November 12, 2005, Hog Mountain/White Pass

rob, did you know that wp sells a one ride lift ticket for hikers.  It's right around $10.  It has been available for quite a few years unless they have changed the policy this year, and i doubt that.  The shot in your photo with the big rock berg is First Bowl it stays protected from the winds and is much quicker to get to than Hogback Peak.  I lapped it sat. with some of the best snow in years over the knees in the bowl on a crust that was so minimal you wouldn't have known it was there if you didn't dig.  HB is my stomping grounds I ski solo back there all the time especially mid week I'm always available when the conditions are good.

I wish we'd known about the hiking ticket! Oh well. What a great place to tour - you're lucky it's so close! Not too far either coming from Portland. Will send a note when we come up there next.

Brenda and I were there on Sat also - and yes the single ride pass is still 10 bucks, we took full advantage. After a frustrating detour to Paradise, we headed to White Pass along with several other groups of Paradise refugees. We too skied this bowl but on the second run continued up towards Hogback Mt and skied into the bowl just the other side of the rock in your photos, a ways down into the trees, then made a traverse below and past the rock to climb back out and head home. Great snow. I too felt that crust while poking around with my ski pole, but didn't think it amounted to much. After some end of the day beacon practice, we ended up skiing down the main blue run in the dark. Nothing like a late start thanks to the folks at MRNP.

We ended up spending the night at the Cowlitz Lodge in Packwood for another day at the Hogback on Sunday - had to get our money's worth. Arrived much earlier, but to light rain this time. At the top of the chair it was still rain, but the biggest problem was the damn melt from the trees! We followed skin tracks to the glades at the bas of the Hogback, where the rain finally began to change over to snow - not to fluffy though. Not to despair we continued up to the summit. Wind was howling! Not too cold though. We skiied the treed north side. A bit of breakable crust near summit and heavier consolidated a bit lower. Very different snow from Saturday, but not too bad - much better than expected. Another group of four was climbing as we descended. We too climbed for another lap then headed out, with snow falling heavily nearly to lodge elevation.

How is it on the other side of the rock (and further below)? We saw your tracks going around and wondered what it was like.

Here's 3 more pics of how deep it was:

Here I just dropped in below the trees & am located in top middle (hard to see where I am!):

Andy diving in: