Easy Ridge Tours

This year most of my ski explorations will be with a 2 year old in tow in the sled I'm building. So, most of my ski explorations will change from the short and steep to the long and gentle type. As such, I have limited knowledge of what even to look for on a ridge tour.

I've targeted Kachess ridge as a good place to get started, but what else is out there? Not looking for exact routes, but some ideas.

Ideally, I am looking to use my fishscale skis with T3 boots and 3 pins, pulling a kid in a pulk. Other criteria I am thinking are:
- Low objective avalanche danger
- Good views (visibility dependant of course)
- Open terrain so we aren't skiing in a long green tunnel
- Moderately rolling terrain - with the sled + 3 pins I won't be busting out any steep skiing skills
- Bail out options should the kid decide she no longer wants to be there

Any ideas? How is skyline ridge or Mazama Ridge?

Mazama Ridge would be great for that.

If you use the standard method of going down road and then going up the river drainage from 4th Crossing, you'll probably be OK til about half way up hill, and from that point til crest it might get a little steep for about 250vf. You might need to do something else here like boot, or carry kid on shoulders, or something. But once on ridge proper you have miles of great terrain. There is also a way to get onto ridge from near Reflection Lake from bottom. This is gentler but obviously quite a bit longer, and it takes some luck/routefinding to avoid tight trees and steep spots in the trees so it might not be a win over just heading up from 4th Crossing.

If you hit conditions right (both road driving being still drivable and then having snow cover past gate), Mowich Road is good. Not exactly a ridge but actually offers good views thru trees and the end destination is very pretty in winter.

Sun Top lookout is OK. Need low snow line, and takes a little while for views to open up. Has a dedicated snopark.

Skyline Ridge (the one by Stevens) probably not as good. Better bet might be Smithbrook Rd to Rainy Pass (slight av danger here at times tho if you go past the Union Gap TH and to Pass).

Amabilis is OK, but often pretty crowded.

A lower Nason Ridge trail near Alpine Lookout was once groomed by snopark, but they had some logging operation that disrupted, not sure if they are doing that again. It doesn't go all up ridge but gets you high enough.

The Wenatchee Ridge road near the top of Blewett/Swauk pass sounds like what you are looking for. This is a voluntary closure area for snowmachines and follows the ridge, contouring around high points with great views of the Stuart range and eastern Cascades. On a clear day with fresh snow it can be breathtaking. It's and easy out and back to the SnoPark. There are lots of options for what you're looking for on the eastside. Even tours up the canyons can be nice because of more open forest and sparse vegetation.

- Low objective avalanche danger
- Good views (visibility dependant of course)
- Open terrain so we aren't skiing in a long green tunnel
- Moderately rolling terrain - with the sled + 3 pins I won't be busting out any steep skiing skills
- Bail out options should the kid decide she no longer wants to be there

Any ideas? How is skyline ridge or Mazama Ridge?

I like Skyline ridge and I have enjoyed skiing it every time I have been there, but I don't know if it would be pleasant with a sled. There is some sidehilling which I think would be tricky. Getting there is easy by following the cat track made by the phone companies, but the ridge itself it pretty narrow as you work northeast of Skyline Lake. It meets the other four criteria quite well though.

Mazama Ridge would be perfect I think. Pretty easy climb up to the ridge and it is nice and broad. I would say it meets all five criteria.

I second Aarron's reccomendation of Wenatchee Ridge road #800 -- pretty gentle and good views of the the Enchantments -- at least after you are a mile or so in.

Also I would reccomend against Mazama Ridge -- or any tour with non-totally trival descents until you have some experience skiing with the pulk.

I'd reccommend practicing on hills with some dead weight in the pulk to see how stable it is before attempting an hills or turns with the kid in the pulk.

You really really really don't want to roll the sled with the kid in it!! -- Even if they are strapped in securely.

I made a mistake like this when with my oldest was 18mo old and he was reluctant to ride for quite a while after that.

So start slow, see how it goes and build from there.

Also be sure to bring lots of warm cocoa, toys and games to keep the kid entertained.

One problem I had as well was that after the hour to hour and half ride in the car seat -- my kids were none to keen on getting strapped into another seat.

I'd reccommend choosing a spot that has a decent sledding hill at the trailhead -- so after the boring ride in the car the kid can run about and play until tired before riding in the sled. The giant Hyak/Iron Horse sno-park is ideal in this respect -- there is a sledding hill and heated rest rooms for the requisite diaper changing. If I had a little one again -- this is where I would start out. We never actually covered very many miles with any of my three kids in the sled -- but we did have fun times playing in the snow, sledding, building snowmen and having snowball fights (you are the target)

Whatever you do -- have a fun time with the kids.

Baker to climber's right of the Heather Meadows lodge, just out of bounds. There is a route with no avalanche hazard (IMO) that goes a fair way up toward Artist Point summer parking lot. To avoid sidehilling on the steepest part, go onto the edge of the groomed ski run just in bounds (lots of people do this and I have never seen any concerns by the patrol, stay along the edge of the trail). Leave at the BC gate to the right and head along the ridge with spectacular views. You come to a very steep pitch up, probably unsafe for a pulk, but there is a bypass around to the left. This is the only place on this route that could have some avalanche concerns depending on conditions. Above that, go gently up slope to AP parking lot or to Huntoon Point to the left. Or, just turn around at the base of the steep slope, a good kid-sized adventure.

When your child has had enough, duck in to the base lodge (open only on weekends) for hot chocolate. As a bonus, the tow at HM has historically been free (I hope it still is) so a few surface runs are available right there.

There is always a contingent sledding on to the lake below HM lodge, but it is pretty steep for small kids. Better is just up slope and climber's right of the HM lodge (past the beginning of Chair I). There is a groomed cat track that may or may not technically be in bounds but kids sled and tube there and it has never been a problem, just right for a 2-3 YO kid.

Another option from the same start is just to go out in the valley farther to the right (Bagley Lakes basin), mostly flat but very beautiful.