

AT skiing seems like an incredible advancement. Very cool. Maybe one day....

Zzz wrote:Free high five to anyone who can name this location.


Happy place.

It sure looks a lot like Strawberry Basin up at Snowbasin, UT. You can almost see my house (and the Morgan County airport) on the left edge about 1/3 the way up. Also that peak in the distance right of center is Thurston Peak, where I do most of my snowmobiling. Awesome place.

flyingpile wrote:
It sure looks a lot like Strawberry Basin up at Snowbasin, UT.

Free high five to you! Good eye.

Zzz wrote:

flyingpile wrote:
It sure looks a lot like Strawberry Basin up at Snowbasin, UT.

Free high five to you! Good eye.

Let me throw in a high five too, to you dudes. Small world we have here. (I though it was the Cascades )

Pretty very pretty!

Yessssssssss. Two free high fives in the same day!

8GCBC wrote: (I though it was the Cascades )

The first and third photos are on Mt Hood.

Zzz wrote:

8GCBC wrote: (I though it was the Cascades )

The first and third photos are on Mt Hood.

Ahhh! Looking good! Will be near there soon...

8GCBC wrote:

Zzz wrote:The Pineapple Express has thwarted snow skiers since long before I was born.

I learned the term "Pineapple Express" from a Canadian. A guy named Brent Swain, Comox BC, he designed and built the sailboat CaptMike and i met on this last Thusrday. I started using the term lately.

Hey Ted! I had a great time catching up with you in Hawaii on Thanksgiving day! Salt Lake City-Honolulu-Tokyo-Guam-Osaka-Guam-Osaka-Guam-Tokyo is in the logbook, Tokyo-Guam-Tokyo-Shanghai-Tokyo-Portland-Salt Lake City to go! (Whew!!)

We now return you to your regularly scheduled forum-ing...