Dec 29 Kendall

Got an alpine start with Seth and Brandon to play in the Kendall area.  North facing slopes are still holding excellent snow.  Southerly aspects have definitely gotten crusty.  Good times.



Brandon

Seth boots along the ridgeline

Brandon opens it up on
the lower slopes

Dec 23, Chair Peak area

Linked up with Seth and Crispin/Dave for a few laps around Chair Peak.  Skied North slope of chair to Snow Lake.  Skinned up towards Gem Lake and skied one lap from the ridge back to Snow lake.   Skinned across the lake and over Snow Lake divide.   Back up into Chair Peak basin to the thumbtack and then skied to source lake and out.  Best snow was actually above source lake. Made for a nice finish.

Working the ridgeline to the N. slope

Dave and Geeb

Crispin and Geeb

Seth

Dec 21, Kendall trees

After a good week of sidecountry skiing at Alpental, ventured out on skins to Kendall trees.  Had a large group that included Frank, Silas, Crispin/Dave and another couple.  Found some good snow and spun a few laps.  Silas would like it known that I couldn't catch him on the way out.

Crispin

Frank

Dec 14, Chair Peak Basin

Don Hecker heads for the thumbtack

Headed up to Chair Peak basin with Francine, Don, Silas, and Crispin.  Despite our marathon day yesterday, Crispin had no problem breaking trail to just below the thumbtack.  At the notch to the NE Slope we parted with Crispin and Silas and let them track up the backside.  The rest of us enjoyed good turns back down to Source Lake.   



Ascending into Chair Peak basin

The gang minus Don taking the photo.





Kevin and Francine

Francine 



Don

Dec 13, Red Mt. and bonus run

Wow, what a great day to be out!

Crispin and his new dog, Geeb

Topping out on Red Mt.

Greg rips some turns off the summit

Crispin

Greg

Kevin

All tracked up!   Nice.

Bonus lap, extra 1,000 feet of vertical

Crispin with Mt. Thompson in the distance

Dec. 10, Summit West

Took two laps at west with Francine, before she started her work day.  The area was really smooth.  Amazing how well the ski hill looked with so little snow.   Good turns on the well groomed hill.   Looked like the groomers were heading to Summit Central to prepare for an anticipated Friday opening.

Francine gets her pre-work laps.

Dec. 9 Hyak

Quick lap up the backyard hill.  Waited too late in the day, and it had started to rain.   At least the ground was covered.

Dec. 7, Alpental - Thick

Thick and heavy.  Not very good skiing.  Good stuff for covering the ground.  The crowds were out in anticipation of the big dump, and with the green light from Gib, the patrol director, for one last weekend of touring before the ski area starts working to get it open.  

Don Hecker hopes Santa brings some fat skis
for touring in NW snow.

Dec. 5, Alpy Again

More snow, more wind action, more friends.  Did a couple of International laps with Greg Louie and Tom Davies.



Climbing up Rollen



Greg

Greg

Kevin one-foots it after his
ski shot half way down international

Tom

Kevin

Dec. 2, Alpental

I sold big brother, Kelly, a dynafit setup.  So, finally hooked up with him for an equipment shakedown.  Alpental got a good dump overnight, and we were breaking trail at 8:30 by ourselves.  The hill is really filling in nicely and should be in pretty good shape for the rest of the season, unless we get a monsoon rainstorm this week.  We had about 10 inches of new snow over the raincrust.  The way it is snowing tonight, avalanche danger is definitely going to be going up. 

 

Dec 1, Alpental

I got started about 12:30 with temperatures in the low forties.  Actually was a pretty nice day with the sun coming in and out.  Weaved through the creeks at the bottom of Alpental and made good time up to Chair 2.   Area was pretty quiet with only two snow shoers ahead of me, and tracks from a morning group of two or three.  Snow from Chair 2 to the top was about 4" of new over the raincrust.  Conditions were springlike.  Contemplated International for a descent, but stuck with what I knew, and retraced my uptrack down Rollen to Gunmount and back over to Debbie's Gold.  Skiing was pretty sticky, but was able to avoid hitting any rocks.  Hopefully we will get a good dump for tomorrow.

Top of Chair 2, Alpental

View into the Alpine Lakes Wilderness