November 21, 2004, Twin Lakes/Mt Baker backcountry
11/21/04
WA Cascades West Slopes North (Mt Baker)
2760
1
Hoping for the best but allowing for the worst, I loaded skis and clothing last night for any and all conditions from sun and powder through rain squalls and gloom. I camped next to the Nooksack River, slept soundly, and wisely decided to ignore the early morning chirping of my alarm clock. I had in mind that if the weather was good I'd head for Ptarmigan Ridge, but after watching a steady line of bumper-to-bumper traffic headed towards the ski area for opening day, I though better of it. Instead....time for my annual low-snow trudge up the Twin Lakes Road. a.k.a. Swamp Creek Road. This one featured neither exploding bindings (c.f., http://www.turns-all-year.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=tr0111;action=display;num=1032245473) nor a long descent through a sea of frozen postholes by headlamp (e.g, http://www.turns-all-year.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=tr0312;action=display;num=1070355431). Instead, there were furrows and skid marks left by big, manly 4x4's, which apparently churned and spun and bludgeoned their way to about 4600 feet, leaving quite a bit of unappealing trash scattered along the roadside and a lot of gravel mixed into the snow. There was also a sled up at the lake, shared by a skier and a snowboarder; I admit that I was so surprised to see them that I neglected to remind them that the local two-cycle sacrifice zones are located elsewhere.
All that aside, it was a good and noble use of an afternoon: I used lightweight waxless skis so that I did not need to get peeved at my own inability to carve turns through 4x4 ruts, and I left my skins behind so that I would feel self-righteous about getting however far uphill I was able to get. By operating at peak efficiency, I was able to start my tour at 11:30 (an hour or two earlier than last year), and this allowed me to climb the slopes east of the lakes, descend through thinly-covered slide paths to the roadway, and bump and grind my way back down to the car before dark. I did remember to bring 2 headlamps this time: one to see by, the other to change batteries on the first, should that become necessary.
The Twin Lakes Road is easily driveable to near 3000 feet by 2WD, and I judge that studded tires would carry that same 2WD as far as the little switchback next to the Yellow Aster trailhead. Snow coverage was somewhat thinner than I expected, with a couple of inches at 3000 feet deepening gradually to about 18 inches at the lakes around 5000 (I understand coverage is better closer to Mt. Baker). The snow itself was generally heavy and damp, although entirely turnable, and I saw areas of windslab along the ridges. It started snowing light to moderate just about the time I turned to head down, with a snow level around 4500 feet.
enjoy,
Mark
All that aside, it was a good and noble use of an afternoon: I used lightweight waxless skis so that I did not need to get peeved at my own inability to carve turns through 4x4 ruts, and I left my skins behind so that I would feel self-righteous about getting however far uphill I was able to get. By operating at peak efficiency, I was able to start my tour at 11:30 (an hour or two earlier than last year), and this allowed me to climb the slopes east of the lakes, descend through thinly-covered slide paths to the roadway, and bump and grind my way back down to the car before dark. I did remember to bring 2 headlamps this time: one to see by, the other to change batteries on the first, should that become necessary.
The Twin Lakes Road is easily driveable to near 3000 feet by 2WD, and I judge that studded tires would carry that same 2WD as far as the little switchback next to the Yellow Aster trailhead. Snow coverage was somewhat thinner than I expected, with a couple of inches at 3000 feet deepening gradually to about 18 inches at the lakes around 5000 (I understand coverage is better closer to Mt. Baker). The snow itself was generally heavy and damp, although entirely turnable, and I saw areas of windslab along the ridges. It started snowing light to moderate just about the time I turned to head down, with a snow level around 4500 feet.
enjoy,
Mark
Sounds like folks were all over the place on that thin rug of November snow! Did you see or hear any evidence of folks on the CD glacier on Saturday? Bennett's car was missing from Maple Falls and never appeared at the MBRC upper parking lot.
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