suggestions?
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suggestions?
Lightning Bolt
Lynxo,
Skinning up Grizzly via the cat track is a nice way to get the legs in shape. You can descend somewhat mellow due East shots from Twin Lakes pass, or continue all the way up to the top of the cat track and ski south/southwest terrain in Grizzly itself. At Twin Lakes pass, you can also turn south and head toward patsey marley, and make some very mellow descents through the trees below the face itself.
Skinning up Cardiff to Pole Line pass would also be a good beginner tour, and it would also give you some practice on switchbacks. The descent back to the road isn't anything to write home about, but can be fun as long as you time it right (avoid the suncrust). Theres some fairly exposed areas above the usual track that you'd want to be wary of on days with a touchy snowpack.
Most importantly, just make sure you are always thinking about hazards, and practicing safe travel. Oh, and also - have fun :cool:
How avy savy are you?
Like Stump said, Grizz is a good option.
or you could always go on a Trackhead Traverse
he never goes up or down anything over 10 degrees :p
my avie resume includes some book learnin', an rei lecture, two clinics with Jim Conway (and a 105% on the last test, hollaH), and this weekend I am doing an Avie 1 course (thurs - sun). So i'm thinking both mellower routes to get the legs in better uphill shape as well as less risk (i.e. less exposure, less steep) while i gain more experience in reading snowpack, digging pits, etc. But also something i could maybe shoot some pow shots on the way back down. ;)
pretty sure that rules out lightning bolt.
Oh, come on now :smile:Quote:
Originally Posted by Lynx
ok....so.....s u p e r d u m b question. . . . . (cause the farthest i've been up the cat road is to pyramid gap) is the cat road generally safe to skin up? i.e. are the slope angles that come into the road generally low the whole way up? or would one want to go up the ridge next to it?
i know....stupid jong..... .
Anything in "The Chuting Gallery."
there are 2 cat roads... the one that begins as the summer road to catherine's encounters N aspect slide paths. when you get to the first flat clearing, veer left just outside of that paths alpha angle and head up thru the flats all the way to the pass. since the cat grooms the road, you aren't likely to be able to affect a faceted layer that would bring the slope down on you from the track but during times of natural activity or w/o grooming, you'd want to stay clear of the "usual" path.
word, thanks for the infos guys. (Except maybe crash) :nonono2: :p
any thoughts on BCC? like usa bowl, or is that just lame?
You're unlikely to find trouble in BCC across from the Spruces parking lot - Powder Park 1, 2, 3 ... n; Tom's Hill; Desolation (avoid the obvious steeps on slabs); the aspen shots to the right, shortly past the cabins; ...
Those are more interesting and more scenic hikes than the Grizzly cat track to Honeycomb overlook; better snow than the crust, tracked & hacked stuff up Grizzly (though the gulch itself is usually good - if you like terrain traps); most of them are longer, so better exercise; and book sense will keep you out of trouble, since the slopes are short, making it easy to stay off of and out from under potential slides; and mostly they're not steep. Lots of good meadow skipping if the snow's fast. Off the main trails will be nice & quiet. Keep checking your map & compass - those hills all look alike at first. Especially in a cloud.
The avy course (that's the FUAFC?) this weekend will probably get you into steeper, more interesting & avalanche prone terrain - tell them you can climb 2000' / hour when they ask. :D
Not lame at all. Sure you won't get Xover over there to mach one turn down the entire bowl and it's not long enough for Trackhead to run up and ski twice but on a stormy day there are some lower aspects of that bowl and in the vicinity that I ski on 2-3 times a year basis. Great exercise, rarely a soul up there (then again, there are rarely anyone out at 6am skinning around in BCC) and the aspens are beautifully spaced in a lot of that terrain.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lynx
Feb 9, 2005 tour in USA Bowl
Lynx, go grab the book "touring the Wasatch Volume I" - hell get all three. But volume I specifically addresses the needs of the first time bc skier and their desire to get out without encountering avy danger.
Plu it is a great way to learn a little more about the wasatch range
what's this guy ^ know?? he lives in Jackson for Christ's sake!!
take me with you
good idea....Quote:
Originally Posted by kristen
let's get all the utarded maggettes together and go:)
NO BOYS ALLOWED!
Great information on a tour that happened in 2008? How'd you manage that one?Quote:
Originally Posted by powstash
Did Xover's skiing so fast create a time/space loophole allowing you time travel?
Good advice though. Upper BCC is friendly for the most part.
Volume two will be the one you need I think especially if you already have some books on the subject. It describes the tours in the northern wasatch in detail. Pm me if you are looking for a partner anytime. I had the av 1 course in December so Im still a newbie in the bc and am willing to let you kick my out of shape ass up a skin track without complaints:) .
wow, lots of good info in here. it sounds like there's a pretty big group of people with avalanche & backcountry education, looking for a chance to get out into areas that aren't *usually* too dangerous, to get some experience. maybe we should just pick a meeting time and place once or twice a week and see who shows, and head out?
can I be an exception since I can barely, on a good day, keep up with (or at least keep in sight) the maggettes?Quote:
Originally Posted by skiguide
Well said Frozenwater.Quote:
Originally Posted by frozenwater
http://www.cs.utah.edu/~hanscom/volume1-200x308.gif
http://www.cs.utah.edu/~hanscom/volume2-200x307.gif
http://www.cs.utah.edu/~hanscom/volume3-200x304.gif
Also see this link: http://www.cs.utah.edu/~hanscom/WasatchTours.html
Good luck.
