PNW Report 12/28&29

[natty dread]

Buster, you are a gentleman and a scholar.
Thanks for the the tour.
That run down appliances was absurdly good.

[Squirrel99]

Looking like a Crystal day on Saturday (unless anyone knows the beta on projected snowfall for Baker?). Schmear- you heading up there?

[grrrr]

Looking like 4-6 new by tomorrow for Baker.

[KQ]

I'm planning on being up at Crystal on Saturday.

[The AD]

I'm thinking about Crystal Sunday. Saturday looks like the better powder day, but I would just flail. Should be nice and cold both days. We haven't had to worry about freezing level lately, have we?

[Squirrel99]

Grrr, Thanks for the Baker update. Is there a good site to check for the Baker forecast or just go by the Northern Cascades report? All the neck deep pow @ jackson, utah, and tahoe tends to switch my focus to Baker- I'm jonesn' for sum of dat deep pow.
Kq,
maybe a roll call for Saturday for some Crystal BC action?

[KQ]

Originally posted by The AD
I'm thinking about Crystal Sunday. Saturday looks like the better powder day, but I would just flail. Should be nice and cold both days. We haven't had to worry about freezing level lately, have we?

Come on dude - SATURDAY, SATURDAY, SATURDAY!!!! I spend most of my time inbounds - there's still plently of stashes to be found and face shots to be gotten.

[Squirrel99]

It was pretty darn good in-and-out yesterday. Rex closed down for quite a while allowing the snow to build up top for some suprisingly nice late afternoon pow.

[The AD]

Originally posted by KQ
Come on dude - SATURDAY, SATURDAY, SATURDAY!!!! I spend most of my time inbounds - there's still plently of stashes to be found and face shots to be gotten.

I will take this into consideration.

Actually after looking at the forecast, it doesn't looks like either Saturday or Sunday will see a huge dump. It's probably a toss-up.

[White Chocolate]

It's looking like not much snow at all, and colder than a witches titty at the north pole. Brrrrrr (at least for us temperate climate weinies )

[grrrr]

Yup, nws is downgrading the snow reports....and calling for a high of 11 at Baker.
WTF?!?!

[Squirrel99]

WTF is right! Snowdances, sacrifices, whatever required. Seems the NW has been left out of the recent lovin' in Utah, T-ho and Jackson/MT. I thnk we're still above average for the season in WA with great snow- but after seeing all those neck deep pow shots and huge hucks...make me hard to satisfy! I need the deep! Will pillage Crystal BC for all it's worth this weekend. Grrr, as soon as a large size dumps makes it through Baker- I'll be there.

[KQ]

Snow, bitter cold in weekend forecast

03:40 PM PST on Friday, January 2, 2004

NWCN.com


If wild temperature swings and snow in Seattle is normal, then we're going to continue having a very normal winter. And the watchword for this weekend is extreme cold all though the Northwest.

But that won't be until after the region gets another blast of snow Friday evening and into Saturday.

Portland residents could be sliding around on another three or more inches of snow on Saturday with even more falling above 500 feet. Heavy snow warnings blanketed all of Western Oregon Friday from the Cascades to the Pacific.

Even Seattle may see an inch of snow Friday night and Saturday.

But it's the cold that many in Washington will remember.

The temperature at Sea-Tac Airport is expected to remain below freezing from Saturday afternoon through Sunday for the first time since December 1998. But if you think that's cold, consider the Spokane area and northern Washington, where lows will be measured in the sub-zero range, with a high Monday of 14 degrees.

The frigid arctic air -- blame Canada, because that's where it's coming from -- will sweep down just after the region gets another dose of snow almost everywhere Friday night, including the lowlands of Western Washington and Oregon.

The upside is that it will be brilliantly sunny Sunday in Seattle, according to KING 5 meteorologist Rich Marriott.

And sometime Monday, a warm air mass is expected to slide over the cold air hovering over the region, setting up a chance for even more snow to start the week out, possibly heavy in Seattle and Portland, where snow has been a rarity in recent years, if not recent weeks.

But the absence of snow and the occasionally frigid cold snap is what has been the exception, Marriott said. A more normal winter in Western Washington includes wild temperature swing and the occasional snow storm.

"Actually, it's weird that we haven't had these in several years," said.

[Squirrel99]

Promising! I will sacrifice more fat tire tonight for Ullr. If it worked for Lenas, then will hopefully it will start the snow train KQ, Thanks for the good news! Seems the forecast has changed from this morning...Next week shaping up nicely!

