Home > Trip Reports > Nov 6, 2005, Road 800, Swauk Pass

Nov 6, 2005, Road 800, Swauk Pass

11/6/05
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Posted by Larry_R on 11/7/05 3:50am
Here's a brief TR for Road 800 off Swauk Pass. This is tour #51 in the older Spring/Kirkendall Cross Country Ski Tours - Washington's North Cascades. A certain J.E.M. and I had a good hunch that Sunday would be a great for a day day ski on Road 800. We guessed right. Wonderful light snow, no tracks (except those of the deer and elk) and nice weather. Maybe 5 or 5 inches at the car, and up to 14 - 16 inches further down the road.  This is a road ski most of the way, so take your skinny skis. I got out some old 215 Bonnas with the mica flakes in the base. They tuned out to be quite fast - at least when skier B was using them! It's well worth skiing all the way to the end of the road, about 4 miles in to one of the two high points. Great views when the weather cooperates. And consider taking your waxable skis; it's a great spot to use them.

Not a good place to snow camp however when a storm is coming in. It's one of those 'I don't think I'll do that again.' sort of things.  :)

Larry
It wasn't turns but it sure was nice to do some fast shussing.  A nordic tour is very good for the lungs and soul every once in a while.  Plus the skinny skis are always good for testing one's balance in the diagonal stride!  
Seems like the little clear cuts on the north sides have really grown in.  I remember learning and teaching myself tele in them some time ago.  They need a deep snowpack now to cover the regrowth enough to link any significant turns.

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nov-6-2005-road-800-swauk-pass
Larry_R
2005-11-07 11:50:40