TR Replies
Thanks for the conditions update! At least you found some sunlight and views--Your turns look pretty nice in spite of the crust. I pulled over at the bottom of that zone a couple weeks ago but pulled the plug after sampling the conditions near the road. I ended up driving a little fu...
For me, last year's theme was "better than expected". It seems this year is off to a theme of "worse than it looks".
Thanks for the report. It sure "looks" good!
Just be sure that's a glide crack and not the summit cornice preparing to send you rolling into the crater
Awesome, thanks for the report Rob! :)
At the end of the video you provided a bit of amusement for the group of backcountry skiers. 😂
Kam-
I never learned to alpine ski. Even when lift tickets were $20, I could never afford to go often enough to learn more than a weak snowplow on groomed slopes in a few days per winter. Now I can't even afford to drive from Ashford to Paradise, let alone 150 miles RT to a ski area. But I accumulated over 2000 lifetime Rainier ski days on skinnies, pins and leathers after I learned to ski from Barnett's photos. His text was not always that helpful.
Nice Will! I did the same thing when I moved to the area. We booted up the NE facing bowl on the east ridge then skied back down from there. I wish we'd made it to the top but the ridge from where we turned around appeared to be a 50:50 mix of talus and snow so concern for our skis and ACLs resulted in a turn around.
Glad you enjoyed the trip report Gary! And thank you for the info. I'll have to try your directions next time we are up there. It seems similar to the guide book and hopefully avoids steep side hilling? It is such a cool area and feels very remote compared to the popularity of Muir. We originally planned to camp up there to get higher, but glad we didnt because we would have had to wait a long time for the snow to soften!
Will: I've read and enjoyed a lot of Luc's posts. There are so many good ideas out there. A friend from Seattle has told me stories about Alaskans doing the Eklutna traverse light and fast on skate skis.
Bargainhunter: Had to look up who Steve Barnett is, wow, tele/nordic legend of the Baker zone. I'm going to need to pick up this book if only for the photos.
Glad y'all might find this useful--yes eze, there is a ton of ski terrain once you get up there!
bargainhunter: yes, axe and crampons employed--gets pretty steep up top, and there was one firm/icy/narrow section that we skied around (a little drop required) on the descent. Correct, I think the trick is to find those slopes in stable condition--it was never spooky for us. I think you know this, but to be clear for others, we did not go in via Ruth and the north side -- although a...
Sick! way to get after the corn window! I know woods has skied the south face before. Not sure if off of that particular summit.
I think Frank is right. Certainly not the perspective on Goode that I'm used to.
Nice! Alaskan wilderness travel folk often enjoy 'crust' season (with tech bindings and downhill boots even: https://thingstolucat.com/ski-touring-equipment-guide/) but I've never thought about it in WA due to our terrain... looks fun.
I think it's Buckner, Goode, and part of Logan, along the skyline. With some bits of the Eldorado Ice Cap peaks behind that.
Amazing trip! Thank you for posting this! I love looking at the Sefrit couloirs. Did you need an ice axe/crampons at anytime to gain the summit? Avy conditions looked about as stable as they can get! Did you have any reservations from an avy perspective? What time did you leave...
Nice exploratory tour, and purty photos of the new backyard. Would like to see more if you venture out again.
Have wondered about ski touring around those high eastern Cascade peaks--looks sweet, and yes, good terrain for traversing.
If you get a chance, please name the peaks in the third pic--they look familiar, but for some reason can't place them right now.
Right on! I wondered what you might get up to on the day. Looks like a lot of great lines up there.
Sounds (and looks) like a stellar day, Kam! Thanks, was wondering if the corn cycle was setting up on those slopes -- would have been out there (or thereabouts?) today, but for work...
Pretty awesome, guys, I wanna hear more about the jungle over beers ;-)
Nice work! Fantastic photos, but I want more descent eye candy to live vicariously with.
Nice, ive wandered around there with some long time locals...good use of the current conditions!
Rob, your innovative lighting skills definitely earned you the "Lumenation" screen name!
Good stuff. You need to amend rule #6 to include making sure your batteries in your headlight aren't dead - iPhone flashlight to the rescue... More photos of our Chikamin Peak tour
Sick! Way to take advantage of the window! We went up the week before and we were sketched out by the hang fire on the summit block and went for the western most line on the face instead.
Those debris paths are huge! Impressive slides that crossed the creek from both Alta and Alaska choked with knocked over trees. We found a huge old growth down tree over the creek just before the Alta slide path you could skin and avoid those debris fields but they did put you under...
Solid endeavor, you gyus! Definitely bookmarking this one, and hope to retrace your steps at some point - thanks for the inspiro!
Dang, I've always salivated over this objective, and never mustered the chops to do it as it's hard to gauge what/where is safe on this silly mountain. Strong work!
Awesome TR and pics--Thanks for sharing the stoke. Granite at sunset looks like a really good time!
Fuckin' choice man. You're giving those skis the life I couldn't give them.
Great TR! Wish I had a pair of those MTN Explore 88s in that colorway.
What an awesome ski! Your buddy below the choke didn't seem worried to watch if you might fall and take him out! Inspiring trip. Nice work!
Groomed trails Baby! We all know better, but still dream of North faces above treeline softening into corn in January!
Was interested in getting up there this week, midday. If anyone's headed that way let me know.
@r1de @mikerolfs glad our suffering might save a few folks the same.
We parked on Icicle Creek Rd, right next to the FR7601 (Eight Mile Road) turn off. The forest service road is gated and unplowed past the turn-off.
Love the 410 pics. Yakima Peak looking treacherous in those conditions. :)
+1 to @mikerolfs' comment. :)
Just to help cement my judgement, can you confirm where you had to park?
Thanks for the intel on that, was very curious how that south face was looking lately. Helens conditions were outstanding on the same day.
I was just day-dreaming of skiing some of my favorite summer areas in winter with this snow drought reducing avalanche danger. Thank you for your report, which has brought me back to reality and saved me some disappointment! That road skinning photo tells a story! Looks like a beautiful camp though!
Thanks for the report and photos; rekindled lots of old memories! I agree about the hazards of the Comet Falls trail in winter; this is the most dangerous forest trail on this side of the mountain, IMO, with a long list of past SARs and still a few 'never founds'
I don't have the Volken Guide, but old guidebooks used to show a route to upper Rampart Ridge starting on the south side of lower Van Trump Ck, near the Comet Falls trailhead. With a deep base to cover the brush &...
Holy Moly! What a trip. Great report. Fun to read. About the duration... 8000 vert is "not necessarily" a big day for you two?!
Mike has been witness to multiple outside shoulder/ head punch falls by me in this last desperate crust cycle. He has taken to saying “don’t get cocky” I don’t think it’s had the desired affect!
Under most circumstances 2 grand would be a steep price to pay for six good turns, but this was a good day out. Great views, interesting wildlife signs, future turn prospecting, archeological interest ( Beehive was a FS lookout before it was destroyed) and of course a little vine maple suffering. Perfect!