Archive for the ‘Summits & Outdoor Fun’Category

Methow Madness, take 2

Mark, Laura, Nick and I made a second trip of the winter to the Methow. We timed it to coincide with the annual “try biathlon” event. This year included an actual race! Yours truly came in second (but only because I was a bit slow when shooting). Here are some pictures of the fun!

Methow 2/23/12- 2/26/12

[img src=http://nwoutdoorgrrl.com/wp-content/flagallery/methow-22312-22612/thumbs/thumbs_p1040644.jpg]Day 1 ski in the valley
[img src=http://nwoutdoorgrrl.com/wp-content/flagallery/methow-22312-22612/thumbs/thumbs_p1040637.jpg]
[img src=http://nwoutdoorgrrl.com/wp-content/flagallery/methow-22312-22612/thumbs/thumbs_p1020674.jpg]Henry the dog
[img src=http://nwoutdoorgrrl.com/wp-content/flagallery/methow-22312-22612/thumbs/thumbs_p1020676.jpg]
[img src=http://nwoutdoorgrrl.com/wp-content/flagallery/methow-22312-22612/thumbs/thumbs_p1020680.jpg]
[img src=http://nwoutdoorgrrl.com/wp-content/flagallery/methow-22312-22612/thumbs/thumbs_imgp8345.jpg]Biathlon!
[img src=http://nwoutdoorgrrl.com/wp-content/flagallery/methow-22312-22612/thumbs/thumbs_imgp8253.jpg]Mark showing his sharp-shooting skills
[img src=http://nwoutdoorgrrl.com/wp-content/flagallery/methow-22312-22612/thumbs/thumbs_imgp8264.jpg]Coming in to the finish!
[img src=http://nwoutdoorgrrl.com/wp-content/flagallery/methow-22312-22612/thumbs/thumbs_imgp8250.jpg]I'm somewhere under all those layers
[img src=http://nwoutdoorgrrl.com/wp-content/flagallery/methow-22312-22612/thumbs/thumbs_imgp8263.jpg]3-2-1-go!
[img src=http://nwoutdoorgrrl.com/wp-content/flagallery/methow-22312-22612/thumbs/thumbs_imgp8279.jpg]Nick takes aim
[img src=http://nwoutdoorgrrl.com/wp-content/flagallery/methow-22312-22612/thumbs/thumbs_imgp8274.jpg]Heading out for the second lap - no penalty loops to ski!
[img src=http://nwoutdoorgrrl.com/wp-content/flagallery/methow-22312-22612/thumbs/thumbs_imgp8277.jpg]Second round of shooting
[img src=http://nwoutdoorgrrl.com/wp-content/flagallery/methow-22312-22612/thumbs/thumbs_imgp8283.jpg]Coming in to the finish - in 2nd place
[img src=http://nwoutdoorgrrl.com/wp-content/flagallery/methow-22312-22612/thumbs/thumbs_p1020685.jpg]"Sun" Mountain warming hut
[img src=http://nwoutdoorgrrl.com/wp-content/flagallery/methow-22312-22612/thumbs/thumbs_p1020686.jpg]Someone said this was fun?
[img src=http://nwoutdoorgrrl.com/wp-content/flagallery/methow-22312-22612/thumbs/thumbs_p1020689.jpg]
[img src=http://nwoutdoorgrrl.com/wp-content/flagallery/methow-22312-22612/thumbs/thumbs_p1020690.jpg]

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27

02 2012

AIARE Level 1 Avalanche Course Field Trip

Last weekend, I played in the snow with Brian, Jan, Ed, Jessie, Eric, Science, Fred, and Doug. We were working hard at deciphering snow conditions and rescuing buried beacons. As you’d expect, hijinx ensued…

