April 9
I got up early and checked the weather forecast. The predicted storm on Monday was losing steam so, even though I needed a rest day, it could wait.
From the White Pine parking, a view of Coalpit.
Walked up Red Pine. A trail was broke to the ridge, on what I call the Slider, after a partner took a nice one there. .
The trail breakers, in need of a peak bagging experience, were headed up the Pfeifferhornn, abandoning the skis and using ice axes.
The snow off the top was probably not corned. I didn't need masochism, or at least not that kind, so
I dropped of the shoulder, headed for Box Elder.
Several hours later, finding dense and creamy on the way up the ridge, a descent of one of the shotgun chutes was done.
It's gonna be a long day.
Near the top a look back indicates, not only the distance covered so far but, the distance back to the ridge before dark.
The view of Timpanogus pushes the return journey to the back of my mind, as does
the look down the northwest face.
The snow was wind packed and softening in the afternoon sun.
A pleasant way to spend a Sunday, leaving only the slog back up 3'000' of vertical or so, to the ridge and a long ski back to White Pine parking.
I was thinking ahead saving my can of food salvage Stinger till late afternoon. It does have taurine, ya know.
Although no wet activity was seen during the day, some had run the day before, first warm one after the storm. This wet slab pocket, low down on a wind loaded sub ridge of Chipman,
was probably a secondary result of some higher surface sluffing.
A few turns from the first descent show there was a little localized corn snow growing, runnels indicating, good settlement and a sold bottom.
Almost at the ridge, always enjoying the late afternoon look at where I'd been.
Weather:
Clear and sunny. It was breezy from the south in the morning, decreasing during the day. Mild temperatures.
Snow:
The snow was crusted in the early morning. Thin crust at all elevations. It remained supportable into the afternoon depending on aspect and elevation. Even after the crust softened, the snow was supportable outside of patches on east facing, which received early sun and may have had a little drifting. No collapsing.
North facing at 10’000 feet was creamy, resembling settled powder into lower angle terrain where it had a crust. Northwest facing off the top was wind packed and edge able, with drifts softening at 3 pm, as was the crust. Sunny slopes going into the shade in the afternoon were refreezing.
No wet activity observed today. There was some yesterday and I sent a couple of pictures. Most was point release and rollers.
Bottom Line:
The only discernable hazard was from daytime heating and steep slopes needed teasing. Following the sun provided stable skiing well into the afternoon. With cooler temperatures and clouds forecast, I’d expect a minimal hazard of avalanche.