Mt Hood Meadows - inbounds hiking, patrollers, and you

[bio-smear]

On friday, ptavv, ski_pdx, and myself headed up to Mt Hood to scratch our way around the 1" of fresh and grind on the underlying chalk and dust on runnel playground that is Mt Hood Meadows currently. We recently experienced a wet warm front that douched the unstable snowpack, which has since refrozen into a nice stable base. 3-4" inches have fallen since then.

After 2.5 hours of high speed groomer carving and sampling the number bowls for soft spots, we noticed some relatively unmolested 3-4" of fresh snow on the east faces of the ridge between the Cascade liftline and Ridge Run (low angle groomer). This short 100 ft face begins at the edge of the groomer, and if bootpacked will gain you about 150 vertical feet max if followed to the top. It was untracked, and a very obvious target of adventurous extreme skiers, of which we were apparently the only ones on the mountain friday.

We hiked it, skied it, collected at the bottom, at which point a patroller approached us on a snowmobile and asked to see our passes inbetween fuming grunts, claiming we were out of bounds and in danger of being too close to control work. He only had to ride 300 feet laterally and downhill from the new patrol shack at the top of Mt Hood Express to reach us, and crossed a groomer full of beginning snowboarders to do it. If they're bombing that close to an open groomer, then I concede the point.

I don't recall his word verbatim, but the jist of the exchange was that he claimed we were skiing out of bounds on basis of an implied closure (my term, since he could not articulate the complex reasoning regarding why unmarked terrain next to a groomer is closed), based on the fact that the lift that serves that terrain is not open. He also claimed that we ignored "no hiking" signs posted on the Mt Hood Express lift. There were no ropes, no closed sign, I assume because it's terrain that is normally open and a heavily trafficked when Cascade is running. This is my account, based on what I could get out of him by asking 20 questions while he studiously wrote our names down in his notebook, confirming the police-like mentality and self-image that many patrollers have. Punish first, inform if there's time before your buddies call on the radio about lunch. I do enjoy talking to a cool patroller, but they tend to be older guys.

After dancing with his ego for a few minutes to "clarify" our violation he bid us bon boyage and we skied to the lodge under a cloud of buzzkill.

Yesterday, after looking unsuccessfully everywhere for a "no hiking" sign, I cornered a patroller to ask him about the policy, and run by him what the other patroller had told me.

"Yeah...it's more actually the spirit of the law rather than the letter of the law, and you know, i miss signs all the time driving around town....patrollers are just ansy this early in the season." Airtight.

He could not answer me regarding the "No Hiking" sign so I assume it was written on a dry erase board somewhere for contextual application when Cascade is not open.

I really can't argue with the implied closure policy, we were wrong to ever consider bootpacking 150 ft straight up off of an unsigned, unroped groomer to proudly ski 5 turns of fresh in plain view of the patrol shack. Now we know.

Insert Fensler Film GI Joe character Alpine saying some weird shit.

Bitch.Moan. I'm a computaaahh.

Funny lame photos:

I need to start wearing clothes that enhance my figure rather than ones that make me look like a doughboy.


Carve Party Criminals.


The Big Poach:


Red pants are all the rage in rural Oregon.


I kinda wish I was still here, paddling with my lady.

[Adolf Allerbush]

I really can't argue with the implied closure policy, we were wrong to ever consider bootpacking 150 ft straight up off of an unsigned, unroped groomer to proudly ski 5 turns of fresh in plain view of the patrol shack. Now we know.

Insert Fensler Film GI Joe character Alpine saying some weird shit.

Bitch.Moan. I'm a computaaahh.

Hilarious. Obviously the guy is a boner. You get the name of the patroller in question in case I run into him in the future.

[clarnitty]

wow i can totally imagine all of this going down! i used to ski there and DAMN those patrollers just love to give you a jiggle in the ear! nice work boys

[ptavv]

It was Wes <whatever his last name is> who is has been a pro patroller there for awhile. He's in charge of something or other among the patrollers, fuck if I know what.

The other funny thing about this is that we went and bootpacked in "closed" terrain about 30 seconds after I spent 5 minutes discussing snow pack safety and how nothing was moving with their head of snow safety.

[powski3]

Just another reason Meadows sucks. The majority of people who work there are assholes.

[Ducky]

I know that area. I can't believe you had the balls to go there in such hazardous conditions. It's extremely dangerous and they should have busted you.

