TR Replies
Thanks for the beautifully written report! Ditto for your previous journal posting.
Fantastic historical perspective! Every time I find mining works above 5000' I marvel at the audacity and gumption of the early miners. Yes things changed and we now all have a land more valuable to society, but their early feats remain impressive; I often think the individuals who struck out into the wild in search of minerals in the high Cascades were basically this community (TAY, etc..) stuck in a different era.
"We didn’t know, and in fact we had purposefully neglected...
"We didn’t know, and in fact we had purposefully neglected...
Awesome Forest. Thanks for sharing.
author=bensidor link=topic=32140.msg135037#msg135037 date=1407807935]
I'm glad you came out unscathed from your pissing match with the goat!
unscathed, but not unstained.
Great TR Mike! Thanks for letting me tag along yesterday. It is as absolute given that we had the most fun of anyone we saw and I'm glad you came out unscathed from your pissing match with the goat!
Good skiing, man. I liked the speed glide finish at the bottom!
I am hiking Mt. Pugh this weekend! Sounds like it isn't worth bringing the skis though. Thanks for the post.
Either this summer is far worse than less or you are some sort of super human sun cup magnet. Not quite as bad as your Table cups but getting close.
Good stuff meng keep it coming.
Good stuff meng keep it coming.
I think I met Freda a few years ago after you skied off the King and joined the crowd at Crystal fest. Or do you have multiple skiing pets? It sounds like a circus act...
Start here:
http://caltopo.com/map.html#ll=48.15208,-121.36988&z=14&b=f&a=sf
Play with it. Learn it. To the upper right are your base map and layer choices. That's the fixed slope shading I have turned on over the USGS 7.5' series (though, in truth I usually use the US Forest Service as a base map since it is "cleaner".
Have fun. Caltopo is a great tool.
Oh, and the "print" option lets y...
http://caltopo.com/map.html#ll=48.15208,-121.36988&z=14&b=f&a=sf
Play with it. Learn it. To the upper right are your base map and layer choices. That's the fixed slope shading I have turned on over the USGS 7.5' series (though, in truth I usually use the US Forest Service as a base map since it is "cleaner".
Have fun. Caltopo is a great tool.
Oh, and the "print" option lets y...
Yeah. If it were corned up, maybe in June/July it would be a sweet run.
Where did you get that topo map? Looks a lot better than google maps. Haha!
Where did you get that topo map? Looks a lot better than google maps. Haha!
The very top is a bit steeper, but the rest is under 30 deg according to Cal Topo. I recall thinking it looked fairly tame - if it was nice and corned up. Sounds like it was a bit firm though...
Wow. That's some pretty cool background info. Totally makes sense with the layout of the mountain there.
I don't know anyone who isn't into that kind of thing!
I don't know anyone who isn't into that kind of thing!
author=wolfs link=topic=32125.msg135009#msg135009 date=1407349046]
The glacier is occupying a slot that clearly shows the Straight Creek Fault, which would be kinda cool to see up close and personal,
Here are two pics. According to Geol map (Haugerud & Tabor) the foreground is Shuksan greenschist (though it doesn't look like it in the pic) and the grey background is a much younger granitic rock. Would be worth going back to l...
you don't have any children yet, right sky? nursing silas would be good preparation for that. ;D
Photos always a plus---tho I never post them....
Good update---sounds similar to when we skied the Flett 7/27. Then the lower Flett was still quite smooth. We were able to skin from Spray Park & back with some short meadow-hops, so it seems there is not too much snow loss in the last 1-1/2 weeks.
Good update---sounds similar to when we skied the Flett 7/27. Then the lower Flett was still quite smooth. We were able to skin from Spray Park & back with some short meadow-hops, so it seems there is not too much snow loss in the last 1-1/2 weeks.
The slope is pretty steep. Getting from the trail to the glacier is a bit tricky too, lots of loose rock where I dropped in.
The snow was very very hard. Maybe if there was more sun it would have loosened up, but I doubt it.
As far as the angle? I'm sure it's steeper than 25°. I'm not sure exactly tho. That's one of those things that his hard to guess.
If it were softer, I would have went to the bottom, it would have been decently long run...
The snow was very very hard. Maybe if there was more sun it would have loosened up, but I doubt it.
As far as the angle? I'm sure it's steeper than 25°. I'm not sure exactly tho. That's one of those things that his hard to guess.
If it were softer, I would have went to the bottom, it would have been decently long run...
Have been meaning to check out Pugh just as a hike. Also have been intrigued by the ski possibilities of that glacier, see a report on it every couple years. Mostly with the long damn ways for turns assessment. The glacier is occupying a slot that clearly shows the Straight Creek Fault, which would be kinda cool to see up close and personal, and according to a Hillmap overlay you could get almost 1800 feet vertical out of it? Just too bad it is so far up a typical start-from-the-valley N Cascade...
Hi Steve,
I am glad you didn't listen to us and went for it anyway. It's good to know that in early August of this dry year there is still a reliable way to get to 8K on Cowlitz and link up to Paradise - it surely adds variety.
Paradise skied well from ~9000 down, a bit sun-cuppy and covered by dust. Crevasses were manageable, mostly if you go in the center - no need for any weaving.
