Friday, February, 05, 2010 Report – The 8th full report for the 09/10 year.
Caution: I’ve cut down on the extra links in this report. Most ski links are at my “General” XC Ski Page. However there may be a few that were only in the “weekly report”. You can access them in last year’s First Report through the Last report. See instructions on finding any report from 01 to 13.. ALSO previously I’d display the full hyperlink for many web pages. Now, most folks are aware that any blue underlined text is a hyperlink that they can click on to navigate to that page. The downside is that if someone printed out the report they’d not see the actual hyperlink. However I don’t think many folks well be printing out these reports.
Click here for the TABLE OF CONTENTS for the “Extra Web Data” not in the email. This upper section will be used for minor updates until the next report is prepared. New items are preceded with an *.
Friday, February, 19, 2010, 08:45 PM Minor Update:
I didn’t plan a trip this weekend but some have asked about conditions.
The William’s Cr. Report should be about the same as last week – good skiing in the shade and on the flats and probably semi crusty on the steeper open slopes. Temps were above freezing for a short time most every day. Go to the online version of this report for links to weather & snow.
It was warm on several days at the Lost Trail / Chief Joseph Pass area but not quite as bad. Mel Mooers’ ski report is for excellent skiing. CLICK HERE for the Chief Joseph report and scroll down to the January 22 report for links to current weather and snow. Also see the link for info on the Lost Trail Ski Patrol steak fry.
/s/ Cliff
Friday, February, 12, 2010, 04:00 PM Minor Update:
This is just a quick reminder on our planned trip this weekend.
Sunday, 02/14/10 Meet at the FS/BLM parking lot at 10:00 AM or the Shoup Bridge Campground at 10:10 for a trip to the William’s Cr area. Tentatively we plan to ski up the Buckhorn Trail and down Williams Cr. Tr. If we have time we might also ski the Meadow Trail.
Note: Blue or red underlined text in a web link. When
clicking on the following links or any link it’s sometimes necessary to do it
twice by hitting the refresh button or F5:
Based on the William’s
Cr Summit NOAA Forecast the snow on steeper slopes may be somewhat knarly.
With a forecast of 37 degrees for Sunday you’ll want to bring some “maxi-glide”.
The forecast shows highs of 32 for today & Saturday and 37 & 35 for
Sunday & Monday. One inch of snow is predicted for today and again tonight.
The Lost
Trail Pass NOAA Forecast is better, with highs of 25 & 27 for today
& Saturday and 29 for Sunday & Monday. One inch of snow is predicted
for today and 2” for tonight. The Lost Trail Ski Area report
showed 2” of new last night and 4” for the last 48 hours. CLICK
HERE and scroll down for an old report that has current links to Chief
Joseph Pass weather & snow conditions. Go to http://home.custertel.net/~ckeene41/xcskirpt.htm
for my on-line report with more links to William’s Creek weather & snow
conditions. (I’ll also post this there as an update.) As far as I know the ski
trails are about the same as in my previous report factoring in the warmer
weather. The NRCS
Lemhi Ridge 3 Hour Snotel Report shows 32” of snow depth settling from a
high of 35” on Feb. 6. Expect about 2 feet at the Meadow TH.
Click on http://missoulanordic.org/cgi-bin/snow_grooming/discus.cgi and scroll down to the Chief Joseph and Como Lakes sections to see the latest reports for those areas. I usually update the CJ report late Friday evening.
Previously I made a list of about 37 new trail signs needed for our William’s Cr. trail system. It looks like the Forest Service may get some grant money to buy these signs. I started a rough inventory of our current and needed signs which is available HERE. I’ll try to improve on this list and eventually get a map with the trail junctions.
The weekend is the Great Backyard Bird Count. Let’s get lots of reports from Salmon.
Another project that I worked on was to update my list of local wintertime cabins and yurts and instructions as to how to rent them. Generally these instructions will be helpful for those wanting to rent summertime government cabins and campgrounds too. The normal limit for reserving these cabins (and I think campsites also) is 6 months. For popular sites it’s necessary to plan to reserve then as soon as they become available.
Lastly there’s an Avalanche Training session at Hamilton and Lost Trail on Feb. 19 – 20.
