Day 1 on skis for me this winter, on one of our usual haunts in the Central Cascades (Hwy 2 Stevens Pass, Hwy 97 Blewett Pass, I-90 Snoqualmie Pass, Cle Elum/Teanaway, etc).
A few miles east of Stevens Pass on Hwy 2 is the Smithbrook Road winter parking where many tours eminate from. On this considerable avalanche hazard day, Jake C and I decided to hit a tree run that has a long fall line of mostly open mid elevation forest.
Nason 5576 by John Morrow, on FlickrBroke our own skin track after leaving the snowmobile packed road.
breaking trail, finding relative safety in trees by John Morrow, on FlickrThe descent starts gentle before it rolls over. Very steeps can be found far skiers left, with cliffs to weave between. We avoid such.
On Nason Ridge Point 5576' by John Morrow, on Flickr
gentle at top by John Morrow, on FlickrThen it gets more typical Cascades old growth on a steeper fall line.
Jake by John Morrow, on Flickr
finding a open line by John Morrow, on Flickr
steeper at bottom by John Morrow, on Flickr
coverage thins, Jake navigating an emerging buried crust by John Morrow, on Flickr
uhhh, uh-oh...rode it out by John Morrow, on FlickrI'm still on O-1s mounted to BD Drifts and T2 eco boots, Jake is on NTN Techtoe
