June 1, 2008, Fortune Mountain 7382'
6/1/08
3451
4
Access: Can now drive all the way to the Esmeralda Trailhead!
Approach: We walked on trail, open forest slopes, and patchy firm snow due N/NE to 5600 ft.
Skinned the "Big Southeast Bowl" to a couple hundred yards east of the top.
Continued, on snow (no need to take off skis at the top entrance to the bowl yet), to the summit which was in and out of a low cloud bank for the 45 minutes we were there.
The ski: Beginning East off the top with a half a dozen turns into Headlight Basin, we turned to the Southeast Bowl. The Bowl was somewhat sun cupped but less than yesterday. Due to our crack of 10:30 AM start at the TH, by the time of the descent we were sinking in anywhere from two to four inches. Still a great deal of fun! We were able to ski to about 5200 feet on the way down but I expect the last 400 ft. of vertical will be melted to patches before the next weekend. The bowl has lots of snow, as does Headlight, and the entrance on the east ridge from the one to the other should hold another week or so, I think. Not real photo weather but the first shot is the "objective", the second is what we saw of Stuart for those who are thinking of the couloirs (Ullrich's or Cascadian). The third is actually the creek crossing on the Red Mountain Trail from my Red Mountain trip of yesterday! Not a bad crossing just took a bit of H2O in the boots and got a bit tangled up.
Well, with gas prices the way they are, and great skiing up and down the Cascades for the past month, I stayed close to home for this sort of three week vacation I am on. Now it comes to an end as it's back to work tomorrow. It was a nice routine of ski-rest-ski-rest!
John
Approach: We walked on trail, open forest slopes, and patchy firm snow due N/NE to 5600 ft.
Skinned the "Big Southeast Bowl" to a couple hundred yards east of the top.
Continued, on snow (no need to take off skis at the top entrance to the bowl yet), to the summit which was in and out of a low cloud bank for the 45 minutes we were there.
The ski: Beginning East off the top with a half a dozen turns into Headlight Basin, we turned to the Southeast Bowl. The Bowl was somewhat sun cupped but less than yesterday. Due to our crack of 10:30 AM start at the TH, by the time of the descent we were sinking in anywhere from two to four inches. Still a great deal of fun! We were able to ski to about 5200 feet on the way down but I expect the last 400 ft. of vertical will be melted to patches before the next weekend. The bowl has lots of snow, as does Headlight, and the entrance on the east ridge from the one to the other should hold another week or so, I think. Not real photo weather but the first shot is the "objective", the second is what we saw of Stuart for those who are thinking of the couloirs (Ullrich's or Cascadian). The third is actually the creek crossing on the Red Mountain Trail from my Red Mountain trip of yesterday! Not a bad crossing just took a bit of H2O in the boots and got a bit tangled up.
Well, with gas prices the way they are, and great skiing up and down the Cascades for the past month, I stayed close to home for this sort of three week vacation I am on. Now it comes to an end as it's back to work tomorrow. It was a nice routine of ski-rest-ski-rest!
John
Brenda and I made a camp yesterday at the base of the southeast bowl at around 5800'. Good skiing there and in Headlight basin yesterday. Took a tour over to Ingalls Lake today. The approach from Esmarelda TH was a bit of a disappointment. With lots of snow on the trail I was sure we would be skinning all the way to camp. Wasn't to be. Those woods melt out so quick. Windy as hell last night with plenty of rain. Wind this morning, as well as the clouds which kept pushing through, had us hanging aroung camp until 10:00 am. Good skiing and a nice camp though.
author=md2020 link=topic=10216.msg41100#msg41100 date=1212379256]
Brenda and I made a camp yesterday at the base of the southeast bowl at around 5800'. Good skiing there and in Headlight basin yesterday. Took a tour over to Ingalls Lake today. The approach from Esmarelda TH was a bit of a disappointment. With lots of snow on the trail I was sure we would be skinning all the way to camp. Wasn't to be. Those woods melt out so quick. Windy as hell last night with plenty of rain. Wind this morning, as well as the clouds which kept pushing through, had us hanging aroung camp until 10:00 am. Good skiing and a nice camp though.
Ah, md2020, that was your tent. Great site! I've made a mental note of the spot!
John
after reading all the trip reports with socked in drizzle further west, I just had to gloat a little. ;)
Nice Schwacking!!! Looks like the skiing was fine, as well...
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