Chinook Pass

Chinook Pass opened on Friday, so we took a walk around Naches Peak to get a feel for coverage and avalanche conditions heading into the big weekend. 

Coverage:

We were on skis from the parking lot and only had to take them off for one small carry over a bare patch of ground on the southerly aspects of Naches Peak. Coverage in the East Bowl of Naches Peak is more than sufficient. However, coverage is very aspect-dependent, overall. Most southerly facing slopes are bare ground. The PCT north appeared mostly snow-free until you start making your way into Sheep Lake Basin. We spotted patches of snow heading up toward Sourdough Gap from Sheep Lake. Conversely, the PCT south was snow-covered, starting at the bridge. Similarly, the hiking trails around Tipso Lake are fully snow-covered.  We did not head up Saddle Bowl toward Yakima Peak, but it looked like there was just enough coverage to make the ridge.

For those looking for coverage details at Cayuse Pass, it appears the the patchs heading up to Sheepskull are there, but it looks pretty thin in those areas.

Snow Conditions:

We found a variety of snow surfaces, all of them mostly soft. Some were too soft. Numerous small skier-triggered avalanches were observed in the East Bowl of Naches Peak. We triggered a few ourselves as we "peeled the onion" back with our skis on our descents. There were no signs of an overnight refreeze, but slopes in the shade were a touch firmer and were something approaching the consistency of corn in the midday hours. Skin tracks were easy to blow out anytime we sidehilled on the moist surface, and small localized piles of snow were easy to kick down as we traveled.

Multiple skier triggered D1 wet loose avalanches - mostly on easterly aspects