chic chocs

[Dan9]

Originally Posted by MadPatSki

Chile in July? Too early and too many pesos for Chile in July.

I first need to get my April turns, before worrying too much about July turns.

^^^ this, is $$$ quote right here!!!

Yep, trying to find April turns that won<t leave my meniscus a mess, is challenging! Hope winter comes back and hammers us with snows

[PWDR8S]

July? Hop on Southwest to Seattle and make your way up to Mt Baker. I would bet that a few others in the state would still be open considering how much snow they got.

I'm seriously considering it this year. Visit my bro in Seattle and go ski on the 4th and then hang out on a boat flotilla for the 4th festivities. Got the invite a couple weeks ago because "A visiting brother is a 'hall pass' from the wife to do whatever and anything! So get your a$$ out here!"


Snow, snow and more snow

So, Mt. Baker resort has the great honor of having the record for the most annual snowfall ever. Like, in the world ever. How much? Next time you're on the 9th floor of a building, look down... yep, about that much - 95 FEET. What's this mean? That when you head off to Mt. Baker you are going to find some of the most amazing conditions on the planet. Snow on even the steepest, craggiest terrain. You'll get a long season and a variety of runs to make sure you never get tired of it all.

[Dan9]

winter storm warning in Gaspe right now. Some lucky folks are going to score some DEEP POW TURNS this Easter, in the East!!!
But not me

[Lftgly]

I usually jump right into recent trip reports for a quick look, and missed your post in the Roll Call forum- we must have crossed paths, I am interested in what you found, feel free to tack onto my TR thread:
http://timefortuckerman.com/forums/s...ad.php?t=14932

[tylertray]

yeah, that's a bummer. Saw your post - will comment when i have some more time this week. Got some video i need to finish editing. THe key for the week for me was "hiking boots". We made some memorable turns, some in spots where you were, and definitely "kissed" a few rocks too. What an awesome place, too bad most of it was roasted!

[Lftgly]

Quebec is the second time in the last month that I just missed skiing with you. I was about 2 hours behind you going up ART to Oakes Gulf on Sunday, March 11:
http://timefortuckerman.com/forums/s...ad.php?t=14871

[midatlantico]

Shall we resurrect Les Chic Chocs for 2013? I will be there Feb 9-11 and looking for other skiers/splitboarders to join. PM if interested.

[gpetrics]

Originally Posted by midatlantico

Shall we resurrect Les Chic Chocs for 2013? I will be there Feb 9-11 and looking for other skiers/splitboarders to join. PM if interested.

oh really?

hmmm... there was some discussion amongst a ski group i chat w/ sometimes about making an express weekend journey up there to get some skiing in feb 9-10, and be back in time for work on monday in VT

where are you staying? roadside or in the backcountry? and do you have space for 2? and do you want ski partners?

we will of course pay whatever our fair share is for housing. can pay USD or CAD

[Lftgly]

I am thinking seriously about it, because there's not much if any snow left here on the WestSide of the not-so White mtns for backcountry tours. I skied at Cannon yesterday and was surprised at the loss of snow even at 4000 ft el. I am not sure they have any better conditions in the Haut Gaspe, either. I've been reading their avy report, and the skiing conditions sound as bad as the Mt washington avy report
You can subscribe to their English snow bulletin here:
http://www.centreavalanche.qc.ca/abonne.htm
It's not a bad 14hr drive from franconia, if the weather is dry & clear.

[Lftgly]

On second thought, after reading today's avy report, I'm not going to drive 14 hours for conditions similar to New Hampshire.

http://www.centreavalanche.qc.ca/bul...ulletin_en.php
Avalanche Activity : Two size 2 wet slabs avalanches have been observed on NE slopes in the alpine on Mont Albert. A size 3.5 slush avalanche has also been observed on Mont-Albert. Debris are huge (2-3 m deep, 20-40 m wide and many hundreds of m long). All those avalanches have happened during the thaw and rain episode on Januray 30 and 31.

Snowpack : Few cm (2-5) of cold snow is covering the February 1 rain crust which can be found at all elevations and on all aspects. In the alpine and at treeline, on windward W slopes, the surface in icy and traveling can be hazardous. In general, the rain crust supports the weight of a skier.

[midatlantico]

The forecast is calling for 5-15 cm (it's snowing right now) and another clipper on Saturday. I skied the Cat Trail and Long Trail up to the summit of Stratton on Friday and it was just enough snow to allow the skins to grip -- I am hoping/expecting better by the time I hit the trail on Friday at the Chic-Chocs.

In any case, I am 100% going as I have flights booked and stuff -- us mid-atlantic flatlanders don't have quite the same luxury of driving as New Englanders.

Anyone is free to PM me if they want to meet up at any point over the weekend.

[QUOTE=Lftgly;158868]On second thought, after reading today's avy report, I'm not going to drive 14 hours for conditions similar to New Hampshire.

[Lftgly]

The photos above are from one of many photo albums posted by Centre d’avalanche de la Haute-Gaspésie, which are updated frrequently

"Chic Chocs's Gallery"
https://picasaweb.google.com/114546997406616232279

Have a great trip! Should be better snowcover than when I went last April, and I still had a good time.

[Lftgly]

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Club-d...07257929303610

January 31: "Unfortunately with the present conditions of the ski slopes we are obliged to close the club.."

[Dan9]

they ought to open back up again in time for another 100cm dump or two. Sadly lowtide since the big thaw up there but, I took a look at the sidecountry and backcountry terrain around Murdochville in person in the fall - in the 10 days I was up there, to mid-October, it must have snowed like 5 times. A lot of wind though and now a couple of deep ice crusts - I will probably wait until spring conditions to ride some of the steep stuff I saw. It's a very scenic drive, when you get past Sainte-Anne-des-Monts, the road along the river is AMAZING.

[midatlantico]

They definitely have more snow cover than that in the national park and réserve faunique. I skied this past Friday, Saturday, and Sunday up there. Unfortunately the lack of fresh snow meant icy crust above treeline, though below treeline there were some powder stashes. First trip and wow that place has a LOT of awesome mountains to ski. I did Champs de Mars, Lyall, and Hog's Back. Albert looks simply epic and I didn't even get as far as Mines Madeleines. Very anxious to go back with better conditions.