High Pressure

By:  Sam
January 3, 2011


It looks like Greg has been doing a good job of making the best of a less-than-stellar situation. So I have to say that Allen and I have felt somewhat obligated to show that we to have been working to take advantage of the opportunities provided to us too.

This past week has been characterized by a shocking weather pattern. Rather than the usual forecasts: either 31 and snowing, or 33 and raining, we have been treated to a week of cold clear skies and stable snow. It has been so not-overcast (sunny?) recently, that I even had to look for my sunglasses and dark goggle lenses. Perhaps the only downside, the rampaging holiday hoards around the resort, turned into a motivation to explore, which, in turn, led to the discovery of some awesome new terrain.

It all started last Wednesday when I headed up to Baker alone hoping to meet up with another solo-traveler.

“How long have you lived here? Where do you ski? What do you know about these mountains?” – On my way out of the parking lot, I’d caught up to someone who was clearly a local. After a thorough interrogation it was determined that I wold be allowed to tag along for the day on lines that I already knew well. Instead, I suggested that we push further out in search of untracked snow. It was a fruitful mission; several thousand feet and countless turns later, I’d put a lot of new terrain on my map and made a friend in the process.

Forest drops in.

Continuing to enjoy the uncrowded backcountry.

By the end of it, we definitely felt spoiled.

Heading back to the car in fading light.

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Read about the author:   Sam
Enjoy this TR? Read another: TR: Meat Weak Part II

9 Comments

  1. scottydubsnw
    wrote on January 4th, 2011 at 1:04 am  
    1

    that last photo of peak thru trees you say to be larabee, close, this is winchester mtn, larabee is to looker left( if standing in baker’s lot. Larabee is a taller, shear rock with snowy slope facing the e-se. I look at these mtns many days thru winter with imagination that i will summit and snowboard descent them all!!!!!

    • jake
      wrote on January 6th, 2011 at 11:08 am  
      2

      That pic was correctly labeled as Larrabee. Winchester does not have that much of an exposed face.

  2. Ben
    wrote on January 4th, 2011 at 9:42 am  
    3

    nice pictures, looks like fun!!!

    I hate near-certain inconvenience!

  3. Greg
    wrote on January 4th, 2011 at 11:39 am  
    4

    great TR Sam! Pretty friggin clear why you moved :D

    That woods shot definitely got me giddy… loved it

  4. savantskis
    wrote on January 4th, 2011 at 11:57 am  
    5

    Was wondering what you guys have been up to out there. Thanks for the update and some pics. The Jan thaw didn’t hit out there I take it

  5. Porter Haney
    wrote on January 4th, 2011 at 4:43 pm  
    6

    I’d like to know about Allen’s aggressive hitch hiking.

  6. christian
    wrote on January 4th, 2011 at 5:24 pm  
    7

    EXTREME CLOSEUP!!!…AHHHHHHHHHH. party on!

  7. Sam
    wrote on January 4th, 2011 at 9:53 pm  
    8

    so a guy on TAY says that those were cougar tracks. Cougar, lynx, or bobcat: it’s pretty cool to know that they’re out there.

    As for allen’s hitch hiking, we were deciding which would be the best way to approach getting a ride: either having him show a little skin, or going all crazy style and running into the road naked with a rock in hand threatening cars (actually witnessed this in India). I’m not going to tell you which tactic he actually used though….

  8. Samthemandaddy
    wrote on January 7th, 2011 at 2:34 pm  
    9

    The tracks are obviously cougar based on my google image research. The toes are always more splayed. In addition I saw one in SC (yes south carolina) and it had big feet. Keep working on your spelling Sam.

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