Wednesday, February 16, 2005

Greetings SC readers,

Getting political and stating my views are the norm around here, so why stop now. I assume some of you, like me, received an e-mail from meadows (or maybe 2) asking for input on future development etc... I would like to strongly encourage (I would threat if I could) you to request for no further expansion. What? You may ask, is the SC bonkers?! Well yes, but that is besides the point. I know lift lines suck, people crash into people etc. But I like to look at the bigger picture. Mt Hood is part of our National FOrest system, a system to protect ecotsystems and natural environments for the health of wildlife and for our health (clean air, water all that good stuff). In the past MHM has not been the greatest of stewards in the world. They have been penalized for destruction of wetlands, and dare I say it, Meadows in the ski area. As many of you also know they are still trying to develop the Cooper Spur Area, part of the North Side of Hood, a beautiful and quiet area. If you have ever backpacked or hiked on or around the N. side you will understand how pretty it is, and how important it is. The Cooper spur area also serves as the drinking water for Hood River. Basically Meadows is trying to cash in now before global warming takes all of the snow away. So I beg and plead for you to not ask for expansion of meadows, including increased parking, overnight accomidations, and definitely not more lifts outside of the area. Having hiked the timberline trail around hood and had to hike under chairlifts in summer, I can tell you, it kinda takes the wild out of wilderness.

I now resume you to your normal Forcast, thank you

Snow Curmudgeon.

Tuesday, February 15, 2005

The sun is shining the birds are chirping, it can only mean one thing, it's May in Oregon! Wait, that's not right, what the hell?!?! When will this nightmare end? Based on the discussions included at the end of the report, not anytime soon. Sorry kids.

Sunday's skiing was ok, worth the drive. What I want to know is what gives with the racers? Those kids kill me. They make punk boarders look downright civilized, cutting in lines, taking up half of Shooting star, come on. But man I love those skin suits, where can I get me one of them?

Congratulations to Kim for getting in some riding yesterday. It always makes me happy to see one of our own get an enjoyable day on the mountain. Widh I could have joined joined you, but I gotta save those sick days for the "special" moments.

Keep your fingers crossed for the weekend, but I am skeptical. It is only a Slight POP (probability of precipitation), damn split upper trough is causing it all to go way north or way south. Read on for more:

Love,
SC

.SYNOPSIS...A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE OFF THE BC COAST WILL BUILD
INLAND OVER THE PACIFIC NW OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS...WHILE LOW
PRESSURE REMAINS ANCHORED OFF THE CA COAST. OFFSHORE FLOW WILL KEEP
THE REGION DRY THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK. A SYSTEM DROPPING SOUTH
OUT OF CANADA LATE IN THE WEEKEND BRINGS THE NEXT POSSIBILITY FOR
RAIN.
&&

.SHORT TERM...IR SATELLITE SHOWS UPPER LOW OFF THE CALIFORNIA COAST
AND UPPER HIGH OVER THE NE PACIFIC WATERS. SKIES OVER THE PACIFIC
NORTHWEST ARE CLEAR AND OVERNIGHT TEMPS COOL WITH DRY AIR IN PLACE.
LOWS REACHED INTO THE MID 20S IN THE LOW ELEVATION AREAS. SEE LITTLE
TO CHANGE IN THE SHORT TERM FORECAST AT THIS POINT SINCE DRY
CONDITIONS WILL REMAIN IN THE FORECAST FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS. LOOKING
FOR EAST WINDS TO INCREASE LATER TONIGHT WITH LOW PRESSURE ALONG THE
COAST AND HIGHER PRESSURE SINKING INTO E OREGON.

UPPER TROUGH CURRENTLY STRETCHED BACK TO THE SW FROM CENTRAL CANADA
WILL PULL E TODAY AS MODELS STRENGTHEN THE UPPER HIGH OFF THE BC
COAST...AND BUILD IT SE INTO THE REGION. LOW PRESSURE WILL REMAIN
SOUTH OF THE REGION...OFF THE CA COAST. THIS WILL KEEP THE RAIN WELL
S OF THE REGION. AS THE SURFACE HIGH BUILDS E OF THE CASCADES...
OFFSHORE FLOW WILL WORK TO MAINTAIN A DRY AIR MASS...WHICH SHOULD
PRECLUDE WIDESPREAD FOG DESPITE A DEVELOPING LOW LEVEL INVERSION.

.LONG TERM...NO CHANGES. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION FOLLOWS...
MODELS MAINTAIN A STABLE REX BLOCK THROUGH FRI...BUT BEGIN TO DIVERGE
SOME OVER THE WEEKEND. GFS AND ECMWF INDICATE A SYSTEM DROPPING S OUT
OF CANADA OVER THE WEEKEND...WHILE CANADIAN MODEL MAINTAINS A SPLIT
FLOW. NOT A LIT OF CONFIDENCE IN THE GFS SOLUTION GIVEN THE STABILITY
OF THE PRESENT PATTERN...BUT GIVEN THE SIMILARITIES TO ECMWF...WILL
NEED TO KEEP A LOW POP IN THE FORECAST FROM SAT NIGHT ON.

