TR Replies
You and Becky had a nice day. The video was nice. ;)
Yes! What a gorgeous day! Here's a shot of Kenji linkin' em from the high point.
Nice route! I love that terrain over there and have always wanted to ski off Castle Peak and explore the NW side. Well done!
author=RyanPete81 link=topic=27451.msg115549#msg115549 date=1360650736]
I think it would be quite difficult to navigate from the backside of Castle to Goat Lake because of the steep complex and cliffy terrain on the SW side.
Yes I remember him saying that he had to go quite a ways down in the woods before he could come back up and got lucky to find a chute that went through coming back into Goat Lake. And since he used up so muc...
We were responsible for some of those tracks from the S. Ridge, doing labs from our Yodelin cabin on both Saturday and Sunday. As you found, surprisingly nice conditions. Beautiful skiing in boot deep powder down to the meadows just above the lake on both days -- much more fun on Sunday when the fog gave way to glorious sunshine. The descent down toward the highway was better than expected. On Saturday, we did a couple laps down the main rib and face in stiff powder with only a few short stretch...
Thanks guys.
Just guessing, I would say the two larger chutes are in the 35-45 range, and lovers lane the top is 50+
I agree Leyland, they seem pretty mellow with good snow, a lot wider and more filled in since we were there.
Just guessing, I would say the two larger chutes are in the 35-45 range, and lovers lane the top is 50+
I agree Leyland, they seem pretty mellow with good snow, a lot wider and more filled in since we were there.
Indeed, clear weather would've significantly improved this tour. Stats are ~7100' ascent and ~14.5 miles of distance.
author=alpenho link=topic=27451.msg115481#msg115481 date=1360595318]
We gotta get back there again sometime when we can see. Thanks for cooking this one up and doing all of the research! Good exercise day... motivating the legs for touring again Sunday was tough. Did you figure out the stats for this one?
author=philfort link=topic=27465.msg115534#msg115534 date=1360638488]
Nice!
Your times are interesting. When we did it, it only took a little more than 3 hours for the approach, but more than 6 hours to climb the couloir! I think we stayed on the east side of the Napeequa the entire time - I think the only water crossing was Twin Lakes Creek, but I could be wrong.
We remembered that from your report... we we...
Good stuff. Rare day for me on Snoqualmie Pass when we can get blue skies, untracked couloirs filled with powder and not see a single soul.
Looking down
Stefan on first run
Trevor on first run
Looking down
Stefan on first run
Trevor on first run
Nice work, I have been wanting to ride that couloir all season. Maybe soon. Props on the well built camp as well!
Cheers
Cheers
Nice!
Your times are interesting. When we did it, it only took a little more than 3 hours for the approach, but more than 6 hours to climb the couloir! I think we stayed on the east side of the Napeequa the entire time - I think the only water crossing was Twin Lakes Creek, but I could be wrong.
Your times are interesting. When we did it, it only took a little more than 3 hours for the approach, but more than 6 hours to climb the couloir! I think we stayed on the east side of the Napeequa the entire time - I think the only water crossing was Twin Lakes Creek, but I could be wrong.
Stuart is always worth the trip. Way to think big and get after it.
@saign
They don't look that steep with powder in them!!!
They don't look that steep with powder in them!!!
Thanks to TBill for the inspiration to check this line and for the sweet skintrack that appears to have been well utilized in the last few days. Patrick left his camera at home, but drew photographer duty by virtue of having an accessible pocket for my phone after my softshell was relegated to my pack. Quite a scenic day, with Rainier, Adams, Glacier, and Baker all visible to us at different points. A couple of the better photos attached.
I think they're about 45, but lovers lane is more like 50 and tight up top.
Thanks for your skin track and the nice bucket-sized boot prints over the Lichtenstep that we followed. You guys have clearly been there before.
I saw a bunch of tracks over on the south side of the ridge crest - perhaps the track you picked up was from folks skiing up from the Yodelin cabins area and dropping over onto the shady side before riding the crust and/or mank back home. My first time up there, we saw a crew that had been doing just that.
I saw a bunch of tracks over on the south side of the ridge crest - perhaps the track you picked up was from folks skiing up from the Yodelin cabins area and dropping over onto the shady side before riding the crust and/or mank back home. My first time up there, we saw a crew that had been doing just that.
We didn't see any other skiers there on Saturday, but that could have been the lack visibility :). We didn't pick up a clear skin track until we got SW of the lake, but from there it was a good one. Not sure how the other party got in there, which must have been on Friday, as we didn't see any other uptrack. Had similar conditions to what you describe. Pretty nice.
Good attempt. Smiles at the turn around point is a good thing.
Is that there Bill the one of Irish descent and from Philly???? That bum needs to call me! Where are the bluejeans?
John
John
Nice trip that you guys went after! I hear there is good skiing on the backside (NE) of the Castle. Just a bugger to get to from any approach.
A buddy of mine soloed a variation the opposite way a few years back. From his Silver Creek cabin up the Corral Pass FS road 7174 behind the Castle, down to Goat Lake basin, up and over to the CM access road back down the FS road by Sandflat home. From his account is that it gets a little confusing looking for ways back over the Castle because...
