Feb 13, 2011, Union and Jove Peaks
2/13/11
2758
1
Quick condition report if anyone is going out Monday. Approach via Smithbrook Road to the switchback at 3 mi and then up the southern rib of Union skirting the numerous granite outcrops and windrolls to where it meets the east ridge at 5200'. Not bad going overall. On the east ridge to the top pole depth was up to 16 inches! About 8" inches very light new over 6" to 10" of variable older dense snow from early last week. Trail breaking was a bit slow if not in the drip zone or wind scoured areas.
Skied the NW slope of Union bearing slightly skiers right off the summit to avoid the mid slope cliff band. Very dry new snow all day long on these shaded aspects. It took us a while to get our tele balance down due to the lack of any base. Skied to 4400 feet and then ascended the SW side of Jove connecting with the south rib for the final 400 vertical to the summit. Run W/NW off Jove was great with a bit less depth to deal with due to some wind scouring. Fun run to 4300 feet just above Lake Janus. Only time we ever sank to crust was in the denser trees.
Our route out was a long trailbreak south along the route of the PCT from Lake Janus back to Union Gap. We stripped skins at the gap and traversed high and downhill leftward onto the big steep clearcut slope below the east ridge of Union, crossed the upper road and descended to the lower road out about where the uphill gradient portion ends. This luckily gave us an all downhill route to the car. The south facing slope was already getting a thin crust on it from sun exposure earlier in the day. The slope also had several significant wet slides originating as point releases off the rocks and trees above. These got sizeable, one crossing the road, and were fifty to a hundred feet wide and several feet deep by the bottom at the road. This slope seems to do this a lot after a good snowfall followed by hot sun. Things were refreezing by the time we went through at 4:30PM. Only other note: trees began to drip pretty well below 5000 feet on south and southwest aspects in the afternoon.
Skied the NW slope of Union bearing slightly skiers right off the summit to avoid the mid slope cliff band. Very dry new snow all day long on these shaded aspects. It took us a while to get our tele balance down due to the lack of any base. Skied to 4400 feet and then ascended the SW side of Jove connecting with the south rib for the final 400 vertical to the summit. Run W/NW off Jove was great with a bit less depth to deal with due to some wind scouring. Fun run to 4300 feet just above Lake Janus. Only time we ever sank to crust was in the denser trees.
Our route out was a long trailbreak south along the route of the PCT from Lake Janus back to Union Gap. We stripped skins at the gap and traversed high and downhill leftward onto the big steep clearcut slope below the east ridge of Union, crossed the upper road and descended to the lower road out about where the uphill gradient portion ends. This luckily gave us an all downhill route to the car. The south facing slope was already getting a thin crust on it from sun exposure earlier in the day. The slope also had several significant wet slides originating as point releases off the rocks and trees above. These got sizeable, one crossing the road, and were fifty to a hundred feet wide and several feet deep by the bottom at the road. This slope seems to do this a lot after a good snowfall followed by hot sun. Things were refreezing by the time we went through at 4:30PM. Only other note: trees began to drip pretty well below 5000 feet on south and southwest aspects in the afternoon.
Nice turns! Good know other options around Jove.
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