Good Skiing, /s/ Cliff
Friday, February, 05, 2010, 12:55 PM
Cross Country Skiers,
You are currently on my Salmon XC Ski Mailing list. Let me know if you want off the list. If some of the links don’t work or to see minor updates please go to the web version at: http://home.custertel.net/~ckeene41/xcskirpt.htm
Planned Trips:
Caution – Trip 1 was missing in last report and Trip 2 has been changed from Saturday to Sunday.
1. Saturday, 02/06/10 Meet at the Stagecoach Inn at 10:00 AM for a trip to the Chief Joseph Pass area. Folks from the Bitterroot should plan to meet us at CJ at 11:00 AM. We plan to ski south on the Anderson Mtn. Road to the “meadow”. This will be suitable for well behaved dogs. Some will want to ski back on the Ander-Rich Trail and some will probably want to ski down Richardson Ridge. Some of those not skiing down can drive down. If you have a FRS Radio you might bring it.
Alternate Trip 1a: Sunday, 02/07/10. Bill Sweet is planning a ski out to Anderson Mountain. Those going all the way will ski about 12 miles. You’ll need to contact him to make arrangements per the following email: “(we plan a) Sunday trip out to Anderson Mtn. … If there are interested folks, call me (call Cliff Keene at 208-756-2085 for Bill’s number) for more info. If the trip happens, we'll meet at the CJoe parking lot about 10:00am and expect to return about 4:00pm. The NOAA weather report looks like 26deg/very little wind. Since it's an out and back trip, there is no vehicle shuttle required”.
2. Sunday, 02/14/10 Meet at the FS/BLM parking lot at 10:00 AM or the Shoup Bridge Campground at 10:10 for a trip to the William’s Cr area. Tentatively we plan to ski up the Buckhorn Trail and down Williams Cr. Tr. If we have time we might also ski the Meadow Trail.
Snow Conditions William’s Cr: Use the following links for William’s Cr. Trail Descriptions Trailhead Locations Trail Map and Trail Segment table. Also check out the NOAA William’s Cr Summit point forecast and the Lemhi Ridge Snotel. (The Snotel has been receiving somewhat more snowfall and about 6” more depth than William’s Cr. Summit this year. It’s also been reporting somewhat cooler temperatures, but it’s still a good gauge of conditions.)
Snow Conditions – There was about 26” of snow at the Meadow Trailhead last Sunday afternoon - about 5” less than at the Lemhi Ridge Snotel. We’ve received several inches more since then. All the more gentle trails are excellent and intermediate skiers shouldn’t have trouble on most of the trails. We have received several days with above freezing temperatures so conditions for making turns on the steeper slopes will vary. Good skiers with heavier equipment have been doing well. Lemhi Ridge Snotel often has depths comparable to William’s Cr Summit. The Snotel depth was 31” last Sunday, increasing to 34 and dropping back to 31.
Trail conditions: Ridge Road: Ample snow - conditions depend on snowmobile use. Wapiti Loop and Upper Meadow Trails (to “Rail Fence Clearcut) are generally excellent. The trail from the “Rail Fence” down to the “William’s Cr. Road Cutoff– Cougar Point Junction” and out on the Cutoff to the road and Lower Aspen Loop TH should be ok for intermediate skiers and strong beginners with assistance. This stretch is steeper so use caution. We also found that the trail down to Cougar Point was good but conditions can change so it’s not recommended for beginners. Watch for stumps. Buckhorn: Excellent up to “Big Meadow”. William’s Cr. Trail: Those skiing from the Ridge Road should use the more gentle by-passes, otherwise very good to excellent down to the Lower Aspen Loop, although one might still find a rock or stump on steeper areas. The William’s Cr trail below the Lower Aspen Loop to the Big Fir Trailhead is skiable, but not for beginners. There is a downed tree and quite a few rocks just before the trail crosses the creek. If one goes slow you should be able to avoid the rocks. There is also a steep stretch with rocks, where the trail follows an old road. Look for and take our tracks to the right to by-pass this steep section. Upper Aspen Loop: Excellent. The Lower Aspen Loop is now at least good and is the recommended terminus for the William’s Cr. Trail until we get more snow.