Forecast for West Slopes Central Cascades and Passes
Updated: 3:30 PM PST on January 2, 2004
Tonight Snow showers. Snow level at the surface. Variable wind to 10 mph in the passes.
Saturday Snow showers. Total snow accumulation 3 to 6 inches. Snow level at the surface. Afternoon pass temperatures 11 to 19.
Sunday
Mostly sunny. Freezing level at the surface. Afternoon pass temperatures 9 to 15. Wind in the passes east 10 to 20 mph.
Monday Night through Tuesday Night
Snow likely. Snow level at the surface.
Wednesday
Snow likely. Snow level 1500 feet.
Wednesday Night
Snow likely. Snow level 1500 feet.
Thursday through Friday
Mostly cloudy. Chance of rain and snow. Snow level 2000 feet. &&

[char]

I'll be at Alpental tommorrow.

Green NF jacket. Black Giro 9 helmet. Spraypainted blue Kahunas with hotpink ESS VAR bindings.

[Schmear]

Originally posted by Squirrel99
Looking like a Crystal day on Saturday (unless anyone knows the beta on projected snowfall for Baker?). Schmear- you heading up there?

Sadly, I can't. Saturday has been earmarked for more domestic duties. However I will be up at Alpental on Sunday. If anyone else is going to Alp send me a PM. I'd love to meet more of the PNW maggots.

Crystal today was really amazing. In fact, these last two weeks in the Cascades have been phenomenal, even the rain! (That was a fun day Buster.) I can't wait to move back up here next season.

Most of the in-bounds terrain, including most secret stashes, is skied out, but the snow is still soft-pack and fluffy. I didn't hit north back today, but the south backcountry on the back side of the King was.....yowsa!

[Dr. Crash]

Optics and Schmear, sorry I missed you guys. My sis wasn't interested by the backcountry, and not knowing any of it myself I didn't push her too much. We had fun though in those very very few places where one could still ski powder inbounds (and that wasn't many!).

I'll be at Alpental Sunday, make believing that the other instructors are children aged 6-10, and "teaching" them. Hey, it might be fun. Hopefully we'll finish early and maybe we can do a few runs together. Any plans for lunch?

drC

[BakerBoy]

Hey Dr. Crash, your sister sounds pretty boring -- no early mornings and no backcountry? Sounds like the Summit (not Alpental, heh) is the perfect place for her!

I'll be down that way next week sometime for some sledding. If anybody is going to be around midweek at night, lemme know.

[Squirrel99]

Alpental was so schweeet today
Ditched CM after learning of the dumpage up on the Pass (5"-10", but it was A LOT deeper than that- midthigh in the bc). Pretty hammered now, but still should be another good one tomorrow. It was still puking when I left around 5pm. Deep snow, mmnnn...snow. Ridin' again there manana. Blue Helly, Gray Pants, Black Leedom.

[Dr. Crash]

My sis likes to sleep, yes. Don't worry about her not being good, she's married, BB... Hey, I'm just started her in powder, and now she likes it, so I'm not giving up on her yet...

It dumped all day at Alpental. Given that I could get face shots in selected spots in bounds (!@~# clinics) I am sure the BC was *awesome*. Tomorrow should be great if it dumps all night. I'll be there in time for first chairs.

Squirrel, wanna meet then, for lunch (I'd say 12pm) or at the bottom of Chair 2 for last chair and maybe a quick BC run? Those are the two times I'm available tomorrow. Tell me so I know to get gear.

drC

[Squirrel99]

Dr. C,
We are heading up early and doing some shooting in the bc tomorrow- not quite sure I can set a firm schedule. I'm just along for the ride, and will be making continous bc laps and lunch isn't in the plans. I could probably meet up for last chair 2:30pm. - base of Armstrong, skier's right maze? Blue Helly Jacket, Gray Pants, Black Leedom w/Snowbird sticker.

Definitely looking toward having a few cold ones in the bar at the end of the day (look for the jacket/helmet upstairs). B will probably be going huge tomorrow and will likely get others to sack up as well so anxiously awaiting beer time!

[Dr. Crash]

OK let's try 2:30 Amstrong or 3pm Chair 2. Or the bar at the end of the day

drC

[Squirrel99]

Let's try 2:30 at Armstong; if not and get held up, then upstairs in the bar
They closed off access to 2 at 2:40pm today.

[Squirrel99]

Oh yeah, Spud (P-Mag board) will be with me. We're AltaBird transplants that have gone from Altaholics to Alpentalics this year. Definitely enjoying the Alp! 17 hours until cold Kokanee!