Home > Trip Reports > June 27, 2008, Silver Peak area

June 27, 2008, Silver Peak area

6/27/08
WA Snoqualmie Pass
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Posted by dkoelle on 6/27/08 3:08pm
Florian and I left Seattle at the crack at 12:45 and after a trip to his house to pick up left essentials, headed back of Hyak to check out the road.  At the second main switchback there was some snow and also a considerable biomass of logs and other avy debris.  No go, so we walked about 20 min brisk uphill to Windy Pass.  Snow begins maybe 200 yards below Windy Pass proper.  We were able to skin continuous snow from this point up into the Silver Peak basin via the usual west basin, although I don't think continuous connect ups are going to last too much longer.  Coverage was decent to the ridge, but some favorite slope are well past their prime.  So we contented ourselves with a nice run down the east bowl, dropping one little step lower than my previous  experience.  It "looked" like things might go through down to upper Ollalie but there were definite waterfall audibles going on where we stopped.  So we had a nice climb back up to the ridge and departed on our second run about 7, with lengthening shadows and the upper bowl-face definitely good and in the shade.  The snow was somewhat cupped and runneled but was otherwise superb throughout without too much ski or pole penetration and no slidiness or real mush.  A mellow run in the meadows in the slanting light.  A few pictures at http://www.flickr.com/photos/koelle/ 
Thanks for the update.  20 minute brisk hike,hmmm !  Great shorts.  ;)

A skier with a huge shovel and some time to kill was busy hacking away at the debris pile this morning as Becky and I walked by...by the time we were on our way down, cars were parked up near Windy Pass where the snow is continuous. 
Here's what the tricky section of road looks like...looks like any ol' car could get through.

Snow was really nice corn around noon and a steady breeze kept the temps for getting too bad.

Yes the road was quite passable this evening as my son and I came back from a afternoon/evening tour, surprised to see conditions still remaining so firm with the heat down low. As always its nice to ski from the bumper.

Went and skied Silver Peak this morning.  I left late expecting to find a mushy mess, but no, everything was very firm despite the 75+°F temps.  I skinned up to the upper basin, before booting it the last bit up to the ridge.  I did a quick scramble to the summit for some pictures, and then it was nice turns on firm snow all the way home.  Road is in good condition just about up to Windy Pass.  All-in-all, about 3 hours car-to-car.

Pictures: http://picasaweb.google.com/roblehtinen/SilverPeak062908


I went early this morning to beat the mush, didn't see anyone all morning until the drive back down from windy pass.  Skinned up the windy acres nordic trail and then the west bowl before scrambling from ridge to summit.  Good coverage, but melting fast in the clearcuts.  Snow was surprisingly firm for the warm temps.  Some fun turns and back in Seattle by 11:30 or so.... 

Skied up mid-afternoon today. I had one 30 foot ski carry across easy brush on the way up (on the mature forest/clearcut edge). I saw three guys on their way down from hiking to Silver Peak, but otherwise saw no one until I was lizarding on the ridge NW of the summit where I saw some skis depot'd from some people who evidently hiked to the peak (I was too lazy after skiing to Whitman Crest yesterday). I went back toward my own depot'd skis then saw them skiing down while I lizarded some more.

My favorite long steep line was melted out, but that was OK, as I wasnt' really up for going down it and dealing with the necessary 1K boot steep step-kick back up.

I tooled down the NW bowl with dog Sampson happily rocketing behind, then cruised across the upper clearcut and into the mature forest to the right where I followed snow to the right of the creek to the flat by the road. It was bumpy, but it was beautiful along the creek that appeared through the snow here and there in rushing fullness. And it was nice not to have to deal with taking skis off to cross melted-out xmas tree farms out in the clearcut. Left the ridge at 5PM; home in Woodinville by a little after 6:30. I love it.

Oh, and major props to whoever shoveled and sawed out the one bit of blockage at the rock-blast switchback. If you're reading this, take a public bow here!

It was my pleasure to shovel the road and move the logs.  Thanks for posting a photo of the now clear route through the debris.  It gives me a visual aid to go with the story I told my wife about it.  I think I'll go up there tonight.  I hope not too much melting happened yesterday! ???  But, I think if Ollalie 'meadow' has lots of brushy melted out areas, skinning up the road is an option.

Thanks gravyb....I might spin up there this evening for some laps as well

Thanks, gravyb! Great work.

If the road is not working for you or if you want a shorter route, try climbers left of the creek starting right at the flat area in the woods near the pass - it goes the whole way as of last night and looked good for at least a few days (and it's cooler in the shade! Think like snow...). But the snow is bummpy and hard in the woods - would be nice to have ski crampons to avoid tedious slipping.

author=gravyb link=topic=10482.msg42588#msg42588 date=1214843967]
It was my pleasure to shovel the road and move the logs.  Thanks for posting a photo of the now clear route through the debris.  It gives me a visual aid to go with the story I told my wife about it.  I think I'll go up there tonight.  I hope not too much melting happened yesterday! ???  But, I think if Ollalie 'meadow' has lots of brushy melted out areas, skinning up the road is an option.


U da Man, gravyb!

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june-27-2008-silver-peak-area
dkoelle
2008-06-27 22:08:55