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Josh
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Joined: 07 May 2010
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Josh
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 Mon Nov 20, 2017 8:47 am |
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I'm planning an overnight backcountry ski trip this Friday-Saturday. Not too stoked about the predicted high freezing levels, but hoping to find an area that's not raining. The east side of the cascades looks fairly promising weather-wise. Mellow terrain is fine, I'm not looking for steeps. Views are a plus. Would prefer not to have to buy a snow park permit for my car. Hoping not to drive more than about 2 hours from Issaquah. Any suggestions? Perhaps somewhere off Hwy 97, or in the Teanaways if the roads are open?
Thanks!
-Josh
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hbb
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hbb
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Mon Nov 20, 2017 11:57 am |
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Staying within two hours of Issaquah this coming weekend probably means getting rained on and dealing with a crust in low-visibility conditions. Sorry, just trying to be realistic.
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Josh
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Josh
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Mon Nov 20, 2017 1:17 pm |
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Well...what about three hours then? I.e. if I can't do that, what's the best I CAN do?
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Randito
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Joined: 27 Jul 2008
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Location: Bellevue at the moment. |
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Randito
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Mon Nov 20, 2017 1:23 pm |
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AlpineRose
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The forecast for the Blewett Pass area looks reasonable. Just a bit north of the pass is a small pullout that doesn't require a Sno Park pass. Not room for many cars, commonly used by Blewett skiers. Enough terrain there to occupy a weekend. A plus - the Tronsen area is snomo free.
Crystal Mt, which is often in a rain shadow, is another possibility. Most of the backcountry ski terrain east of the ski area is under an official fire closure (don't know how well bc skiers will be observing that), but you could head on up to Hen Skin Lakes to camp, which I think is outside the closure. Be sure to stick to the part of Silver Basin that is open for backcountry use and out of the part restricted to downhill skiers only. Check in with ski patrol.
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DIYSteve
seeking hygge
Joined: 06 Mar 2007
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DIYSteve
seeking hygge
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Mon Nov 20, 2017 3:16 pm |
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| AlpineRose wrote: | | The forecast for the Blewett Pass area looks reasonable. |
We were there yesterday. There's not much snow, a few inches on shaded N aspects. S aspects are melted down to the ground. Skiing is limited to shaded FS roads.
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Josh
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Josh
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Mon Nov 20, 2017 6:01 pm |
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Wow, I didn't imagine there was such scant coverage. I'll probably try the Crystal Mountain area, or else settle for a regular ol' walk in the woods, sans skis. Thanks for the beta.
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DIYSteve
seeking hygge
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DIYSteve
seeking hygge
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Tue Nov 21, 2017 11:17 am |
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| Josh wrote: | | Wow, I didn't imagine there was such scant coverage. |
To be clear, I wrote only about scant coverage in the Blewett Pass area. There was much better coverage at the crest, good enough for some fun skin laps. Mt. Baker ski area got a pretty good dump. All of the above are getting rain as I write this. It's gonna be a damn rain crust mess when temps drop after the pineapple express passes through.
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hbb
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hbb
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Wed Nov 22, 2017 1:00 pm |
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| Josh wrote: | | Wow, I didn't imagine there was such scant coverage. I'll probably try the Crystal Mountain area, or else settle for a regular ol' walk in the woods, sans skis. Thanks for the beta. |
Crystal environs were skiing well before the latest storm cycle hit, but the rain is definitely taking a toll. Here's what it looks like at 5270' right now:
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ale_capone
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Joined: 22 Sep 2009
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In the past I've been highly motivated to try and find something to ski in similar circumstances. looking at a few forecasts, I wouldn't be too optimistic.
If I where going out, I would probably go find something high on the east side, and think of it as more of a scouting trip. Might catch a little bit of a fresh in the right spot. If not, you learned a route and wet your appetite.
I think you might be hard pressed to find dry and skiable snow.
Not sure of current access, or forecast likely hood, but have had some luck with Maude and colchuck this time of year. Great places to if you don't get to ski. I'd probably lean toward colchuck, and be afraid of slabby unbonded snow Saturday afternoon.
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