Jan 30-Feb 1, 2009, Scottish Lakes High Camp
1/30/09
WA Stevens Pass
2766
7
Took a break from riding lifts for our annual trip to these cool cabins at about 5000' 11 miles ESE of Stevens Pass.
Thu: Got snomo-ed in about 9 PM.
Fri: Very warm, but there was protected, uncut snow on the steepish Wild Bill Hill behind the cabins. 4 laps plus a bit down the S side to Chiwaukum Creek. I started a pit on the S slope but it was jackhammer-hard; nothing would have slid except a falling skier. Coverage looked sparse.
Sat: Temps. had plunged to about 21 and there was a bit of snow overnight. Dust on crust, or blown away in any spot that had wind exposure. Did a flattish tour to Loch Julius, and a ways up to Loch Eileen, before we turned around. You'd need an earlier start to get to the higher lakes, but there are good bowls and faces on most aspects.
Sun: I took another lap on Wild Bill before breakfast, then we found some low-angle sheltered stuff on Powderpuff. The staff hauled all our junk out while we skied down to the Midway station. Snow low was bad: hard frozen with logging slash poking up. We stayed off anything steep because my buddy had just bought my old K2 Heli Stinx (it was like selling my first puppy :-(, but I wanted cash), his boots barely fit the bindings, and a spill would have sent us a long way into trees and cliffs.
Nice facilities, mostly low-angle touring unless you go a ways, but one of WA's few BC hut options. Hope it resumes snowing soon.
Thu: Got snomo-ed in about 9 PM.
Fri: Very warm, but there was protected, uncut snow on the steepish Wild Bill Hill behind the cabins. 4 laps plus a bit down the S side to Chiwaukum Creek. I started a pit on the S slope but it was jackhammer-hard; nothing would have slid except a falling skier. Coverage looked sparse.
Sat: Temps. had plunged to about 21 and there was a bit of snow overnight. Dust on crust, or blown away in any spot that had wind exposure. Did a flattish tour to Loch Julius, and a ways up to Loch Eileen, before we turned around. You'd need an earlier start to get to the higher lakes, but there are good bowls and faces on most aspects.
Sun: I took another lap on Wild Bill before breakfast, then we found some low-angle sheltered stuff on Powderpuff. The staff hauled all our junk out while we skied down to the Midway station. Snow low was bad: hard frozen with logging slash poking up. We stayed off anything steep because my buddy had just bought my old K2 Heli Stinx (it was like selling my first puppy :-(, but I wanted cash), his boots barely fit the bindings, and a spill would have sent us a long way into trees and cliffs.
Nice facilities, mostly low-angle touring unless you go a ways, but one of WA's few BC hut options. Hope it resumes snowing soon.
I have always wanted to check out those facilities since I first heard about them 20 years ago or so. I also heard that we might be crossing paths with you nearby in a week or so, Telemack.
Glad you made the most of the conditions Mack, I am quite jealous nonetheless. And yes, please let it snow.
Chris
Chris
Good to hear you got in Mack.
What are you going to replace you Heli Stinx with?
I imagine that you have your mind on something.
What are you going to replace you Heli Stinx with?
I imagine that you have your mind on something.
There's still folks out there that will buy Heli Stinx? I have a pair of 190's with some Dyna Fit bindings I would sell.
Garth: Our friend Doug skis alpine, but for BC only did Alpina cross-terrain skis with leather boots; even with those on his feet the Helis were a huge upgrade and all he'll need until well after he steps up to a plastic boot.
Snowby: The Heli Stinx were my #4 ski, and I've never ridden them when we've toured together. I have 2-4 newer pairs depending on how you count.
But it has crossed my mind that I now need a cross-terrain waxless, and/or an ultralight summer volcano-tele board, and/or a super-fat stick like the Megawatt or a Voile...you get the idea.
Then I would need 2 new pairs of boots. ;)
Snowby: The Heli Stinx were my #4 ski, and I've never ridden them when we've toured together. I have 2-4 newer pairs depending on how you count.
But it has crossed my mind that I now need a cross-terrain waxless, and/or an ultralight summer volcano-tele board, and/or a super-fat stick like the Megawatt or a Voile...you get the idea.
Then I would need 2 new pairs of boots. ;)
Hey, I was there too. We were the couple in Larkspur. My wife made the Mac n Cheese.
We ended up connecting wind protected patches over by Wedding Pt on down to Midway (with wind assisted traverse in in between) on Sat, followed by snowmobile shenanigans with the boys.
Skied all the way out on Sunday by staying along the ridge from the top of Wild Bill, foolishly scraping down Sideburn and then pushing our way along Coulter Creek back to the lot. Coulter Creek was filled with berms cut out by the floods, many of which sent us cartwheeling as we hit them at high speed. That completed our quest to ski all the routes back to the lot (the road, Coulter, and Bob's) and I think that in terms of fun (the flying through the woods on the edge of control fun) the road is still the best. Coulter would be more fun with good packed snow, but otherwise it is just too flat. Bob's has some nice pitches but gets pretty brushy.
btw, if you ever go back .. there is a quicker route to the alpine via McCue Ridge. Basically you go up Wild Bill and hug the ridge until it gets really narrow and steep, then look for a J shaped tree on the right where you can traverse out and up into the larch meadows above Lake Donald. Then you ski back down to Julius on the skiers left side of ridge between Donald and Eileen. Still a long way, but doable.
We ended up connecting wind protected patches over by Wedding Pt on down to Midway (with wind assisted traverse in in between) on Sat, followed by snowmobile shenanigans with the boys.
Skied all the way out on Sunday by staying along the ridge from the top of Wild Bill, foolishly scraping down Sideburn and then pushing our way along Coulter Creek back to the lot. Coulter Creek was filled with berms cut out by the floods, many of which sent us cartwheeling as we hit them at high speed. That completed our quest to ski all the routes back to the lot (the road, Coulter, and Bob's) and I think that in terms of fun (the flying through the woods on the edge of control fun) the road is still the best. Coulter would be more fun with good packed snow, but otherwise it is just too flat. Bob's has some nice pitches but gets pretty brushy.
btw, if you ever go back .. there is a quicker route to the alpine via McCue Ridge. Basically you go up Wild Bill and hug the ridge until it gets really narrow and steep, then look for a J shaped tree on the right where you can traverse out and up into the larch meadows above Lake Donald. Then you ski back down to Julius on the skiers left side of ridge between Donald and Eileen. Still a long way, but doable.
Good info, thanks. I'll look it up before our '10 trip. Do you have that same weekend for next year?
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