I am glad you didn't listen to us and went for it anyway. It's good to know that in early August of this dry year there is still a reliable way to get to 8K on Cowlitz and link up to Paradise - it surely adds variety.
Paradise skied well from ~9000 down, a bit sun-cuppy and covered by dust. Crevasses were manageable, mostly if you go in the center - no need for any weaving.
author=SteveS link=topic=32130.msg135004#msg135004 date=1407307628]
Recruited the ever reliable Mr. Wong for some August turns on Sunday. After meeting a couple skiers at 4th Creek who told us the Cowlitz looked too crevassed to ski, we decided that was probably code for "a good place to check out", with the standard Paradise always a reliable alternative. Skied from the Paradise-Cowlitz Pinnacle Col down to the Cowlitz flats, then skinned up the Co...
Definitely not mine! Good looking out though!
2 panoramas for your entertainment
Playing with my photosynth app
Playing with my photosynth app
Norseman-
Yeah I really wish it would have been softer and more rideable. It goes a long way down, I didn't go very far because of how hard it was. Wasn't worth the hike back up the glacier. Would have been if it were softer.
I might try and hit it earlier in the year next year. I've just got to wait long enough to forget how much of a haul up it is.
-Kevin
Yeah I really wish it would have been softer and more rideable. It goes a long way down, I didn't go very far because of how hard it was. Wasn't worth the hike back up the glacier. Would have been if it were softer.
I might try and hit it earlier in the year next year. I've just got to wait long enough to forget how much of a haul up it is.
-Kevin
I don't think it is mine... But I will double check my gear tonight, I still have unpacked my bag completely. Do you wanna post a picture of it?
I think that you did it right, by not bringing the ski's. It's a lot of weight to bring up!
-Kevin
I think that you did it right, by not bringing the ski's. It's a lot of weight to bring up!
-Kevin
If you're missing a small blue stuff sack, I scrambled down to the very tip of the glacier to scoop it up as I was hiking by on Sunday. I thought it looked more like wind transported trash from up on the trail, but now I'm wondering if you dropped it where you may have sat down to ask yourself "now why did I drag my gear all the way up here?". Anyway, if it's your's I'm happy to arrange a reunion.
For what it's worth, I actually look...
For what it's worth, I actually look...
Those guys are crazy (in a good way). Most definitely not this year but it might be good to join you down there in another year or two.
Nice work, man. I enjoyed browsing through the extra photos in the link.
The gully that you skied is striking feature! Due north facing, consistent pitch, relatively narrow, with an abrupt J-turn avy path curving down through the trees at the bottom.... fascinating.
The gully that you skied is striking feature! Due north facing, consistent pitch, relatively narrow, with an abrupt J-turn avy path curving down through the trees at the bottom.... fascinating.
Nice job on scoping out an unusual route!
The problem with senior sitting is remembering where you left 'em, the problem with GOOD Malbec is running out, and the problem with 5 pm posting is starting the Malbec at 3... ;D the only good Malbec I've had Stateside is personally imported (same with Tempranillo from Spain). It's darned fine down there almost anywhere, though.
We should get out skiing this fall---maybe NOT the Elk Mtn. chutes....
Good report. I'm afraid we will be seeing a few more of these...rough reports until snow falls. Nice turns and cheers.
Cheers.
Cheers.
Glad you skied that patch, man. My wife and I spied that while hiking last weekend. I was wishing I had brought the skis.
little late, but I just put up this Video from Daniel last week. Mike - your reports of smooth snow were spot on! super quality corn off the east summit, but I had a few more carry overs than you :( snow melts fast this time of year.
Quite a difference in snow coverage from 8/3/2012 (compare with the 3rd picture above).
Thanks for the report :)
You just saved me 10 miles of skis on my back.
Skied 3grand of smooth corn on the cow yesterday!
It's going quick but should be good for early August turns.
You just saved me 10 miles of skis on my back.
Skied 3grand of smooth corn on the cow yesterday!
It's going quick but should be good for early August turns.
sad how the goat cirque coverage has receded in recent years. I can remember going up there in the late 90's and still being able to ski continuous lines into the cirque in September- maybe the year I visited was a particularly fat snowpack year but that area used to have some fun, steep, late-season yo-yo terrain.
Wonderful! that sounded like a great trip, thanks for the post, and pictures!
love that last dry shot. makes me think of what's coming next..
Yes, miserable weather, but still one of my favorite tours ever!
As Ron remarked either that day or another time, the higher you get on the mountain, the friendlier the people get.
Of course, the two of you were friendly right there in the parking lot, but still, somehow that summarizes one of my favorite aspects of that tour, and many others too.
As Ron remarked either that day or another time, the higher you get on the mountain, the friendlier the people get.
Of course, the two of you were friendly right there in the parking lot, but still, somehow that summarizes one of my favorite aspects of that tour, and many others too.
Awesome post. Great to hear that Ben is your touring sidekick. Would love to join you guys on a(nother) tour in the future!
One more picture - The Vision of Loveliness - Ben skied from the far upper right, me the next step down.
Flowers have replaced snow on Mazama ridge. Thanks Tim for carrying my K Wilds, I am limited in weight bearing for a few more weeks.
https://vimeo.com/101883156 https://vimeo.com/101883257
https://vimeo.com/101883156 https://vimeo.com/101883257