May 25, 2003, Silver Peak Basin
5/25/03
WA Snoqualmie Pass
2800
3
For those of you with an urge for one more quick holiday weekend day tour, the Cathrine Loop road to Olallie Meadow (FS Rd 9070) is open to just short of Twin Lakes trailhead. Continuous snow from there on up. Nice solid base (sun exposed is best except north facing in the trees which is fairly hard) with about two to four inches of nice corn and here's Skinut (Dorothea) with the proof:
No wet sloughs from sun heating... there was no Sun!! We were "on instruments" all day.
No wet sloughs from sun heating... there was no Sun!! We were "on instruments" all day.
Nice tip - thanks! I sort of forget about this area after Snoqualmie area has melted out, but the access was perfect - right from the car onto continuous snow. This was a great tour after two exhausting days of fairly intense yardwork (I feel like I just did a three-day backpack). There was a handful of parties enjoying the mostly sunny Memorial Day up there - some complained of mush or grabby snow, but our group had happy enough turns to justify yo-yo-ing the basin. I couldn't convince anyone in my party to try the waning snow strip that leads down toward Annette Lake from the summit ridge (a consistently steep line that looked like it has just enough snow to make it still worth it). Oh well, maybe next year...
Ron: I'm surprised your ski model isn't Mad Dog!
I'd like to do this trip on Saturday. How do I access the Catherine Loop Rd.? I know how to do it on X-C skis, but never been there in a car. Also, how long of a ski to the slopes from the car park?
It's always nice to see your reports. You guys are my "American Idols", going out every weekend. I've only got 17 more years until my kids are grown, or 5 more years until we all go "uphill skiing"!
Greg Lange
I'd like to do this trip on Saturday. How do I access the Catherine Loop Rd.? I know how to do it on X-C skis, but never been there in a car. Also, how long of a ski to the slopes from the car park?
It's always nice to see your reports. You guys are my "American Idols", going out every weekend. I've only got 17 more years until my kids are grown, or 5 more years until we all go "uphill skiing"!
Greg Lange
Mad Dog was out on sweety duty (a camping trip w/her family). Dorothea's lookin' good there, tho, don't you think?
Drop me an email and I'll get you out a reply with the gps tour track for this last tour and some directions on how to access the road.
Drop me an email and I'll get you out a reply with the gps tour track for this last tour and some directions on how to access the road.
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