Yes, yes, and yesQuote:
Originally Posted by Red Baron
ok Lumpy: lets start our tour at your office, then head to Trio, the Oyster Bar, Hog Wallow, (skipping over the "Canyon Inn" due to natural hazards) and wrap it up at the Porcupine. Who's in? :biggrin:
Quote:
Originally Posted by skiguide
Ah come on…I love touruing with women. :)
Can I come if I tape my package to my leg?
Key words "for the most part". I think more deaths happen in BCC than LCC just because the danger is less in your face. That being said, some good advice has been given so no reason to out my secret stashes.Quote:
Originally Posted by Trackhead
USA bowl is about turns not exposure or coolness. Skiers left slides just about every year, but otherwise it's the safe bet on high danger days. Often over looked is the importance of skilled partners. Your partners can make it safer or more dangerous for you. I used to put a lot of people at higher risk. "looks bomber, you first!!" :)
I have all my touring gear so I'm game for whatever, you know that lynx...let's get out there sometime soon to get some touring in.
DTM says Twin Lakes is a good intro tour
even better if you start it from the top of the Milli. chair... :biggrin:Quote:
Originally Posted by altachic
Gravity is our friend indeed.Quote:
Originally Posted by Red Baron
Like the Red Baron Tour mentioned on page 1.
In addition to Mill D and USA bowl, Willow fork and Beartrap offer predominantly easy to access low risk terrain. Also, don't forget Pink Pine in LCC.
I found the tours described in Touring Guide vol. 1 a bit tame for anyone who would describe themselves as an intermediate or better skier. It does have some good avy info, however between the course, free lectures and other reading it won't add significantly to your knowledge. Vol. II has more interesting tours and covers the the areas your'e likely to ski (including all those mentioned in this thread).
it may not add too much to your avy savy but the pic of cardiff ridge w/ a 7'(?) crown in it is worth the price of the book alone. that's a good example why the best approach isn't alway the quickest.Quote:
Originally Posted by tele mark
Sounds like a good idea. let me know when and where.Quote:
Originally Posted by Red Baron
I am so down!Quote:
Originally Posted by skiguide
Lynx, Kirsten, AC... lets do it! I have recently started touring and stuff and have been looking for people to go out with! I would love to get a maggette crew together. I have all the gear, and an open schedule.
sweet, lets all meet up on monday and tap mt raymond's ass. :D heh, it doesn't need to be said, but -just kidding-
actually, out of curiosity, how often does that get skiied?
RB might be on to something. Whoever is free can meet up, and go on some snow science get-yo-self-mo-learned tours (and i mean that in a good way!). I don't even try to pretend i am any kind of speed demon while skinning. And i'd love to get some maggette only tours going as well. I will warn you all though, I'm gonna be a big nerrrrrrrd on the way up, and i encourage you all to join me in my snow nerd-dom.
maybe i'll make t-shirts too, "snow nerds are cool" ;) dang, i should have gone into marketing.
Lynx, I'd be up for monday - or really any weekday - i make my own schedule. Just no freakin Dawn Patrols!Quote:
Originally Posted by Lynx
just took my avy I class last month so some more field edumacation wouldn't hurt me either.
Depends a lot on the line. The upper east facing bowl is mostly flat slab rock so it slides easily. The northern slopes look to be the less avi prone from my understanding. There are definately some fun lines, but access to so many other closer lines really cut's down the traffic up there. I usually ski "Circle All" a bunch (which is on the S. shoulder of Raymond). It's at least an hour less hiking for me.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lynx
Lynx, Put this plan into motion young lady. My schedule is pretty flexible also.
Edit to tell you my schedule is not near as flexible as mr and mrs AG
back where you belong
aww- dawn patrols are great!Quote:
Originally Posted by skiguide
my mornings are usually free. though sometimes i need to take pics or sleep in, heheh. but generally open.Quote:
Originally Posted by patcher
and we just did day one of the field work in our avy 1 course. I can't stress enough how important it is to have prior avalanche knowledge before the course. It seems the best way to get the most out of this course is to be able to ask the questions that better clarify the things you weren't clear on from your self learning or previous clinics. I have also noticed, and feel like there are things I already know that have not been covered very thoroughly, and I think i would be lost in alot of places if i had come into this course knowing nothing. and having done that clinic with Jim Conway was so good. I think it's great to have insight from as many different avy professionals as possible cause most of them all have a slightly different take on a given situation and you can take their collective knowledge and opinions and approchaes to help you formulate your own.