Yodelin 2/23/13

Fourteen inches of snow fell between Friday and Saturday morning, and high avalanche danger was forecast for most aspects above 6000'. The last month saw very little snowfall, so I was not looking forward to a day at the resort and the certainty of large crowds. Enter Yodelin - an old ski area a mile east of Stevens Pass characterized by low angle slopes and old growth trees wide enough to ski but dense enough to minimize any avalanche risk. I hadn't skied it before but John convinced Jason and I that it would be great. And great it was! After a slow crawl up to Stevens and a bit of nerves because the lot was full and they were sending people to Yodelin to park, we had skins on by 10:30. We skinned up the cat track then over to the valley where we accessed the main ski run. Then up the ridge and dropping off to the left to ski the 700' run through the trees. It was so good we made six runs - all my lower back could handle! This was true hero snow - you could launch off anything and land in a soft pillow - just fantastic. Cold beers at 4:30 back at the car capped off an absolutely perfect day.

 

Mt. Rainier 2-2-13

The brilliance of Mt. Rainier on a bluebird day can't be overstated. The first glance of the peak as you wind up to paradise is shocking - it blinds you and the contrast between the white mountain and the blue sky is just dazzling. John, Aaron and I left a foggy Seattle and were welcomed at paradise with 40 degree temps and great snow. We skinned to Muir in about 3.5 hours with John leading the charge with a wicked pace. The awe lessened a bit when he dropped his ski at the top and it shot down the snowfield a few hundred yards. Luckily it stopped an he just had to one-ski it down a ways.

We hit the Nisqually Chutes and it was perfect corn. Top photo is John on skiers right of the main chute. Bottom photo shows the chute from the approach to Pan Point. Skiied all the way to the bridge where a few cold ones were waiting for us. Fantastic day!