june 15, 2008, sahale

Beautiful shots Kam.  Nice trip!

Sweet. Thanks for the TR and encouragement to go do the walk to the pass - looks like its worth the effort.

Congrats on getting back to the left coast as well. The Sierras rock. Be sure to spend some time down around Bishop and environs.

It's really good to be back and I feel much more at home on this side.

The approach is well worth it.  Cascade Pass is one of my favorite places and the views are incredible.

A few more photos:

1. Cass admires J-burg.
2. The gang just below Cascade Pass.  The parking lot can be seen below.
3. Can you spot Drew (lower right-hand corner)?
4. Andrew.
5. Kelvin skinning with Eldorado to the right.
6. Drew (on the right) pauses for a view of Mt. Torment and Forbidden.

AWEsome.  looks like a fantastic weekend with the boys!  great pics too.

Welcome back Kam & Ally... we missed you.

Great trip!

When did you actually get to skin? Is it boot pack 4 miles on the road and then ski from the Trail Head? One photo shows bootpacking well above the pass. Is this doable all in one day with an early start from the road?

I am considering an early Saturday morning start (even camping at the car on Friday night)-- do you think the conditions have held up?

Thanks for any info!

Thanks, Ron!  It's good to be back.  We missed everyone too.  Maintaining T-A-Y from Virginia was a bit of a challenge the past 2.833 years.  But I can put it behind me now....

jjabodee: we started skinning at the end of the road (trailhead).  The 4-mile walk to the trailhead went fast.  You can skin 99% of the route.  There's one small section below the pass that requires booting.  Some of us booted because skins were slipping on steeper slopes with soft snow.

I would encourage making the trip, but do so before snow on the arm melts out.  A one-day trip is possible with an early start.

Here's a panoramic photo of Kelvin and Cass on the arm for more encouragement.

The approach was certainly well worth the views and the turns! 
Kam - you're missing Virginia already!?  ;)

More photos for the picture pile.

Ice axe/pons were handy for a couple short, but steepish sections. 
I'd recommend checking with the Marblemount Ranger station/Forest Service road conditions webpage if heading out there soon to see whether the Cascade River Road is cleared this week to the Eldorado Gate (that would shorten the road approach by about a mile one-way).  Lots of avy carnage and some road blow-outs beyond the Eldorado Gate (but not difficult to hike through).

Kam, gotta love the brevity of your TR of one of the most lovely places in the whole world.  Nice pics.

Looks like a must visit someday!
Nice pictures all, great trail report.
What's that wrap on your leg Cass?

To think we shelved our plans to tour up there...

Worst decision ever apparently...

you guys were skinning from the TH, how long would you gander that will be in?

Thanks for the report and great shots - I love the panos.

Do you think it would be worth mountain biking the road?

Possibly worth a mountain bike approach on the road (we saw a few mountain bike tire tracks), though there'd be a considerable number of dismounts and hike-a-bike sections over fallen trees and remnant slide debris.  The basin above the trailhead is melting out fast; hard to say how much longer the snow will be continuous to Cascade Pass; maybe another week or so? if it doesn't get too warm...

author=Joedabaker link=topic=10344.msg41894#msg41894 date=1213809856]
What's that wrap on your leg Cass?

Observant eye there Joe  ;)  I've failed to hide the battle scar  ;D Wrap was to help guard a healing scar that resulted from a gash on a past trip in the eastern Cascades a few weeks ago (partially fell through a spot of weak snow into a void while walking on a wide summit, leg landed on a sharp rock below).  The deep gash later got 6 stitches at the ER, which were removed last week.  Not too bad though as it could've been a lot worse (was fortunately still able to ski down and hike out about 4 miles that day).