Patchskiing 2018

[Stev]

Dunderberg Peak, July 12, 2018

I was joined by Dave and Bridger for some skiing on Jack's "Glacier."

A panoramic view of Jack's "Glacier" and Dunderberg Peak.

Stev on our first run.

Dave spraying corn snow on a tele-turn with Bridger watching from above.

Dave and Bridger starting another run.

It looks like Dave found some deep snow, but he is on the other side of a snow ridge.

Bridger

Stev taking another run.

Not only was it cooler up around 11,000 feet, it started raining right after we finished skiing.

 

[Tricia]

My memories on Facebook show that it was 7 years ago today that @DeAnn Sloan joined us to ski with @Sencer @Stev @4ster @Philpug

 

[John Webb]

My memories on Facebook show that it was 7 years ago today that @DeAnn Sloan joined us to ski with @Sencer @Stev @4ster @Philpug

I remember that series of posts! She has kind of dropped off the radar since. I was at a Blue Knob PA gathering skiing with her several years before that post.
The shocker was I doing a run at Blue Knob with her husband when he tore his Achilles Tendon (or was it the ACL?).

 

[Doug Briggs]

I skied a big 'patch' at Hood over the weekend. Conditions were pretty good on the snowfield proper, but I suspect the area above us was pretty icky. Lots of dust and dirt, missing snow and apparently overly soft pretty quickly according to the need to rescue the attempted suicide by helicopter rather than being able to down-hike.

The first run GS courses. We run two races simultaneously. That requires a lot of CAT 5 cable for timing.

Yours truly moving a spool of CAT 5 after the races.

The following pictures were from an out and back hike to Zig Zag Canyon from the Lodge.

looking up Zig Zag from the eastern rim

The moss(?) blowing in the breeze. It was hot, the breeze was welcome.

The trails were really smooth and easy to hike. No straight up and down like I'm used to in NH.

The creek in Zig Zag. This is where we turned around.

 

[Stev]

Forestdale Divide, July 17, 2018

Makisha and Penny joined me on a recon mission to a classic old favorite area, Forestdale Divide. Previous reports of the road being closed seemed to be in error as there were no closed signs. In fact, the road from Hwy. 88 down to the bridge over Forestdale Creek was the best I had ever seen it. It felt like it was freshly graded. However, the road after the bridge was close to the worst I had ever seen it and it looked nearly unpassable just before the "Right Patch." We headed back down to the "Center Patch" which had more snow and looked a lot safer.

Stev, Makisha and Penny on our first of three runs on the Center Patch. (self-timer photo)

After two more runs we headed out for more snow recon as well as ways to keep cool.

Penny cools off in Forestdale Creek.

After cooling off in Forestdale Creek we headed down and all the way around past Blue Lakes to Lost Lakes.

Makisha and Penny cool off at Lost Lakes.

We continued on until we were on the other side of Forestdale Divide. We hiked over to the Luniz Patch.

Makisha looks across the Luniz Patch at Penny in the pond.

In order to be able to say "I got five on it," I took five runs on the Luniz Patch.

Stev, Makisha and Penny on our fourth of five runs on the Luniz Patch. (self-timer photo)

Stev taking a dip to cool off in the pond below the Luniz Patch along with Makisha and Penny. (self-timer photo)

Apre-ski wildflowers.

Mission accomplished. We found snow and water at elevation to escape the July heat.

 

[surfsnowgirl]

Sounds like a perfect way to spend a summer day.

 

[nay]

July turns on Peak 10 at Breck. Month 44 for the boy and me.

It’s gonna be ugly in Sept. But look at that concentration!

 

[Stev]

Forestdale Divide, July 26, 2018

I returned with Makisha and Penny to one of the same areas we visited the previous week, Forestdale Divide.

I started with a couple of laps on the Divide Patch.

Stev, Makisha and Penny on our first run on the Divide Patch.

After a couple of laps on the Divide Patch, Penny wanted to return to one of her favorite places, the pond below the Luniz Patch.

Makisha looks at what is left of the Luniz Patch while Penny splashes around the pond.

Stev on his fifth run on the Luniz Patch.

Stev trying to coax Makisha and Penny out from under the snow overhang during an apre-ski swim.

Apre-ski flowers and bee along with a little insect climbing up on looker's left.

Makisha and Penny had fun joining me on my 100th ski day of the current season.

