TR: Jailbird, Bluebird, Freebirds...
Well this adventure started just like any, usually browsing the weather and avi conditions at work. With Baker being the best ticket in state, I knew it would be a zoo. Just like the Muir Circus, only at Baker.
Stugie with our tracks in the foreground...
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Stugie again...
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Stugie and I left the southern hemisphere by 7:00pm and soon found ourselves in Seattle traffic. Once in the express lanes, it was smooth sailing to Bellingham. By 10pm we arrived at Grahams. Being good patrons, we thought it only appropriate to close down the bar.
Bar Closed...Aaron and Stugie strike a pose.
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However, just as the bar closed we witnessed another car slamming into the back of a car. Turns out to be the bartenders. Uh Oh. Instead of pulling over, the driver decided it would be best to leave the scene. After a number of us chased down the car and beat on the hood as the car started to pull away, the car pulled over. When the bartender approached the slowly opening door, her fists were clenched so tight that the driver of the “getaway” car was going to need auto and health insurance. Gieco comes to mind but E-Surance has the quote, buy, print within minutes. However, her hands dropped limply to her sides when her best friend emerged from the frosted car, reeking of booze and smoking a cig.
Boggling, the mind of a drunk. After the girls chatted the driver was actually gonna drive home, a few miles away. She didn't even notice her fender scrapping against her tire. She might have made it a 100ft before blowing the tire. Well Stugie had an oversized hammer he was planning to use to install his tail clips for his skins. After some banging, the boozy chick was on her way. Glad we were going the other way.
Carnage...
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By 3am we were in the upper lot and crashed out in the front seats. The sounds of cats woke us up a few hours later, and while we got our gear together, 2 other cars showed up. We hit the trail and after crossing past the designated BC sign that Baker has posted, we tried to maneuver through a skin track that had been slaughtered by boot packers. Thankfully, the carnage to the trail only lasted until the BC sign was no longer visible. We skinned out towards Coleman Pinnacle, and as we skinned around backside of Table Mountain, we noticed a decent crust on the surface of the snow that was just beginning to get the sun. There was evidence of slide activity, but most of the chunder was buried and easily navigable.
We dropped our first line by 8:15am. Was nice not having to break any trail. Thanks Aaron! Only thing missing from the skin track highways were directional signs. On our ascent we bumped into Cody, a solo splitter and Baker local. We all decided to take some runs together. The gully line was sick but holes with water pouring over and minimal coverage convinced us not to travel any further down. Instead be lapped some mellow stuff, over and over and over and again.
Pano from our drop in.
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After 4 laps, around noon thirty, Cody decided he needed to get back to work. Stugie and I still had some unfinished business to tend to. That's when the place really turned into a zoo. Musta been 30 people plus, buzzing around the area. All of them with big smiles on their faces too!
Tasting some of that fine shuga...photo by Stugie
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Damn! A skintrack! Where do I go? (photo by Stugie)
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Laying some strokes on the white canvas...photo by Stugie
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Eventually the clouds started appearing high above and our day was coming to a close. On the skin out we met up with photog Grant Gunderson and his photo slut for the day, Dean Collins. While skinning out the backside of Table, there was 2 new slides from the cliffs above. The frozen chunks were solid and some pieces about 5-6ft in diameter. Otherwise no avi concerns on any other slope aspects except on south facing near rocks. Just 6 to 12 inches of some of the sugary'est snow I've ridden.
On the way down, Preston and Alex pulled in front of us at the lower lot. We met at Grahams, ate and chatted about our days experience and were off.
Stugie has a viddy from our most recent outings...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CC-kIvTymw
