December 23, 2011, North Side of Kendall

Headed up to ski the north side of Kendall on the 23rd — the north aspect had been holding snow better than anything else at the pass, and I figured Christmas Eve eve would keep the crowds manageable.

The ascent followed the standard ridge line. One other group was ahead of us on the skin track; otherwise quiet. Above treeline, conditions were typical for a late December thaw-freeze cycle — icy and crusty on the steeper sections that had shed the last bit of new snow, but not unpleasant on moderate terrain. You could move efficiently if you picked your line.

The descent from the ridge down to Kendall Lakes ran on solid crust with about five inches of wet snow on top. Not the most inspiring surface, but it held an edge and the base was uniform. No real slabiness anywhere and we watched for wind loading on the north-facing rolls and didn't find anything worth worrying about. Overall snowpack felt stable, no structural red flags.

Once into Silver Creek Basin, the lower slopes opened up and skied noticeably better. The wet snow softened as we dropped in elevation and gave decent purchase all the way down. Then the fog rolled in — it enveloped the valley fast, cutting visibility and giving the basin that flat-light quality that makes route-finding more interesting than it needs to be.

We retraced our ascent route back out.

The north side of Kendall rewards patience. When there's real new snow on the upper pitches instead of the crust-and-wet-snow sandwich we had, it's a quality descent into a quiet basin that most Snoqualmie crowds skip entirely. I've put together a broader guide to the backcountry terrain at the pass, including the Kendall zone, over at the Snoqualmie Pass backcountry skiing guide for anyone planning a first visit.

Watch for wind slab on the north-aspect rolls up high.