TR Replies
Right on...beautiful back in there. Thanks for the pics!
Busy place last week. Nice pictures Lowell. Your tracks on Saturday were visible but quite filled in due to a bit of new and/or wind deposit.
Our strategy route-wise - ascend climber’s left (east side) and descend skier’s left (west side) to avoid being exposed to slopes heated by the sun as it moves from east to west throughout the day. Skiing was fun winter snow about 2/3rds the way down, then progressively more wet and mushy. A 200 vf bush belay ski/slide put us on the avy debris w...
Our strategy route-wise - ascend climber’s left (east side) and descend skier’s left (west side) to avoid being exposed to slopes heated by the sun as it moves from east to west throughout the day. Skiing was fun winter snow about 2/3rds the way down, then progressively more wet and mushy. A 200 vf bush belay ski/slide put us on the avy debris w...
Thanks for sharing the great photos, and for reminding me (and us all) of this area.
Beautiful! Jaw dropping terrain like you said. Nice tour you two!
I vote for more photos.
I vote for more photos.
Nice work guys. That's definitely a solid two day push. Hopefully I can keep up once I'm back up North!
Nice woolly hat on top of Kyle's suffering head.
Nice story, how does it end, were you separated by the eternal battle between reason and love?!@#$%&*)*&^(&^%
Nice story, how does it end, were you separated by the eternal battle between reason and love?!@#$%&*)*&^(&^%
Very nice! I went in to the North twin once years ago and have always thought it would be cool to head back with skis, but I've been too lazy to figure out the various logging road mazes again. :) Definitely looks like some worthwhile payback for dealing with the approach/deproach issues.
Hillmap:
http://www.hillmap.com/m/ag1zfmhpbGxtYXAtaGRychALEghTYXZlZE1hcBiYgBoM
the way back was different down the Snowking n side glacier
Parked 1/2 mile from the south side cascade river road. There's a little log on the road buried in 2' of smashed (it's-been-attacked-by-a-big-truck- snow), probably melted now snow.
http://www.hillmap.com/m/ag1zfmhpbGxtYXAtaGRychALEghTYXZlZE1hcBiYgBoM
the way back was different down the Snowking n side glacier
Parked 1/2 mile from the south side cascade river road. There's a little log on the road buried in 2' of smashed (it's-been-attacked-by-a-big-truck- snow), probably melted now snow.
Right on, great TR; I love the Snowking area! It's very remote feeling and so much great terrain. I was in there in February and it was a 6 mile ski just to get to where the S. side cascade river road is blocked. I eyed the way over to Cheval but just getting up all that road took the steam out of me. Could you drive to that point now?
A noble achievement, congratulations. Saturday was definitely the day to do it. N
Thanks Jonn-E for leading the way!
I was surprised to come home to see the iPhone report that we only did 4600' vertical. My legs certainly thought it was more :).
For the curious, I've got a few more photos and thoughts on my blog.
I was surprised to come home to see the iPhone report that we only did 4600' vertical. My legs certainly thought it was more :).
For the curious, I've got a few more photos and thoughts on my blog.
You guys are too much, loose a partner, no problem, a solo trip together. We get a twofer trip report, sounds like it was good no matter what route you take.
Tia still thought it was a worthwhile workout, despite the lack of bacon treats.
author=chrism link=topic=24445.msg103258#msg103258 date=1333998044]
Liz and I were just behind you two.
We saw your turns when we were headed back up. Apparently we passed each other. Nice work heading over Alaska to Joe Lake. I was happy to drop the camp gear at Alaska and call it good.
Thanks for the great pictures,video and report, and the wild beater wrecks as well, nice work all round!
We three (CLo, Jay and I) were heading up around 5am and ran into you two descending on the road. Thanks for the skin track (and for possibly waking us up on that ~4 mile road slog). Great moon shots!
The day was beautiful and perfect for a venture into new-to-us terrain. We made it up to our high point on Heliotrope at ~7300' just after noon. We had a day trip to the summit in mind but were tracking too slow.
For the educational part of the day we built a z pulley, p...
The day was beautiful and perfect for a venture into new-to-us terrain. We made it up to our high point on Heliotrope at ~7300' just after noon. We had a day trip to the summit in mind but were tracking too slow.
For the educational part of the day we built a z pulley, p...
Couple days late but here are a few photos. Great night with some awesome snow!
Midnight Moonlight
Melting some snow.
Midnight Moonlight
Melting some snow.
Quite a tour that I had been eyeing for some time thanks to accounts from when Sky, Lowell, Jason et al skied it years ago. Pics don't do justice to that downhill glide beneath Jagged Ridge; with it constantly eyeing you and tossing crap down its steep ribs and gullies. The avalanche destruction in the Ruth Creek drainage the past 2 years has been quite a sight to see as well...some of those fans look to be over 100 feet deep in places.
Here are a few more photos...
Here are a few more photos...
pure awesomeness .. your pix are dreamy ... nice work getting out there!
It was disconcerting skiing down the north face of Mt. Cashmere sans partner. Our intended descent was the north ridge, but from the summit the only feasible way down was the north face. I booted down the first 100' before putting on my skis. I called up and heard John in the wind and mist, but somehow he lost track that I was below him. So he turned around and headed back down to the south the path of our ascent while I thought he might be below me somewhere in the...
Yeah I meant the full moon thing. Also all the surprise creek adventures this year made the approach up the road easier.
