Elk pass area: testing the sole
Trip date: Friday Dec 16, 2022
Submitted by MaSid
Particpants:
Discussion:
-12 to start at 9 from the elk pass lot and -9 on return at 4. Probably didn’t get much warmer than -15 in the meadows with misty clouds, no sun and a brisk wind in the morning. Felt like -20. West elk meadows had variable conditions, with ankle to knee trail breaking (LT gear) to the hydroline. Slow going trying not to sweat. Manky snow with a breakable buried wind crust and facets above and below. The road under the power line down to the hut has been plowed again with thin snow cover for skiers. Snow was not good for cutting blocks, so no snowfa construction today, just a tiny wind wall at the lunch log spot and some compaction at couch HQ. 2.5 ft of snow at the border. It’ll be even more rotten in another week unless we get some significant snow or winds to create another crust. Sunny on the way back through west elk. Returned via elk pass and hydroline to refresh the track through Patterson meadows. More mid-calf to knee leg presses. Piston bully was starting up elk pass on return to car.
The repaired sole delamination (using PL Premium construction adhesive) held up fine on day one of testing. Some learnings: 1) using too much tape for clamping May delay the air curing process. After pulling the tape (24 hrs) there was a small uncured section and had to wait another day to ski; 2) there will be squeeze out, tape appropriately and the excess can be carefully removed with a sharp knife; 3) given the above points together, allow for 2 days.