One can do an out and back ski on the North Moccasin Trail and can ski a little over ½ mile before the trail starts dropping steeply. One MIGHT be able to ski down to the big meadow and take the “North Moccasin Cutoff” to the left. The “normal” route down through the Meadow is not recommended due to a lack of snow. Sticks, stumps, and rocks were well exposed at the bottom. The Phelan Cr. Road 098 has not been plowed for awhile and although we did drive it with 4x4, with a little more snow it may not be drivable. Although there isn’t much room to park, one could park where the Deep Creek Road bears left. The “Cutoff” trail comes out on the right on road 098 (“Mine road”) in about ¼ mile.
The Upper Shoshoni Trail is now skiable, and the steep “telemark” section should be good for advanced skiers, although sun and wind can result in crusty conditions. The Lower Shoshoni Trail is excellent and makes a good short up and back trail. Only the Lower Shoshoni Trail is shown on the current map. Advanced skiers might consider the unmarked & un-mapped “Horse-Log Trails. Call me for info.
The Deep Cr Ridge / Mukluk Trail is now skiable. I recommend that most folks plan to ski this trail with a group of at least four people to share the trail breaking and to help in case someone is injured. This is not for beginners. It’s now quite well marked with blue diamonds, but I still think it’s not a trail to take unless at least one person has skied it before. By the way conditions were excellent on Tuesday. The trail and trailhead (TH) are not on the current ski map. The TH is about 1.5 miles past William’s Cr. Summit on the left. Advanced beginners could ski up from the Lower Mukluk TH (see my Trailhead table) and make some loops on the unmarked roads and trails in this area.
Snow Conditions Chief Joseph Pass: (CLICK HERE for my description of these trails.) See additional links above and also CLICK HERE for a map of the groomed trails.
Last Saturday snow conditions were excellent. We skied the old highway road that goes north from the (closed) Highway Rest Stop and hits the West Camp Cr. Road just north of the yurt at the base of Chairlift #3. There was a firm layer with about 4” of light snow on top. We later skied the same road that goes south down Moose Cr. and did well except for the section within the ski area.
The “Saddle Mtn.” Snotel (which is not on Saddle Mtn. but rather just northwest of the Ski lift # 1) showed 38” last weekend, increasing to 42”, settling to 40” and increasing again to 42”. We probably got about 8” of new snow since Sunday evening. Temperatures have been cooler here than at William’s Cr.
I’ll be posting a more detailed report of snow conditions tonight (Friday). Click on http://missoulanordic.org/cgi-bin/snow_grooming/discus.cgi and scroll down to the Chief Joseph section. Click on the Chief Joseph link. If you see an abbreviated report, glance at it, and scroll down to a full report with links to more information. Although the report may be a week or two old, all the links will give current weather & snow information. I normally update this report late Friday evening. So check Saturday morning for the most current report. Skate skiers might consider going up to CJ early on Friday’s. The groomers pack the trail in the morning and then set the classic ski tracks in the afternoon. Thus until they set the tracks these trails are usually good for skate skiing.
Lake Como:
The roads in the
Lake Como area are not skiable until we get more snow. With more snow this
would be the closest area groomed for skate skiing. The Lake Como access road
is about 3 miles past Darby. Turn left and drive a-ways up toward the dam.
Click on the Missoula Nordic link above and scroll to the “Como Trails” link
and see the latest report. Also see the two other links including the Ravalli
Republic article.
Skate Skiing Report:
I’ll be adding
more information to the on-line report which I will email to you in a few days.
Other Notices & Info:
“Anita Andrus at 756-4658 has XC Ski Equipment for sale. CLICK HERE for details”.
I’ve been asked for information on rental cabins. I’m updating a previous page at: http://home.custertel.net/~ckeene41/cabins.htm Check it for preliminary information. Many of the links need to be updated. Check back later to see if I’ve got it updated. I also hope to have the ski trips blogs finished by next week.
Also go to the on-line version of this report (link below) and scroll down to the “Other Web Links” section. There I have links to the “outdoor section” of four newspapers.
