Mesahchie Tour

Five of us did a leisurely ski of the Mesahchie this Sunday. This has been on our lists for a while and was a bit of redemption for me after my partner and I tried a few years back, but had to retreat off ragged ridge due to warming conditions.

NOAA forecasted some precipitation on Saturday with below freezing temps during the night (W-NW winds). Sunday was expected to be cloudy during the morning with and sunny in the afternoon with temps maxing out in the low 30s. Mountain forecast, as always, was more optimistic with sun. So it looked like a go, with the hopes of enough warming for corn.

We left the car at 4:45 AM in trail runners to avoid any potential of warming on the ridge and give us plenty of time. We put on skis at about ~4,300 feet and skinned to the start of the incline up to easy pass. The snow was plenty hard so we used boot and/or ski crampons from ~5,300 feet until the end of ragged ridge. There was a bear track going up and down easy pass!

After taking a tumble down the cascadian a few years back on a sunny day, I've been nervous about exposed snow travel.  But found the ridge well covered and firm, making travel quick and easy. 

We arrived at the saddle a little past 10 and had a long lunch to let the snow on the Mesahchie glacier warm up a bit. The two drop-in spots still had snow, but were steep with some rocks/holes. We chose the skier's right one, which had an old booter and cleaner fall line. Three of us booted down the 15 foot steep section and two did a sit drop-in on skis. I imagine these entrances won't last two weeks with the incoming warming and may soon require a short rappel. 

The Mesahchie skied excellent with a bit of soft warm new snow on the firm base. Awesome 1,600 foot line!!

We did the easy skin up to Ragged view peak and then skied the saddle just east of the peak on firmer then expected snow. On hindsight, skiing the east facing slope just north of the peak, which was more sun affected, probably would have skied better.

We bushwack skied down to ~4,400, running into a bear and two cubs along the way. Then did an easy walk down open forest to Granite Creek. Granite creek was a bit of a bushwack with thick alder and devil's club and finding a cross over was a bit of a fight. Finally found a crossing with a scooch-able log further upriver! 1/3 mile back to the stashed car and back to the trailhead for stashed beer and pretzels at 4!

Overall, engaging and interesting tour. Would recommend. Camping in the Mesahchie basin and skiing a bunch of lines would make an awesome long weekend!!