Friday, February 11, 2005

Greetings friends, worshipers and enemies (there are probably more of you in the latter than former huh?)

Welcome to the SNow Curmudgeon Sno Report for Saturday and SUnday February 12 and 13, 2005. First let me say happy lent, or maybe that isn't suposed to be a happy time? I want to let you all know that I gave up skiing on a decent snow pack for lent, what have you done to show appreciation for all Jesus sacrificed for our sins? Like the new skis I bought, talk about a sin this year!!!

Oh yeah the snow report, well I am going on a guess today, I am sure you have all seen the forcasts for up to 5 inches on Saturday and another 2-3 Saturday night, well I have a bad feeling about this one. For starters I just finished watching the Satellite images and there isn't a lot of moisture out there immediately, so I would not count on much coming in tonight. If you have been followign the forcast you will have noticed how a week ago it was supposed to rain today and tonight, now it is a slight chance of showers after Midnight. My money is on no precip before mid day tomorrow. As for tomorrow night, they seem to be backing off that storm a little each day, so I would not count on this one over producing. All in all by Sunday morning I would say nothing more than 3-4 inches total for Friday, Saturday and Saturday night. To make matters worse, I think the place will be a zoo, everyone is going up there. Oh yeah, the Slight Chance of SNow Showers for Tues-Thursday in the forcast, I think will be eliminated all together in a day or two to just partly cloudy, free air freezing level 11000 feet. so sad.

Sorry I know this isn't what you want to hear, but I am not the Snow CURMUDGEON for nothing. I do think the best snow will be outside the resort, especially on some N facing slopes, can we say Heather Canyon? So if you are on Shooting Star on Sunday you just might find SC hiking up and down Heather doing some laps. Who knows....If you want to hear good news call the meadows sno-fone, 503-227-7669. But what happened to Bart, I haven't heard him in weeks. They must have fired him. So sad.....we miss you Bart, RIP (Rip In Peace). ANd now the "official" forcast....

ORZ011-013-112300-
NORTH OREGON CASCADES-CASCADES OF LANE COUNTY-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...GOVERNMENT CAMP...PARKDALE...DETROIT...
SANTIAM PASS...MCKENZIE PASS...MCKENZIE BRIDGE...WILLAMETTE PASS...
OAKRIDGE
938 AM PST FRI FEB 11 2005

.TODAY...MOSTLY SUNNY. FREE AIR FREEZING LEVEL 9000 FEET LOWERING TO
8000 FEET IN THE AFTERNOON. PASS WINDS SOUTHEAST 5 TO 10 MPH BECOMING
SOUTHWEST 10 MPH IN THE AFTERNOON.
.TONIGHT...PARTLY CLOUDY EARLY...THEN MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A SLIGHT
CHANCE OF RAIN AFTER MIDNIGHT. SNOW LEVEL 5000 FEET AFTER MIDNIGHT.
PASS WINDS SOUTHWEST 5 TO 10 MPH.
.SATURDAY...SHOWERS EARLY...THEN SNOW SHOWERS LIKELY IN THE
AFTERNOON. COOLER. SNOW LEVEL 4000 FEET LOWERING TO 3500 FEET IN THE
AFTERNOON. SNOW ACCUMULATION 2 TO 5 INCHES. PASS WINDS SOUTHWEST 10
TO 15 MPH BECOMING WEST IN THE AFTERNOON.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF SNOW SHOWERS. SNOW
LEVEL 2500 FEET. PASS WINDS SOUTHWEST 10 MPH.
.SUNDAY...MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF SNOW SHOWERS. A CHANCE OF
SHOWERS IN THE AFTERNOON. SNOW LEVEL 3000 FEET. PASS WINDS NORTHEAST
10 MPH.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF SHOWERS. SNOW LEVEL
3500 FEET.
.MONDAY...MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF RAIN. SNOW LEVEL 5000 FEET.
.MONDAY NIGHT...MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS. SNOW
LEVEL 4000 FEET.
.TUESDAY...PARTLY CLOUDY WITH A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS. SNOW LEVEL
4500 FEET.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...PARTLY CLOUDY WITH A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS. SNOW
LEVEL 5000 FEET.
.WEDNESDAY...PARTLY CLOUDY WITH A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS. SNOW
LEVEL 5000 FEET.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...PARTLY CLOUDY WITH A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS.
SNOW LEVEL 5000 FEET.
.THURSDAY...PARTLY CLOUDY WITH A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS. SNOW LEVEL
5000 FEET.