AIARE Level 1 Course 2/11/12

[img src=http://nwoutdoorgrrl.com/wp-content/flagallery/aiare-level-1-course-21112/thumbs/thumbs_p1040610-2.jpg]Movin' out the first day
[img src=http://nwoutdoorgrrl.com/wp-content/flagallery/aiare-level-1-course-21112/thumbs/thumbs_p1040611-2.jpg]Fred helps us examine terrain and recent avalanche actitvity
[img src=http://nwoutdoorgrrl.com/wp-content/flagallery/aiare-level-1-course-21112/thumbs/thumbs_p1040612-2.jpg]Fred and Doug demo how to find a buried person
[img src=http://nwoutdoorgrrl.com/wp-content/flagallery/aiare-level-1-course-21112/thumbs/thumbs_p1040614-2.jpg]Heading up to Artist Point
[img src=http://nwoutdoorgrrl.com/wp-content/flagallery/aiare-level-1-course-21112/thumbs/thumbs_p1040615-2.jpg]Arriving at Austin Pass
[img src=http://nwoutdoorgrrl.com/wp-content/flagallery/aiare-level-1-course-21112/thumbs/thumbs_p1040617-2.jpg]A rutschblock test along the way. Will it break?
[img src=http://nwoutdoorgrrl.com/wp-content/flagallery/aiare-level-1-course-21112/thumbs/thumbs_p1040619-2.jpg]
[img src=http://nwoutdoorgrrl.com/wp-content/flagallery/aiare-level-1-course-21112/thumbs/thumbs_p1040620-2.jpg]No horizontal sheer, but do you see the vertical crevasse that's opening up?
[img src=http://nwoutdoorgrrl.com/wp-content/flagallery/aiare-level-1-course-21112/thumbs/thumbs_p1040621-2.jpg]Other groups building similar snow pits
[img src=http://nwoutdoorgrrl.com/wp-content/flagallery/aiare-level-1-course-21112/thumbs/thumbs_p1040622-2.jpg]Continuing on to Artist Point
[img src=http://nwoutdoorgrrl.com/wp-content/flagallery/aiare-level-1-course-21112/thumbs/thumbs_p1040627-2.jpg]Fred and Brian burying a beacon
[img src=http://nwoutdoorgrrl.com/wp-content/flagallery/aiare-level-1-course-21112/thumbs/thumbs_p1040628-2.jpg]Does it make it easier to find the beacons if we see them being buried?
[img src=http://nwoutdoorgrrl.com/wp-content/flagallery/aiare-level-1-course-21112/thumbs/thumbs_p1040629-2.jpg]Ed and Brian measure slope angle
[img src=http://nwoutdoorgrrl.com/wp-content/flagallery/aiare-level-1-course-21112/thumbs/thumbs_p1040630-2.jpg]Now that's a pinwheel!
[img src=http://nwoutdoorgrrl.com/wp-content/flagallery/aiare-level-1-course-21112/thumbs/thumbs_p1040632-2.jpg]Like I said, hijinx ensued...

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15

02 2012

Recon adventure on Tye Peak

On Saturday, Mike, Laura and I headed out to Stevens Pass for a little reconnaissance for an upcoming overnight adventure with our basic climbing class students.  We started out with an unremarkable snowshoe up to Skyline Lake. Then we dropped into the basin to the west of the lake and headed to what we thought was the notch that would lead us to Tye Lake and on to Spinnaker Peak. The avy danger was low in the shaded gullies on the north side of the ridge and we made good time.

Unfortunately, we ended up on an unnamed peak with a dramatic drop-off. Oops! Our consolation was a pretty fine view of Tye Peak and the surrounding hills. We also caught a glimpse of a fighter jet below us, buzzing the hillsides, 100m off the valley floor. (I’ll admit that it was a nice day for a joy ride.)

We headed back down to the notch we were supposed to go to and changed our destination to the summit of Tye Peak. The wind was howling up there and we were cold! We kept moving though and only paused for a summit picture before retreating back down to a place that was more sheltered from the wind.

We got back to the cars around 2:30 – mighty early for a regular trip. In the end though, I’m confident that we found just the right place for our adventure with

06

02 2012

Norse Peak

Over the last 11 years, I’ve learned that one simple phrase will ensure you a place on just about any winter adventure: “I like step kicking in deep snow.” And that’s how I got on yesterday’s trip up Norse Peak.

We left the TH at 9 a.m. and followed a meandering snow-covered trail up the mountain for an hour or so. Pretty soon, the slopes opened up and we got our step-kicking mojo going, taking turns as needed. A long and fairly exhausting 3 hours later, we arrived at a saddle on the wind-scoured ridge northwest of Norse Peak. After a short food break, Rena and I took over the step-kicking duties and got the team to a broad, open shoulder. Only a short, steep bump and ice-covered rocks stood between us and the summit!

Three of our team members opted to stay behind, while the remaining six of us pushed on. I was really tired and tempted to stay behind, but sometimes you’ve just got want the summit more than you want anything else that day. Remembering my failure on West Granite the previous weekend, I didn’t want to turn back twice in a row. Five hours after we left the cars we were on the summit.

We sipped tea, had some sandwiches, snapped some pictures, then retreated to gather up the rest of our team members. All I can say is thank goodness going down is so much quicker and easier than pushing your way up through deep snow. We arrived back at the cars only 2 1/2 hours after leaving the summit. All-in-all a good day in the mountains!

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28

01 2012

Tusk o’ Granite

John, Nick, Monica, Hiddeko, Vasko, Burke, and I battled thigh-deep snow on our attempted ascent of West Granite today (aka the Tusk o’ Granite). We made it to within about 500′ of the summit, but cold, driving snow, really challenging snow conditions, and exhaustion  sent us back downhill with our tail between our legs. Sigh… Next time!

22

01 2012