 

[luliski]

Forestdale Divide, July 26, 2018

I returned with Makisha and Penny to one of the same areas we visited the previous week, Forestdale Divide.

I started with a couple of laps on the Divide Patch.

Stev, Makisha and Penny on our first run on the Divide Patch.

After a couple of laps on the Divide Patch, Penny wanted to return to one of her favorite places, the pond below the Luniz Patch.

Makisha looks at what is left of the Luniz Patch while Penny splashes around the pond.

Stev on his fifth run on the Luniz Patch.

Stev trying to coax Makisha and Penny out from under the snow overhang during an apre-ski swim.

Apre-ski flowers and bee along with a little insect climbing up on looker's left.

Makisha and Penny had fun joining me on my 100th ski day of the current season.

How cold was that water? Great shots!

 

[4ster]

This one popped up on my FB that Stev took back in 2011 around this time on the Nipple...

 

[Stev]

How cold was that water? Great shots!

The water wasn’t cold, it was refreshing on a warm day. Even though it is filled by snowmelt, the pond is shallow enough to get warmed a bit by the sun.

 

[Stev]

Leavitt Lake, July 29, 2018

My wife Michele and I headed out with our dogs Makisha and Penny for a walk and some ski recon. We ventured up the road to Leavitt Lake. While the road was still pretty rough in a few spots, it did seem better than last year.

Penny reflecting in the pond at the bottom of the patch.

Pre-run selfie.

Stev skiing out of the upper slot.

Michele, Makisha and Penny kept exploring while I bootpacked up for another run.

Makisha

(If you look closely, you can see Stev bootpacking up.)

Makisha watches Penny watching a reflection of Penny.

Makisha and Penny head up to join Stev and his second run.

Penny, Stev, and Makisha.

Makisha and Penny practicing their synchonized walking.

Looking back across Leavitt Lake up at the snow patch.

It was a successful ski recon mission. We are looking forward to return trips.

 

[snowghost]

August patch skiing in North Idaho/Montana:


First turns all year and all within 2.5 hours of where I live! (No volcanoes, glaciers)

 

[Andy Mink]

I don't know if this is day 78 of 17-18 or day 1 of 18-19. (Or if it counts at all. ) But I had to hike to get to it. This was at Mt. Rainier at the end of July. There were some patches that had ski tracks but very few. I don't know if you're allowed to really ski on the glacier/snow or not.

 

[dbostedo]

I saw sliding, but sadly no turns!

 

[Andy Mink]

I saw sliding, but sadly no turns!

Oh, there were turns. They were just very small and tight. The edges of my Vibram soles were dull.

 

[dbostedo]

Oh, there were turns. They were just very small and tight. The edges of my Vibram soles were dull.

Sure, sure... blame it on a bad tune... just like that pros.

 

[Stev]

Ski Lake, August 4, 2018

After camping out near Leavitt Lake I was joined by a support crew of four-legged and two-legged friends to start my 178th consecutive month skiing. We would head to the very appropriately named Ski Lake.

Stev reaches his first destination.

Stev on his first run of the day.

A pre-second-run selfie.

Stev on his second run.

After a couple of runs we headed out for a longer loop that took us to the "North America Patch."
Along the way I saw some insects getting busy.
Insect pron. Crickets going through the kama sutra and doing it grasshopper style, or is it the other way around?

Stev and Makisha skiing the "North America Patch."

Bee and flowers.

Whitney's locoweed.

On our way back Penny looks at the patch we skied last weekend above Leavitt Lake.

 

[Andy Mink]

Ski Lake, August 4, 2018

After camping out near Leavitt Lake I was joined by a support crew of four-legged and two-legged friends to start my 178th consecutive month skiing. We would head to the very appropriately named Ski Lake.

Stev reaches his first destination.

Stev on his first run of the day.

A pre-second-run selfie.

Stev on his second run.

After a couple of runs we headed out for a longer loop that took us to the "North America Patch."
Along the way I saw some insects getting busy.
Insect pron. Crickets going through the kama sutra and doing it grasshopper style, or is it the other way around?

Stev and Makisha skiing the "North America Patch."

Bee and flowers.

Whitney's locoweed.

On our way back Penny looks at the patch we skied last weekend above Leavitt Lake.

Beautiful. Makes me want to go!

 

[firebanex]

I love checking in on this thread through out the summer, thank you for the pictures and adventure stories.