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Shasta this weekend. (Avalanche Safety Question)
Posted:
Mon Dec 07, 2009 6:04 pmby connollyck
well it looks like its going to dump all week, leaving tons of unconsolidated snow for painfully slow trailbreaking and potentially high avalanche risk. we were going to go up casaval, but now having second thoughts. thoughts?
Posted:
Mon Dec 07, 2009 6:29 pmby ScottyP
I wa on Shasta yesterday. It was 18* and snowing at 50/50 at about 3pm. We had a fair amount of wind crust and post-holing up around 50-50 flat area. Casaval was almost bone dry and the gulch was somewhat mixed. Our original plan was to hike up to the first window area but the scree was not too inviting. Besides, I was just there to break-in some new boots. Scott
Posted:
Mon Dec 07, 2009 8:41 pmby connollyck
thanks! so sounds like casaval sucks right now. you think avalanche gulch is the safest option at this point?
Posted:
Mon Dec 07, 2009 8:53 pmby kevin trieu
i think you have heard of it many times before but here it goes again, it is named Avalanche Gulch for a reason. if you said there's high avy danger, why would you take that route over a ridge? both routes are conditions dependent, why go when they are not in conditions? the weather is crap dude, better head to Starbucks and bring a good book.
edit: unless you like suffering then go for it. a bit of suffering builds character.
Posted:
Mon Dec 07, 2009 10:09 pmby connollyck
kevin trieu wrote:i think you have heard of it many times before but here it goes again, it is named Avalanche Gulch for a reason. if you said there's high avy danger, why would you take that route over a ridge? both routes are conditions dependent, why go when they are not in conditions? the weather is crap dude, better head to Starbucks and bring a good book.
edit: unless you like suffering then go for it. a bit of suffering builds character.
thats what i thought. unfortunately my work schedule ends up running my calendar most of the time and not the weather. i planned this weekend to climb two months ago. shit.
Posted:
Mon Dec 07, 2009 11:24 pmby connollyck
wanted to do a winter ascent of shasta. guess we're not there yet
Posted:
Tue Dec 08, 2009 6:48 pmby dskoon
We all have to plan around work, family, etc. etc. Sometimes the weather cooperates, and sometimes not.
Better to go when it is cooperating, rather than force it. Three guys died up on Hood a few years ago by forcing the issue. . .