Wasatch Conditions 09-10

Yea that slide in Days looked scary. Here's my pic of it
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/h..._228/017-1.jpg

While on the subject of wind....

We tried for Cascade Peak on Friday.
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh71/mdh_228/001.jpg

But got shut down by high winds (much higher than forecasted)
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/h..._228/005-3.jpg

So we bailed and dealt with annoying little wind slabs on the way down.
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/h..._228/006-2.jpg
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/h..._228/008-1.jpg
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh71/mdh_228/009.jpg

Next time, Cascade. Next time.
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh71/mdh_228/014.jpg

After fuckin up Fri and making a bad terrain choice that led to Icegrom going for a little ride
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y19...m/DSC00224.jpg
I dragged his sea level teen butt;) out for a East bowl Flanigans/Sillyfork first real tour.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y19...m/DSC00231.jpg
Ran into whapworth and his crew.
Eastbowl creamy goodness N facing Flanis cold smoke pow.
looked like a cornice drop or ski cut fractured and cleaned out bronco in wolvie.
Lots of peeps getting out yesterday and gitin after it
will try and edit upsome viddy tonight

SFB, fun seeing you up that and thanks for the hookup...sorry we didn't have much in us at that point for another lap up flanis, we charged all day. fantastic day at the Tude. trying to rally my sea level buddy's ass right now for one more day out. a few choice shots from the past few days of unbelievable skiing with 1thenaton1, myskishaveboobs, carolyn (non-mag), skifishbum, and sharing the fun with everyone else getting after it.

finally the snow hath cometh.

as for obs. dust layer racing stripe has supported the new snow surprisingly well where we've been skiing, dug some pits and had columns fail on that layer only after some serious hand damage wacking. several inversions noticed in the new snow from periods of higher and lower density snowfall through the storm producing some fast sluffs and manageable releases in places. certainly slabby snow in place, but general just at the let-ins to runs and on the ridgelines...after that it has been pure bliss, hope you're all enjoying

see what we find today

On the topic of windslabs, noticed that Baldy Shoulder and Devils Castle had significant-enough wind slabs slide on NNE-facing. Also saw a little 6" windslab break-loose from the rocks above and go about 80' wide 100' long during my first run in Eagle's nest. Just spreading the love -- keep your avy sense about you on similarly-facing steep terrain.

Alta was ICY on April Fools Day. It sucked............:rolleyes2

thursday: best in bounds day of the year, no foolin' (so far)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by skifishbum

I dragged his sea level teen butt;) out for a East bowl Flanigans/Sillyfork first real tour.

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haha saw you in the village. i knew that had to be a maggot. I thought you were b right on skiing these days......

Anyone else seeing this rather optimistic forecast for today/tomorrow from NOAA? I want to believe it - and want to think that perhaps even Snowbasin could get in on the action, but everywhere else I look it is just predicting a few inches...


http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/warnings.php...torm%20Warning
SNOW ACCUMULATIONS: STORM TOTAL ACCUMULATIONS OF 18 TO 30 INCHES
ARE EXPECTED THROUGH TUESDAY...WITH LOCAL AMOUNTS APPROACHING 3
FEET ALONG THE WASATCH RANGE.

After seeing a recent photo of HOD, I went up there on Sunday and did some rap station repair and restoration. Behold, the new HOD:
http://straightchuter.com/wp-content...66-500x375.jpg

Like the Pfieff, these are Metolius Rap Hangers and can/should have the rope threaded directly through them - no extra slings, biners or quick-links are needed.

Here's more info on the subject.

I pulled the old, original knife blade piton out and it is up for auction with the proceeds going towards a worth cause. ;)

^^^Thanks for taking the time and doing it right, much appreciated!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by StraightChuter

After seeing a recent photo of HOD, I went up there on Sunday and did some rap station repair and restoration. Behold, the new HOD:

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You have inspired me. I have never actually used a bolt, let alone placed one - but with this new knowledge in hand I am going to place "pro" everywhere I go. Keeping it safe if you will.

Of course I don't have that cool drill, just an electric one. But my gas powered generator isn't too heavy so I should be able to pack it around.

If you hear the sound of drilling amidst the whine of a generator in the wasatch wilderness, come holer I will have plenty of tequilla to share!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by StraightChuter

I pulled the old, original knife blade piton out and it is up for auction with the proceeds going towards a worth cause. ;)

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i commend you on your enthusiasm but i have to admit that the old loose piton had a feel of history to it that will be missed.