SC

Tuesday, February 08, 2005

Part Two: Face shots and core shots; Snow Curmudgeon takes a sick day

What is that old adage, pity on he/she who has to work on a powder day? Well I would say that still holds true. Yes folks it was rippin on the mountain yesterday. They opened Cascade, which had been untouched all weekend. And old SC was lucky enough to lay some fresh tracks in some deep powder, unfortunately not deep enough all over to sufficiently cover the rocks, but I never said this season would be without casualties. The results: three core shots, but yet we had uncountable face shots. My cheeks are sore from smiling up and down the slopes all morning. Not only was the snow great but the views were stellar. One of the best days of the year, and not a single lift line. Not even once did I have to wait for a chair. Skiing the way it was meant to be, okay minus about 90” of base snow, but let’s not get picky people, when you have a season pass and it dumps you have to go. So for those of you who sat at your computer all day wondering where the Snow Report was, SHAME ON YOU!!!! SC is very very disappointed. Even being from Texas or some other Red state is no excuse. Worried about your gear? COme on there will be some great close outs in a month or two, just buy new stuff, stop being a wuss (Daniel that means you too) and go ski (or board) until you do, no more complaining! I even saw Spidey and Peter up there, and Tree was there in spirit ;)

So I am sure you are thinking: “Oh Snow Curmudgeon I am so sorry! How can I make it up? Is it too late? Can I call in sick tomorrow and regain some respect?” The answer: NO! All that is left are sloppy seconds, and nothing but gnar gnar. You will have to wait until next week…..maybe (see below)

Over and out

SC


NORTH OREGON CASCADES-CASCADES OF LANE COUNTY-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...GOVERNMENT CAMP...PARKDALE...DETROIT...
SANTIAM PASS...MCKENZIE PASS...MCKENZIE BRIDGE...WILLAMETTE PASS...
OAKRIDGE
946 AM PST TUE FEB 08 2005

.TODAY...MOSTLY SUNNY. FREE AIR FREEZING LEVEL 5000 FEET. PASS WINDS
EAST 10 MPH.
.TONIGHT...PARTLY CLOUDY. FREE AIR FREEZING LEVEL 5000 FEET. PASS
WINDS EAST 10 MPH.
.WEDNESDAY...PARTLY SUNNY. FREE AIR FREEZING LEVEL 6500 FEET. PASS
WINDS EAST 10 TO 15 MPH.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...MOSTLY CLEAR. FREE AIR FREEZING LEVEL 5500 FEET.
PASS WINDS EAST 5 TO 15 MPH.
.THURSDAY...MOSTLY SUNNY. FREE AIR FREEZING LEVEL 7000 FEET. PASS
WINDS EAST 5 TO 15 MPH.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...MOSTLY CLEAR. FREE AIR FREEZING LEVEL 6000 FEET.
.FRIDAY...MOSTLY CLOUDY. FREE AIR FREEZING LEVEL 8000 FEET.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF RAIN OR SNOW. SNOW
LEVEL 6500 FEET.
.SATURDAY...MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF RAIN OR SNOW. SNOW LEVEL
4500 FEET.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF RAIN OR SNOW. SNOW
LEVEL 4000 FEET.
.SUNDAY...MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF RAIN OR SNOW. SNOW LEVEL
3500 FEET.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF RAIN OR SNOW. SNOW
LEVEL 5500 FEET.
.MONDAY...PARTLY SUNNY WITH A CHANCE OF SHOWERS. SNOW LEVEL 3000
FEET.

&&
TEMPERATURE / PRECIPITATION
GOVERNMENT CAMP 39 22 41 22 42 / 00 10 10 10 10
WILLAMETTE PASS 38 18 41 19 42 / 00 10 10 10 10
Opening Day Take Two; Or How SC was saved by Snowboarders, not quite….

Well for those of you still paying attention to this supposed winter, you knew that Saturday once again heralded the opening of Mt Hood Meadows, and yours truly was there to witness it. By 9:30 am, the lot was almost half full. Daisy and Buttercup were running, while they were just getting the chairs out on Vista, with Cascade not even running. It was snowing off and on, but windy. Seeing the lack of lifts running, SC wisely grabbed his pack, skins, and avy gear and headed off into to BackCountry. OK not really the back country as I initially just skinned over to vista as got some first tracks on slopes there. It was nice ankle-calf deep powder, and light. After a few laps SC noticed that vista chair was running, hence time to boogey out of bounds. So off I went to some nice little slopes I know of just outside the rope. A SC secret if you will. I spent the rest of the day touring around there doing laps up and down a few slopes. Nice fun powder. A pretty darn good day, all things considered. As the day wore down it was time to head back to the car. I decided to take a run down the trees that I like that usually takes me out right behind Vista. When I came to an opening and couldn’t see meadows, I realized I had missed my intended trail. Back came the skins, and a traversing of some circumspect conditions (brush logs, a few cliffs) As SC wondered how far away he was a noise was heard in the distance….obnoxious music, ahhh the lot was close. So down I went, through the woods, a leap over a creek (I had to throw the skis ahead of me) and as I came out into the clearing what do you think I saw? The annex lot, completely empty save one Chevy Bronco, tailgate open, some loud rock blasting and two snow boarders sitting on the tailgate. As I come out of the trees one of them yells over to me and flashes the “hang loose” hand sign, or maybe it was the Texas long horns sign, which is also the sign of the Devil in some European Country, coincidence? I think not!

