paradise

12-18 inches on top of major base. Light, not the usual stuff. Broomed
it off the 4x4 before leaving.

High traverse was closed, so pushed low Beaver traverse around under
Estelle bowl another 20 feet beyond the previous push until no tracks,
skied down to base without crossing a track, and repeated. Several times.

Until we kicked off a minor avalanche (15in crown, maybe 30 ft across;
ran about 50 yards) and I decided to head to Promised Land. Lots of
nooks and hidden gems in the Promised Land for continued fresh tracks.
Finally knocked off from exhausted legs. A good day of lift served.

(That avalanche was probably not much of a hazard, although it
terminated deep enough to bury the unwary. It was on inbounds,
controlled, and open terrain for those counting. Glad I wore the beacon
even if I was staying inbounds.)

lal_truckee wrote:

12-18 inches on top of major base. Light, not the usual stuff. Broomed
it off the 4x4 before leaving.

High traverse was closed, so pushed low Beaver traverse around under
Estelle bowl another 20 feet beyond the previous push until no tracks,
skied down to base without crossing a track, and repeated. Several times.

Until we kicked off a minor avalanche (15in crown, maybe 30 ft across;
ran about 50 yards) and I decided to head to Promised Land. Lots of
nooks and hidden gems in the Promised Land for continued fresh tracks.
Finally knocked off from exhausted legs. A good day of lift served.

(That avalanche was probably not much of a hazard, although it
terminated deep enough to bury the unwary. It was on inbounds,
controlled, and open terrain for those counting. Glad I wore the beacon
even if I was staying inbounds.)

You're killing me. Didn't think I would get homesick for Sierra snow.
I am visualizing the lines you took and I have taken. Nice. Ja make it
to Keyhole?... I'm sure that is skiing well this year, eh.

Glad someone is getting da kine. We just got an adequate freshup with
over 6" up top but the week looks like much of the same. Say hi to
Estelle and Bernie for me.

RAC

Until we kicked off a minor avalanche (15in crown, maybe 30 ft across; ran
about 50 yards) and I decided to head to Promised Land.

There's always avalanches in that area! Its all those hanging cornices at
the top huh? Isn't that where the big slide occurred (like before I was
born) that took out the main lodge?

Mike wrote:
Until we kicked off a minor avalanche (15in crown, maybe 30 ft across; ran
about 50 yards) and I decided to head to Promised Land.


There's always avalanches in that area! Its all those hanging cornices at
the top huh? Isn't that where the big slide occurred (like before I was
born) that took out the main lodge?


The slide came off the sisters - between Wolverine and Beaver bowls, I
believe.

rosco wrote:

Mike wrote:

Until we kicked off a minor avalanche (15in crown, maybe 30 ft
across; ran about 50 yards) and I decided to head to Promised Land.



There's always avalanches in that area! Its all those hanging
cornices at the top huh? Isn't that where the big slide occurred
(like before I was born) that took out the main lodge?


The slide came off the sisters - between Wolverine and Beaver bowls, I
believe.

The intire side from Pond Slope to the Sisters came down at once, with a
crown all the way across about at the base of the bowls (still high up
the slope), as I understand it - the slide volume was from the lower
slopes. At the time the hazard from the lower slopes was unexpected -
avalanche activity was expected primarily on the upper slopes, which
were being blind barraged by the guns. Couldn't get anybody up there to
toss hand charges, or even observe the buildup, so the loading of the
lower slopes was unrecognized.

Essentually my minor slide crowned just about where the 82 slide crowned
- difference; this was 15in crown 30ft wide - 82 was near 8ft crown
maybe 1000ft wide.

Have you seen the thermometer stuck into the tree near the lodge, about
20 feet up? It had been on the door of the patrol shack when the slide
hit; force slammed it into the tree so hard it was imbedded - it's still
there. It still worked up to a couple of years ago - impact didn't even
break the mercury tube.

lal_truckee wrote:
12-18 inches on top of major base. Light, not the usual stuff. Broomed
it off the 4x4 before leaving.

OK, that was 1/28.
It's now 2/3.

After 6 days it's still Paradise here in nature's mansion.

North facing steeps have been enjoying the benefits of high winds
providing intermingled firmed up tracks, sections of smooth windpack,
and a wonderland of sastrugi. The skiing has taken on an interesting
aspect of challenging conditions with lovely clear weather and of course
no people since it's a weekday. Went out to the midmountain stake to
check the published reports, which once again are right on the money -
156 inches of lovely compressed pack.

See you on the slopes...