A buddy of mine soloed a variation the opposite way a few years back. From his Silver Creek cabin up the Corral Pass FS road 7174 behind the Castle, down to Goat Lake basin, up and over to the CM access road back down the FS road by Sandflat home. From his account is that it gets a little confusing looking for ways back over the Castle because...
Cool, I always look forward to those pics with snow flying everywhere & good colours.
Creative, Charlie, thanks for the idea!!!!
Shuttle to Alpental. It's a fun loop - the second time I've done it. It's a fun way to cover a lot of distance, most of it downhill. It's a good bet for a short day with crusty snow (if you have a pass), as much of the descent is on the Kendall Peak Lakes snowshoe trail .
Splits were 1:02 up, 1:30 Gold Creek Sno-park, 2:36 Chair 2 (started 12:54 from Commonwealth trailhead.). Got lucky on the shuttle front, I think. Lifts used were Hyak, Silver Fir, and Triple-60....
Splits were 1:02 up, 1:30 Gold Creek Sno-park, 2:36 Chair 2 (started 12:54 from Commonwealth trailhead.). Got lucky on the shuttle front, I think. Lifts used were Hyak, Silver Fir, and Triple-60....
Pics courtesy of Gerry - I didn't have the camera today!
We gotta get back there again sometime when we can see. Thanks for cooking this one up and doing all of the research! Good exercise day... motivating the legs for touring again Sunday was tough. Did you figure out the stats for this one?
Wow - That was some nice snow! Good job. How steep do you think those are?
author=Floater link=topic=27421.msg115450#msg115450 date=1360547970]
Thanks for letting me tag along. I learned a lot of new routes. Oh and I got to meet Silas and he was even more awesome then I had heard. I was expecting icey conditions, wow did I have a smile on my face! ;D
Good to meet you. I guess you stayed for one more run.
Thanks for letting me tag along. I learned a lot of new routes. Oh and I got to meet Silas and he was even more awesome then I had heard. I was expecting icey conditions, wow did I have a smile on my face! ;D
Yeah found some good stuff over in the tatoosh yesterday but only had a few minutes of decent light. Fog/flurries rolled in pretty thick.
author=CascadeClimber link=topic=27431.msg115440#msg115440 date=1360534247]
I skied from Muir down to the lot between 8:50 and 9:20 this morning. The snow from the base of Pan Face to the lot was light, dry pow- the best I've ever seen that section.
Agreed! We had plans for going bigger and higher yesterday, but the snow was so good down low that we just kept lapping it up.
Looks sick! Lane Peak has been on my hit list since I first saw it last spring. Every time I see a TR from there I get jealous. Now I have to wait for another storm cycle to roll through if I want to get fresh tracks. :)
I skied from Muir down to the lot between 8:50 and 9:20 this morning. The snow from the base of Pan Face to the lot was light, dry pow- the best I've ever seen that section.
author=FreeBird link=topic=27421.msg115430#msg115430 date=1360521812]
Thanks everyone for the fun B-Day ski :)
https://vimeo.com/59350243
Wow! It was your birthday and you gave me a present! I will repay! I have options...
Let me know next time you come over. I have a cabin10 miles down the road and can often give condition reports. I'm sure that's the same road (211) that I went up. It has parking access about a mile down from the Summit and it's about a mile on the road till the slope has enough room between the trees. Pretty good approach to be able to ski a nicely angled north slope at that elevation!
Dave, we gained the summit via the SW Ridge. The south aspect near the ridge had a bit of a sun crust, and likely some wind impact too. Have fun at High Camp next week!
Andr, we parked on the north side of the Hwy, the shoulder next to the DoT station. There is space for about 6-8 cars here. If the shoulder is full, there is another parking area about 1/8-1/10 mile to the west, where Hwy 2 rejoins\divides. Not sure where the south side Hwy parking is that...
Andr, we parked on the north side of the Hwy, the shoulder next to the DoT station. There is space for about 6-8 cars here. If the shoulder is full, there is another parking area about 1/8-1/10 mile to the west, where Hwy 2 rejoins\divides. Not sure where the south side Hwy parking is that...
author=avajane link=topic=27426.msg115427#msg115427 date=1360521455]
Sorry to hear Blewitt wasn't everything you wanted.
Nah, it was a great day! And would have been even if we hadn't found the good snow; the sunshine couldn't be beat.
author=avajane link=topic=27426.msg115432#msg115432 date=1360523129]
Here's a picture of the cell tower I took from about a 1/4 mi...
Here's a picture of the cell tower I took from about a 1/4 mile farther up the gated road on the north side. I skied only 1/3 of the slope that day as the snow was terrible and it was getting late. Was that the place? I've been wanting to go back with more/better snow.
Nice to meet both you guys. As I was coming up into the basin I saw a tele skier making a perfect, fast turn coming off the ridge. I wish I'd had my camera out. Turns out it was John. I too was by myself at that time, and I started to follow your skin track so I could gain that ridge and put some alpine tracks next to your magic tele turns. Then I saw that random guy that was also by himself, so I went up the main bowl and shortly the whole group caught me. Very nice day. Glad someone got s...
Thanks everyone for the fun B-Day ski :)
https://vimeo.com/59350243
https://vimeo.com/59350243