Jolly Mountain slush fest -- May 4, 2008

Weaver and I made the big slog up to Jolly Mtn on Sunday, via Burgdorfer's route.  There were about two feet of snow in most places near the TH.  Only had a couple of very short carries over bare patches, but otherwise skiied the entire route from/to the car.

Wet snow and fairly high avy danger; set off a bunch of pinwheels on the few steep sections, one of which rapidly turned into a monster-truck-tire-sized thing, before crashing into a tree.  But overall this wasn't/isn't too much of an issue for Jolly Mtn, since it's practically a cross country type tour; just a loooong slow ascent. 

Couldn't see any volcanoes from the summit cause of clouds in the far-southern skies, but we got stellar views of Mounts Stuart, Daniel, and a whole bunch of other big beautiful rocky snowy things.

We only saw one other party the entire day, a group of about eight snowshoers and their three dogs.  We enjoyed the use of the trail (er, superhighway) they'd paved through the mank.  I got to thinking .... "hmm, with all those skiers who gripe and complain about snowshoe prints in their skin tracks€¦ I wonder how many of those people do just the opposite; do what we're doing now."



None of the downhill shots turned out well but here's a few of the others...


First view of Jolly, from when (FINALLY!) up on the ridge top:


Paul nearing the summit:


Stuart from the summit of Jolly:


A few more pics here.