--thanks for leaving behind a solid anchor.

Thanks for putting in a new anchor. I love this route and feel like my fat but had put a fair amount of strain on that anchor in the last few years. We did the Heart of darkness a few weeks back and yea it made me uneasy, but only a little!

[ame="http://vimeo.com/10600048"]Still Shots Episode #3 The Heart of Darkness on Vimeo[/ame]

26 inches in the last 24 hours @ Canyons??????????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by StraightChuter

I pulled the old, original knife blade piton out and it is up for auction with the proceeds going towards a worth cause. ;)

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The old KB just screamed "Alex Lowe was here" and this is another shitty ass anchor he left behind.;) I type that with the utmost respect and sadness. He was the master of the sketchy one pin pounded into piss, rap station.

Am I right?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Trackhead

The old KB just screamed "Alex Lowe was here" and this is another shitty ass anchor he left behind.;) I type that with the utmost respect and sadness. He was the master of the sketchy one pin pounded into piss, rap station.

Am I right?

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I concur. R.E.S.P.E.C.T.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SKIORFORGETIT

26 inches in the last 24 hours @ Canyons??????????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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...but it's still the Canyons.

Did some highmarking in Mineral Fork in about 40 inches of fresh snow this morning. Got avalanched a couple of times, but my new sled is fast and I was able to outrun them.

^
cool dood:rolleyes:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Trackhead

The old KB just screamed "Alex Lowe was here" and this is another shitty ass anchor he left behind.;) I type that with the utmost respect and sadness. He was the master of the sketchy one pin pounded into piss, rap station.

Am I right?

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From the time I spent climbing and skiing with him, I thought the stuff he did in-between belay anchors (if he even bothered with them) was outrageous, but when it came to building anchors, they were solid, equalized and bombproof.

As far as I know, Alex and a guy named Blaze were the first people I heard of to have skied HOD and when they did it, they set an anchor on the skier's right-hand side. The real original anchors might still be there if you are looking for historical artifacts. The sketchemo piton was left by a subsequent party and I'm not sure who put in the little buttonhead rivet.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by StraightChuter

From the time I spent climbing and skiing with him, I thought the stuff he did in-between belay anchors (if he even bothered with them) was outrageous, but when it came to building anchors, they were solid, equalized and bombproof.

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I'm certainly not ripping on him, but I remember some of his anchors on ice routes in Hyalite.........laughable at best, and the only option in that conglomerate mank that is Hyalite.

Just a memory that comes to mind when I think of Alex in Hyalite.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Johnny Deep

...but it's still the Canyons.

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look I don't claim to know everything about skiing and I sure as hell don't have a clue about "out of bounds" skiing nor have I ever tried it

but

I am from the East Coast and I skied Canyons this past Feb...got to ski some trees and had a fucking blast there. Found the people overall to be cool.

I am sure it does not hold a candle to Solitude and Alta, but I will be out there before I die.

/end rant

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SKIORFORGETIT

look I don't claim to know everything about skiing and I sure as hell don't have a clue about "out of bounds" skiing nor have I ever tried it

but

I am from the East Coast and I skied Canyons this past Feb...got to ski some trees and had a fucking blast there. Found the people overall to be cool.

I am sure it does not hold a candle to Solitude and Alta, but I will be out there before I die.

/end rant

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The cool people are tourists. If you come over to the otherside you'll discover why no one wants to move to Utah.


:cool:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SKIORFORGETIT

26 inches in the last 24 hours @ Canyons??????????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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At least 26" - balls deep - it sucked to wait (1.5hrs in line) for the Gondola to open, but worth it. Tomorrow will be just as good, as 9990 and Condor are closed for the day (last time I checked, maybe 45 minutes ago)...

Unreal - video ready shortly.

canyons was the best i've ever had it today. nonstop faceshots every run. everytime a lift started to get 'tracked' and im using that definition extremely loosely, a the next lift would open. The spatulas reveled in their element today...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mtnreed

At least 26" - balls deep - it sucked to wait (1.5hrs in line) for the Gondola to open, but worth it. Tomorrow will be just as good, as 9990 and Condor are closed for the day (last time I checked, maybe 45 minutes ago)...

Unreal - video ready shortly.

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9990 stayed closed, but condor opened at about 240ish. we got 4 laps in before closing. However, condor trees and everything towards that side, stayed closed because of slide danger from murdock. will still be sweet tomorrow.

BEST DAY EVER!!!!!