Feb 6, 2011, Eightmile Lake Environs
2/6/11
1453
2
Justin, Dave, Jake, and I had high hopes of finding some higher elevation powdery snow up the Icicle in the Eightmile Lake basin on Sunday. There is so much potential on all aspects in this valley that I finally relented and allowed those guys to convince me that the 13 mile RT approach to the lake would be worth the effort.
Mountaineer Creek road is still skiable minus one short 100 foot carry in the drip zone of some big pines. A well beaten snowshoe/ski track followed the summer trail to Eightmile Lake. Here the fog ceiling was a meager 500 feet above us and the snowpack at 4600 feet looked pathetically thin. We followed the south lakeshore to the bottom of a big 2500 vertical foot north facing gully, bowl, avy runout. Dead north facing, we knew from years past that this slope has potential to be amazing (see JWPlotz prior TR's for beta). We turned the corner of a point on the lakeshore and wala: What? Here's the f-ing snow? 6 feet deep alder over 6" snow--I am not exaggerating. How is this possible on a north slope at 4600 feet?
Oh well, nothing like a scary frozen trail ski in a 2 foot deep snowshoe trench to round out a day of NO turns! Such a beautiful place, and the approach went easier than expected. But don't bother for this year unless you like snowshoeing, or touring, to a rather pretty Alpine Lakes Wilderness lake just for the views and solitude! OK, honestly, this is a pretty valley tour for those who don't live by the turns! As I said above, any other winter and there is so much potential up there.
Pic 1: the unwelcome discovery
Pic 2: longing for a deeper snowpack, ah, the potential!
Pic 3: Retreat in great coverage!
Mountaineer Creek road is still skiable minus one short 100 foot carry in the drip zone of some big pines. A well beaten snowshoe/ski track followed the summer trail to Eightmile Lake. Here the fog ceiling was a meager 500 feet above us and the snowpack at 4600 feet looked pathetically thin. We followed the south lakeshore to the bottom of a big 2500 vertical foot north facing gully, bowl, avy runout. Dead north facing, we knew from years past that this slope has potential to be amazing (see JWPlotz prior TR's for beta). We turned the corner of a point on the lakeshore and wala: What? Here's the f-ing snow? 6 feet deep alder over 6" snow--I am not exaggerating. How is this possible on a north slope at 4600 feet?
Oh well, nothing like a scary frozen trail ski in a 2 foot deep snowshoe trench to round out a day of NO turns! Such a beautiful place, and the approach went easier than expected. But don't bother for this year unless you like snowshoeing, or touring, to a rather pretty Alpine Lakes Wilderness lake just for the views and solitude! OK, honestly, this is a pretty valley tour for those who don't live by the turns! As I said above, any other winter and there is so much potential up there.
Pic 1: the unwelcome discovery
Pic 2: longing for a deeper snowpack, ah, the potential!
Pic 3: Retreat in great coverage!
Why I remember way back in the winter of 2010 when the snow covered most of that alder! Glad you were the guinea pig for this tour, but sucks you had to find out the hard way. Thanks for posting, John!
Good skiing to be had in this area for sure. I skied the line in your second picture earlier in the year. Highly recommended if you are willing to work for it. Endless potential if you're willing to go even further.....
Reply to this TR
Please login first: