The kayak fishing season is right around the corner; if the weather continues like it’s been going we’ll be trout fishing in the backcountry lakes and smallmouth bass and walleye fishing in the Columbia in a couple weeks. Time to get the kayaks and fishing gear ready to go.
There is a new Kayak Fishing Wear webpage on the WatermanAtWork website to help you get out there as early as possible by suggesting the proper apparel for any kind of early season weather you might encounter.

Check out the Kayak Fishing Wear page and get a jump on the early El Nino spring fishing season.

Was looking forward to a solid week of snowboarding with cold temps and new snow; unfortunately; the snow arrived with blustery winds that closed down the top of Mt. Hood Meadows Monday and Tuesday. With more than half the mountain closed; it’s not really worth the drive up for a few inches of new snow.
Will try to get a bike ride in today; there is a little snow here at 2000′ but it should melt off by early afternoon.
Hoping the wind dies down for tomorrow; pretty good snowfall predicted for tonight; might have to go tomorrow; no matter what the conditions are.

It was another beautiful day for snowboarding. My long-time snowboard bud; Don S finally got a chance to get up to the mountain for a little shredding.
After a few runs down the groomers off Cascade; we decided to have a look at Heather Canyon. Not really ideal conditions; but Don doesn’t get up here that much, so we decided to take a little run through the Private Reserve.
Once again; not ideal conditions and soon enough we were at the cliffs at the edge of the Reserve. The snow was hard and slick; very unforgiving, to say the least. We had to negotiate a nearly vertical cliff covered with hard, slippery snow.

Very sketchy and dangerous conditions. We got out of our boards and started to carefully inch our way down the fallen trees and hard snow. One mistake would mean real trouble. A couple minutes after advising Don to “take baby steps” and be “extremely careful”; I slipped and started sliding down a nearly vertical cliff on the hard snow. I tried to grab onto bushes on the way down to slow my slide but hitting the bushes ripped the snowboard from my grasp as I picked up speed heading down the cliff.

I finally was able to grab a bush and hang on before I hit the creek at the bottom of the cliff and some pretty big trees. It was quite the adrenaline rush; serious injury was a real possibility here. My hands were shaking and I was a little beat up and dazed. Don slid down the cliff and grabbed my board out of the bushes. I was able to regain most of my wits and take the photo below of Don styling down the Creek Chute.

As we made our way out of the Reserve; there was one more reminder of how serious things can be here. The photo below is Don sitting below a very recent avalanche that had come down the Reserve cliffs. Serious business for serious backcountry snowboarders.

Little sore from the cliff body surfing right now; but I’ve got the weekend to rest up and I’ll be back up on Monday.

The unpredictable PacNW weather is living up to it’s reputation recently. Snow, rain, sun, mild and cold; we’ve seen it all; and in only a few days. In the photo below you can see a storm front approaching Mt. Hood from the southwest; clouds engulfing the mountain peak.

Today was a spectacular day; at least for a few hours. The view from the Cascade lift shack was awesome; clouds floating in over the fresh snow; illuminated by brilliant sunshine.

After a bit of a snow drought and even a little rain; there was a couple inches of fresh snow; a little more in the wind pockets.

If you knew where to look; there were great runs to be had.

Today was a beautiful late winter day; sunny with white, fluffy clouds floating in and out of the valleys.

Most of the snow at this elevation has melted and it’s starting to look a lot like spring.

I rode on roads and trails that are rarely used and lead to the most remote parts of the county.

I have seen bears a couple times riding out here and I know there are cougars so you have to keep an eye on the woods on the sides of the trails and roads. I did not see any bear tracks in the soft, wet dirt so they might still be hibernating.

This past week has seen some uneven weather. A sad mix of rain and wet snow has made snowboarding a hit and miss situation. One day there is 4-8″ of fresh pow, the next day it is raining.

They’ve hit 100″ at Mt. Hood Meadows, but it really doesn’t look like any major winter-type snowstorms are going to happen; the freeze level has been really high; no chance for the epic spring we had last year when there was one powder day after another in March.
El Nino has a firm grip on the weather this year.

Well, the beautiful, late winter bluebird days have come to an end. The nice weather is great; but everyone pretty much wants more snow; looks like we are going to get it. This photo of Mt. Hood was taken on the drive up to Mt. Hood Meadows; two hours later, the peak was covered with clouds and it was snowing.

Looking for a foot of snow here in the next few days. Snow on the mountain; rain in The Gorge; good for everybody.

The persistent El Nino is still causing springlike weather in the Cascade mountains.

Mild temperatures, clear blue skies and spring snow conditions make for more great groomed run carving.

No lift lines meant plenty of high speed carving.

Back up again tomorrow for one more day of sunny groomers, then it looks like a late winter storm will bring more much needed snow to the mountains.

The strong El Nino conditions have brought much warmer than normal temperatures here in the Pac NW. El Nino hasn’t stopped the rain this area is well known for; until today. The weeks of rain finally came to an end and the sun actually came out. It may only stay that way for a few days; but it’s enough to get the first mountain bike ride of 2010 in the books.

Plenty of downed trees that give the trails a different look than last year. You don’t take the downhills quite as fast for the first few rides.

It’s good to be back on the trails again; even if they are a little soggy.

We have the unique opportunity now to go snowboarding and ride mountain bikes in the same day. We’ll start doing that tomorrow.

Another beautiful sunny day at Meadows.

Always great to be on the first chair.

All lifts were open, great groomers off all the chairs and no lift lines today. Sweet!