May 13-15, 2008, North Cascades HWY Environs
5/13/08
2973
0
Well after months of "getting the timing right", choosing the appropriate aspects based on the determined weather factors, adjusting schedules to get to the fresh snow before wind or warm up, hitting the safe known slopes during high hazard, and generally consistently finding good skiing day after day for what seemed to be the longest streak, Larry and I headed for the North Cascades Highway knowing what was coming with the impending weather. All the jubilant reports of hero corn along the Hwy corridor were not going to be the case for us. We arrived on Tuesday at trailhead with snow beginning to fall. We found a high camp at 5500 feet on a bench with fine views and protection from any slides off the huge face above the valley. Shortly after setting up camp, the snow turned to rain and the cloud ceiling closed in to below 6500 feet. Not really being interested in climbing blind into the fog for a few turns, both of us hunkered down for the night. The rain continued on the tent for most the entire night and Wednesday greeted us with more of the same. Larry, programmatically prepared for his usual early start, departed me for a ski up a nearby 6700 ft. point. I spent most of the day in and out of the tent watching cloud formations. Larry was hoping for a lift in the clouds to capture a panoramic photo of the north side of Ragged Ridge, but his perch on the 6700 ft. point never escaped the dense fog. After skiing back to camp to find me again in the tent, he convinced me to get off my butt, noting that the cloud ceiling appeared to be lifting at least to 7000 feet.
Late in the afternoon, I headed up another 6700 ft. point in the protection of some trees and gentle slopes. The snow was already deep mush. Views were better for me than they were for Larry. To my surprise, I found evidence of some prior group having skied a tour over the top of this obscure peak and further along the ridge in what appeared to be an interesting tour. Then down I skied along with the again lowering cloud ceiling. I kept the slope angle moderate, pushing through some deep mush. It was fun to be out on the skis and not in the tent! Evening set in with the clouds lifting and visibility improving for a pleasant camp sunset.
Thursday we started early to beat the heat. Despite the clear night skies the freeze was thin. We headed for our main destination: a nearby 8000 ft. peak and its' northwest slope on the edge of a receeding Glacier (picture 1). We had hopes of stitching together the brief west ridge and short north face slope of the summit's pyramid for a ski descent. Conditions were variable to say the least. Above 6000 feet we found that the north aspect was anything but a true Spring snowpack. We got to the western col early enough to continue to the summit but the skiing looked improbable. Larry opted not to boot it up to the summit and I continued a short distance across the south face on skis. Soon I saw that there was not safe ski ascent so I deposited the skis and continued to the top. I stayed along the west rib on wind ribs of snow and occasional rock outcrops. It was a very satisfying scramble but super taxing as I postholed, mid-thigh through the evening crust, on sun-warmed snow. Having left the skis to lighten my load, I wondered if I made a mistake. Just before the summit I found a safe ski entrance to the north face snowfield (picture 2 below the boot tracks), but the snow was strange boiler plate over wet powder. I somewhat wished I brought the skis and picked my way down it, as it may have actually been safe and doable. I also wasn't enthused about booting down the ever warming west ridge snow. I enjoyed the great summit views briefly and headed down. Staying along the ridge, I returned safely to my skis in time to snap this shot (picture 3) of Larry enjoying the first 500 vertical of the northwest slopes on firm snow. I caught up with him as the fun easy skiing was rapidly ending. The crust from here down was no longer supportive. Being one of the most beautiful areas I have ever skied in, it was still a very special day.
Upon arriving to the basin we camped above, we were greeted with the sights of the photos we posted on Random Tracks earlier. The east face of destination was shedding its winter coat at will by now so we gave it a very wide berth on our exit back to the trailhead.
Late in the afternoon, I headed up another 6700 ft. point in the protection of some trees and gentle slopes. The snow was already deep mush. Views were better for me than they were for Larry. To my surprise, I found evidence of some prior group having skied a tour over the top of this obscure peak and further along the ridge in what appeared to be an interesting tour. Then down I skied along with the again lowering cloud ceiling. I kept the slope angle moderate, pushing through some deep mush. It was fun to be out on the skis and not in the tent! Evening set in with the clouds lifting and visibility improving for a pleasant camp sunset.
Thursday we started early to beat the heat. Despite the clear night skies the freeze was thin. We headed for our main destination: a nearby 8000 ft. peak and its' northwest slope on the edge of a receeding Glacier (picture 1). We had hopes of stitching together the brief west ridge and short north face slope of the summit's pyramid for a ski descent. Conditions were variable to say the least. Above 6000 feet we found that the north aspect was anything but a true Spring snowpack. We got to the western col early enough to continue to the summit but the skiing looked improbable. Larry opted not to boot it up to the summit and I continued a short distance across the south face on skis. Soon I saw that there was not safe ski ascent so I deposited the skis and continued to the top. I stayed along the west rib on wind ribs of snow and occasional rock outcrops. It was a very satisfying scramble but super taxing as I postholed, mid-thigh through the evening crust, on sun-warmed snow. Having left the skis to lighten my load, I wondered if I made a mistake. Just before the summit I found a safe ski entrance to the north face snowfield (picture 2 below the boot tracks), but the snow was strange boiler plate over wet powder. I somewhat wished I brought the skis and picked my way down it, as it may have actually been safe and doable. I also wasn't enthused about booting down the ever warming west ridge snow. I enjoyed the great summit views briefly and headed down. Staying along the ridge, I returned safely to my skis in time to snap this shot (picture 3) of Larry enjoying the first 500 vertical of the northwest slopes on firm snow. I caught up with him as the fun easy skiing was rapidly ending. The crust from here down was no longer supportive. Being one of the most beautiful areas I have ever skied in, it was still a very special day.
Upon arriving to the basin we camped above, we were greeted with the sights of the photos we posted on Random Tracks earlier. The east face of destination was shedding its winter coat at will by now so we gave it a very wide berth on our exit back to the trailhead.
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