So you may imagine the experience changed SC’s opinions on Snowboarders, and allowed him to see some usefulness in the world, if for nothing else than a beacon upon which to guide others back to civilization. Well you imagine wrong, if that is civilization or salvation I would prefer to die a cold and lonely death (sounds like my nightlife no?).

Stay tuned for part two: Face shots and core shots; Snow Curmudgeon takes a sick day.

Friday, February 04, 2005

Huh...wha...(yawn), ah...what's that? Something just floated past the Mountain cam, white, small, kind of floating to the gound. Could....it....be.....no no better not even think about it. Can't get my hopes up again. I'm not looking, I'm not looking, not going to the forcast, must resist temptation, can't do it, get away from that mouse! stop that!!! No No I can't bare to see it.

ORZ011-013-042300-
NORTH OREGON CASCADES-CASCADES OF LANE COUNTY-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...GOVERNMENT CAMP...PARKDALE...DETROIT...
SANTIAM PASS...MCKENZIE PASS...MCKENZIE BRIDGE...WILLAMETTE PASS...
OAKRIDGE
943 AM PST FRI FEB 04 2005

.TODAY...A CHANCE OF RAIN EARLY...THEN RAIN OR SNOW LIKELY IN THE
AFTERNOON. SNOW LEVEL 6000 FEET...LOWERING TO 5000 FEET IN THE
AFTERNOON. SNOW ACCUMULATION 2 TO 4 INCHES ABOVE PASSES. PASS WINDS
SOUTHWEST 10 TO 20 MPH.
.TONIGHT...SNOW SHOWERS LIKELY. COOLER. SNOW LEVEL 2000 FEET.
ADDITIONAL SNOW ACCUMULATION 1 TO 3 INCHES. PASS WINDS NORTHWEST 10
TO 15 MPH.
.SATURDAY...MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF SHOWERS. COOLER. SNOW
LEVEL 3500 FEET. PASS WINDS WEST 10 TO 15 MPH.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...MOSTLY CLOUDY. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS. SNOW LEVEL 3000
FEET. PASS WINDS SOUTH 10 TO 15 MPH.
.SUNDAY...SNOW SHOWERS. SNOW LEVEL 2500 FEET...LOWERING TO 2000 FEET
IN THE AFTERNOON. PASS WINDS SOUTH 10 TO 15 MPH.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF SNOW SHOWERS. SNOW
LEVEL 1500 FEET.
.MONDAY...PARTLY CLOUDY WITH A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SNOW SHOWERS. SNOW
LEVEL 2000 FEET.
.MONDAY NIGHT...PARTLY CLOUDY. FREE AIR FREEZING LEVEL 4500 FEET.
.TUESDAY...PARTLY SUNNY. FREE AIR FREEZING LEVEL 6000 FEET.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...PARTLY CLOUDY. FREE AIR FREEZING LEVEL 7000 FEET.
.WEDNESDAY...PARTLY SUNNY. FREE AIR FREEZING LEVEL 8000 FEET.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...PARTLY CLOUDY. FREE AIR FREEZING LEVEL 9000 FEET.
.THURSDAY...PARTLY SUNNY. FREE AIR FREEZING LEVEL 9000 FEET.

&&
TEMPERATURE / PRECIPITATION
GOVERNMENT CAMP 38 27 32 26 28 / 90 60 70 40 90
WILLAMETTE PASS 39 25 34 25 28 / 40 60 40 40 70


Shit, I did it. Ok what do we have? Looks like we may get a few inches. Meadows seems to be opening. Hmmmm are you thinking what I am thinking? That's right, it's time to ski the trees! And by trees I mean the tops of those poor little 24" trees that are still sticking up through the pathetic snow pack. But what the hell, the skis are trashed anyway. See you on the slopes.

Jokes of the Day:

How many Telemarkers does it take to change a lightbulb?
50, each to turn once and then fall down.
How many ALpiners does it take to change a light bulb?
None, they're afraid of change and prefer to stay in the dark
What does a Vacuum and a Snowboard have in common?
They both have dirtbags attached!!!

Be safe out there

SC