Check our the following Extreme Cross Country Skiing Link
My XC Ski Report (this page) is also on the web at: http://home.custertel.net/~ckeene41/xcskirpt.htm check back for updates.
/s/ Cliff
Word Count 1,599
End of the Email
TABLE
OF CONTENTS: (Click
on the following to jump down to that section. Hit the Back Button to return
here.)
1. PLANNED TRIPS: (See above)
2. PREVIOUS TRIPS:
3. Ski Trail Condition Reports: WILLIAM'S CR. TRAILS: ,
CHIEF JOSEPH - ANDERSON MT. ROAD
AREA:
4. MISC.:
5. AVALANCHE:
6. OTHER WEB LINKS:
INTRODUCTION: To better understand planned trips and previous trip reports, I encourage you to get three maps. Go to the A. INTRODUCTION Section of my Salmon Idaho Cross-Country Ski Web Page for Details.
The current ski report will always be, posted on http://home.custertel.net/~ckeene41/xcskirpt.htm.
If you want me to make changes on the email list, call me at 208-756-2085 or email me. You can get my email from the messages that I send to you or call me. Currently we about have about 80 on the list.
PLANNED
TRIPS:
See above.
PREVIOUS
TRIPS:
For a short description of each ski trip to date for the 2008-2009
season go to: http://home.custertel.net/~ckeene41/skitriprpt.htm
Scroll down, or click on the links for the latest and subsequent months
for the season. NOTE also that there are links to the reports for previous
years back to 2004.
SKI REPORT:
CHIEF JOSEPH - ANDERSON MT. ROAD AREA
Click Here for the Missoula Nordic Grooming Info page. Scroll down for my latest Chief Joseph Pass report. Also see the link to the Lake Como Trails. Go to my home page at: http://home.custertel.net/~ckeene41/ and follow the links to more XC Ski info.
Lost Trail Ski Area
OTHER
WEB LINKS:
Links not yet in "CLIFF'S SALMON IDAHO, CROSS-COUNTRY SKI PAGE:
Here's a link to a site that describes the TEN ESSENTIALS to carry on
the trail. He's added a few additional items:
http://www.isu.edu/outdoor/ten.htm
Some folks may want to do some
skiing in Stanley Basin or the Sawtooth Valley:
The following site has links to the summer recreation report (last updated in
September) and to some general info re winter recreation:
http://www.fs.fed.us/r4/sawtooth/recreation.htm.
The Outdoors Sections
of the Missoulian and the Ravalli Republic on-line newspapers
often have articles of interest.
CLICK HERE for
the Outdoors Section of the Missoulian On-Line. Check out the latest
Outdoors News Briefs.
CLICK HERE
for the Outdoors Section of the Ravalli Republic. Here are two examples
of some of their reporting. One is about Chief
Joseph Pass another about the Lost
Trail Ski Area and some recent changes. There was an earlier article
relating to the Lost
Trail Ski Patrol, another that relates to Nordic
Skiing including areas to skate ski, and another on snowboarding at
Lost Trail Ski Area called Battle
On The Border.
CLICK HERE for the Outdoors Section of the Butte Montana Standard Newspaper.
CLICK HERE for the Outdoors Section of the Boise Idaho Statesman Newspaper.
Here's an interesting link to some
history of ski (mountaineering) equipment:
http://www.alpenglow.org/ski-history/notes/ms/rei-catalogs.html
Here's Lou Binik's
"Foxwear" web site:
http://www.foxwear.net/. Be sure to copy
or type this correctly. "foxware.net", "foxware.com" and
"foxwear.com" are all different sites.
Tawna Skinner services cross country
skis and equipment.
She will also give cross country and telemark ski instruction.
Details are at: http://home.custertel.net/~ckeene41/TawnaXCski.htm
Pray for snow,
Cliff Keene, Salmon, Idaho
Initial Word Count 4,542 See email
section for partial update Date & Time.
Revised Count: 4,484 after minor edit on 03/24/07 added Email
only..
Previous Full Update: 02/15/2007 14:20 PM
Latest Full Update:
02/22/2007 21:25 PM
Minor Edit (see **): N/A.