[powski3]

Read Matt's blog. Obviously you weren't living the code. Also, do you have any ideas on how to pack more cars and more people onto the mountain so they can increase what might already be the longest weekend lift lines on the face of the planet?? What a jackass.

[TBS]

Bio-smear shoulda been tased for wearing those hideous pants.

[bossass]

Just another reason Meadows sucks. The majority of people who work there are assholes.

That's a dumbass thing to say. Do you know a majority of the people who work there, or have you interacted with a majority of them?

I'd like to point out a couple people who don't. Gavin, pro patroller, has been for years. Went on the "Powder Road" roadtrip with the DPS guys. Super nice, super layed back dude. Also the brother of Griffen Cummings.

Also, Ike Smith. Had a section in "Idea" this year. Builds most of the great features in the park. He's a Cat Driver, really great guy.

Anyway, I'm not really surprised you guys got nailed. Above nearly every lift (not all the time, unfortunately) there's a no hiking sign. It's been pretty clear to me in the past spending time at Meadows that you shouldn't hike to terrain that is serviced by a lift that's not open. Unless it's easily traversable, it's probably not open. The fact that you did it in front of the patrol shack was just asking for it. They didn't really have a choice in busting you in that they need to set an example for others who may be watching you. Yes, you were hiking a very short section of obviously stable slope in a normally high traffic area. But for them, there can't be a grey area in hiking. The last thing they need is some punks hiking above the lifts or above the groomers in areas where nobody can see them and where the terrain may be different. Basically, it's not your call to make on whether or not the snow is stable. They guy didn't have to be a dick, of course. He could've just calmly explained things to you. I've definitely done things like what you did there, but I know enough to keep my ass in the trees when I do it. I will give you the fact that the patrollers there have a tough time being very clear on what is closed and what isn't with their signage. I've definitely been busted doing things that were so unobvious I was really pissed.

[Platinum Pete]

To Bossass' point, I have really liked all the patrollers I've met at Meadows -I know Gavin a microscopic little bit and admire him, and most of the other people there are pretty chill. Sure Dave Riley had a bad rep, but he's outtathere.

I would ski Meadows more if they were cool about going where you want, doing what you want - but it ain't that kinda place. I'm not saying I wouldn't try what you did, but I wouldn't be surprised getting nailed for it. Another piece to add is that Meadows lost a Patroller a few years ago in a tiny in-bounds slide in an area that was not roped off or obviously closed (granted there was a lot more new snow that day) and I'm sure that has left a legacy of being hyper-careful.

[extreeski]

I agree, generalizing that everyone up there is an asshole is stupid.

Dave Riley's gone. That's a good thing.

But since I can't ski midweek I avoid that place like the plague. If I could ski there midweek I'd go back.

[TreeRat]

Basically, it's not your call to make on whether or not the snow is stable.

I have to disagree with this statement. I agree that the patrol has to decide to what level they consider the snow safe for the general public. but ...

when ever you ski your are the first one to make a call on whether it is an acceptable risk. if the general public accepted this life would be easy for everyone but the lawyers.

extreeski,

If you want the Sargent Schultz treatment don't poach where you have to be stopped.

The Tree Rat

[extreeski]

extreeski,

If you want the Sargent Schultz treatment don't poach where you have to be stopped.

The Tree Rat

Huh? I was just sayin' that not everyone that works at Meadows is an asshole. Probably most are pretty cool people. It is lame to generalize. And midweek the crowds are light most of the time up there.

And as far as poachin' I know places within places at Meadows. And much of the sidecountry all over hood. But because of weekend crowds, I stay away from meadows most of the winter 'till spring if at all.

[bio-smear]

My post is merely an anecdotal account of the incident that plays on the situation how I saw it, and also as an informative piece for those who may consider doing what we did. Someone not as charming as myself may have had their pass confiscated. In defense of the patroller, he did finally agree that it wasn't that big of an offense, but you have to read the riot act to everyone who violates. I'm sure the peanut gallery in the patrol shack keeps each other accountable.

To sing the other side of the coin, Meadows staff was giving away free cookies on sunday, and the parking lot guy let me temporarily park my truck right in front of the main lodge after I told him i was about to shit my pants.

[TreeRat]

Huh? I was just sayin' that not everyone that works at Meadows is an asshole. Probably most are pretty cool people. It is lame to generalize. And midweek the crowds are light most of the time up there.

And as far as poachin' I know places within places at Meadows. And much of the sidecountry all over hood. But because of weekend crowds, I stay away from meadows most of the winter 'till spring if at all.

sorry my bad Icut and pasted the wrong name.
The tree rat