Chinook opens:
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A half inch of freshly fallen snow on top of a crust. At the top of Naches, the snow looked really nice on the southern exposures but when we dropped a bit to the right of those, we encountered really crappy very wet and sloggy snow.
drC
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I trundled up to Chinook May 31st to meet Z-bo and Pollard. It was supposed to be clearing, but coming into Mt. Rainier National Park, it started to mist. By the time I parked just on the E. side of the pass, it was mixed rain and snow.
Z-bo materialized and we skinned and booted it up Naches Peak (top photo). The snow was among the worst elmer's glue: about 2 inches of super water saturated goo that was grabby and gunky. We dropped into the basin on the N. side and then skinned back up to the road and crossed to hang in Z's car, hoping that the drist would abate. Pollard came down and we all then slogged up Yakima Peak to the top. After some water and food, the nano-fester slopped back down to the cars.
But hey, it was skiing in fresh snow. It should hold up for another couple of week, barring really high temperatures. It wold be nice if the weather got into some clear nights to allow the snow to set up some, but I'll yake it as it lies.
Ay caramba.
Wish I was there (with a fully functional knee). (Two, actually, but I've already got one.)
damn nice!
not to rub it in Dex, and I didn't remember the digicam today, so it's not like I'd be able to do a good job of it anyway... anyway
more than 1/2 the S. face of Yakima saddle is gone. melted. river fodder. quite the change from just 3 weeks ago.
the N side still is holding about a 4-5 ft pack yet though. I didn't check to the very top of the peak, but I bet it'll still be doable for another 2 weeks or so.
I'll let the collective chime in as to conditions on Yakima above 6000, but at 10 am today, from there (just a guess) down to the road is still plenty fun. I didn't see any glide cracks or unexpectedly thin spots except for , you know, where you would expect them.
oh, and 2 more nickels changed http://tetongravity.com/ubb/icons/icon14.gif http://tetongravity.com/ubb/icons/icon14.gif