June 16, 2019, Slate Peak novelty ski

My wife agreed to a Sunday drive to Hart's Pass with a lawn chair and a book,. I hoped that we would be able to drive to the top, where I could maybe car ski into a north facing bowl that holds snow on the opposite side of the ridge from the road, just before the lookout. I was able to drive to the first switchback beyond Hart's pass, which is just under a mile and a half shy of Slate Peak. Sara was happy to wait for a ski, but not excited to wait for a walk and a ski and another walk. Luckily, there was enough snow for a novelty ski roughly on the crest trail to the north of where I parked. We got stopped by a snow patch in the shaded part of the switchback. A little more than 2 feet deep and maybe 40 feet across. I was tempted to give it a run, but I thought better of that foolishness and turned around to park at the PCT trailhead.

It was really beautiful. Meadows are lush green. Still many flowers. I bet the road will be passable to the top in several days. Really, the walk to the ridge would have taken just a short time, but the point of skiing that bowl is that you don't have to walk!

Still a worthwhile afternoon. Its about an hour from Winthrop to Slate Peak. An exciting, pay-attention drive too. Sure would hate to meet oncoming traffic in just the wrong spot on that road!

Most of the road looks like this


The novelty patch with the lookout beyond


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