March 3, 2005, Diamond Peak Wilderness

What I have really missed this winter is the forest touring... For me, there's nothing like getting "lost" in old-growth forest that's buried in snow. If there are turns available, great, but if not the trip can, for me, still be very rewarding. With a good snowpack there are almost endless possibilities for exploring through such forested terrain, and each year I have expanded my knowledge of new areas.

I like turns, but I consider "skiing" to include more than just turns.

What Charles said in a post elsewhere pretty much describes most of the skiing I do, mostly at Willamette Pass area 1.5 hrs. southeast of Eugene. I went last Thursday starting at the sno-park at 5,000 ft. and because of the proximity to afternoon sun (or lack of proximity thereof) the snowpack has remained despite the dry weather. Up to Midnight Lake was ok but from there, where you pick up the PCT on into the Diamond Peak Wilderness, it was progressively better. I skied all the way to the unnamed peak adjacent to Mt. Yoran and by then the snow was deep and very skiable. Using my old Fischer GTS skis with cable bindings and Karhu Sirius boots (stiff but non-plastic), I was able to make a few turns here and there off the PCT when the opportunity presented itself. By the time I got to the peak it was getting late and I was solo so I stopped for lunch and did a couple quick turns before heading back. It's all gentle elevation gain on the way out so naturally heading back it was like 8 miles of tight tree-lined turns downhill all the way back to the car except for the last mile or so. I'm going back tomorrow (Tuesday) so I'll followup. I imagine some degradation has occurred but I expect it to still be skiable. There's at least three or four feet of snow way back there.  On Sat. me and the gf (on snowshoes) went to the backside of Diamond Peak via the Corrigan Lake trailhead at 5,000 ft. Unbelievable! There should be a couple feet of snow on the forest service road a mile or two from the trailhead but you could drive all the way up there! It was dry from the road up the  trail a couple miles! Eventually tho, the snowpack just suddenly was there and was good. We went several miles in, found some rocks to have lunch on and then I went another couple miles up. Afternoon sun warmed the hard snowpack up enough for some good corny tree skiing that's pretty steep. The snow varied from non-existent in exposed areas to two-three feet elsewhere. I used my shorter fatter old Kazamas for that. I didn't get above treeline which is around 7,000 ft. We're going back for some camping next Sat.!