Liz and I were just behind you two. We followed your bootpack over the catwalk (thanks for the nice work!) and then spotted you on your traverse around to the high point SW of Alaska Lake. We took a similar line down to the lake, and saw you guys relaxing after your run as we headed on up Alaska Mtn on our way to Joe Lake for the night. There were some decent turns to be had in those trees on the way down to Alaska Lake. Glad you guys got some more runs in there before h...
Cool - that looks like a great trip. I was wondering how doable that would be after touring Tilly Jane and Newton Canyon separately over the last couple weeks - it looks like you guys hit it at a good time to connect it together!
Awesome looking trip, and excellent use of the skis as back country transportation. Inspires me to start exploring some new terrain.
There are two patches of dry road requiring a small bit of walking. But other than that, I'd say it's 85% skiable still.
Yes we were able to ski a good chunk of the open bowl. We wanted to drop from the saddle just right of center in the second pic, but couldn't quite make it there skinning. Looking at the map here we must have stopped closer to 5900'.
The snow in the bowl was oh so good with rooster tails flying. Another lap would have been great, but it was getting late and we didn't want to have to navigate through the trees in fading daylight. Well that and we...
The snow in the bowl was oh so good with rooster tails flying. Another lap would have been great, but it was getting late and we didn't want to have to navigate through the trees in fading daylight. Well that and we...
That was my idea?
An early spring day on Baker was your idea, and a good one! Or maybe you meant the full moon thing?
Photos please Spencer!
An early spring day on Baker was your idea, and a good one! Or maybe you meant the full moon thing?
Photos please Spencer!
so cool! some of my best memories from this year were on the coleman glacier in october under a full moon. Sounds like you had even better conditions though.
"while I skied back down the south side"
Sounds like you where confused. That's not way you where supposed to go!
Sounds like you where confused. That's not way you where supposed to go!
Good call snoholic.. I wasn't sure what your route was, but south facing wouldn't have be too pleasant for travel mid day.
As for the pictures...thanks everybody! but I just have a pos p&s I found in the stevens pass parking lot. set it to the moutain icon and click. subject matter does most of the work, but they would probably be much better behind a real photographers lens. The sun and clouds where making for a great light show all day.
Thanks Lowell. It wa...
As for the pictures...thanks everybody! but I just have a pos p&s I found in the stevens pass parking lot. set it to the moutain icon and click. subject matter does most of the work, but they would probably be much better behind a real photographers lens. The sun and clouds where making for a great light show all day.
Thanks Lowell. It wa...
When we skied WH a few years ago, there didn't look to be any reasonable way to go up snow gulch, left, right or center. Instead, we ascended a gully climbers' right of the gulch. It was also filled with avy debris at the bottom. We were able to climb out of the gully (2,700' is what I remember) and do a level traverse on the rib/shoulder into the basin, above the cliffs.
Last Spring when we attempted, we were able to attain the basin by going up the main gulch trending clim...
Last Spring when we attempted, we were able to attain the basin by going up the main gulch trending clim...
After skiing Friday, I was suprised at how much new snow there was. With the forecasted sun on Saturday I chickened out on committing myself to possibility of having to traverse several unknown south facing slopes on the Stevens to Suprise traverse. Jeff and I made rough plans to come in via moonlight on Sat. Night but 12 ounce curls wrecked that plan. Double fail:( Nice Picts, stuff looks crazy filled in up there.
Zack
Zack
That's inspiring. What a great finale to the time you've spent up there this winter. Very cool.
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As to the ski traverse I did through the area, we just followed the Crest Trail route. With more time it would be great to wander around like you've done, but we were on a Point A to Point B mission, with just two days to get from Stevens Pass to the Cle Elum River. Our loss. It's great to see more of the area. I've done some summer hiking up there a...
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As to the ski traverse I did through the area, we just followed the Crest Trail route. With more time it would be great to wander around like you've done, but we were on a Point A to Point B mission, with just two days to get from Stevens Pass to the Cle Elum River. Our loss. It's great to see more of the area. I've done some summer hiking up there a...
i know i'm a little late to this one, but this is great. i think some if not most of you are missing lowells point. his letter many years ago to the editor:
"As someone who writes and speaks about backcountry skiing, I too have wrestled with the question of publicizing secret spots. My solution is to recognize three kinds of backcountry places: 1) those that are already well known and accessible, where additional publicity has little effect; 2) those that are very remote,...
"As someone who writes and speaks about backcountry skiing, I too have wrestled with the question of publicizing secret spots. My solution is to recognize three kinds of backcountry places: 1) those that are already well known and accessible, where additional publicity has little effect; 2) those that are very remote,...
Thanks for the TR. I've been really curious about the snow gulch route as it appears to be a better ski route than high pass, but it's tough to find much intel on it that makes it sound very appealing.
cool trip.
cool trip.
Sweet way to get out on the Loop! Bedal is a cool mountain, but those trees really do make you earn it.
So 6k, you must've made the wide open north face? Good views from there and a pretty nice ski run, if only had the energy to do a couple laps after getting there :)
So 6k, you must've made the wide open north face? Good views from there and a pretty nice ski run, if only had the energy to do a couple laps after getting there :)
Train station and a on mountain cafe, must be in the alps somewhere.
nice work getting up there .. a full moon ski sounds awesome
HEY! look at that ... the man can take some mighty fine photos .. great work scott!