Home > Trip Reports > July 19-20, 2008, Old Snowy Mtn

July 19-20, 2008, Old Snowy Mtn

7/19/08
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Posted by md2020 on 7/20/08 3:27pm
Brenda and I did a ski camp up to McCall Basin, and some skiing up on Old Snowy over the weekend. Not sure how I talked Brenda into this one. Headed out Fri after work and drove to the North Fork TH, where we were pleased to find some nice primitive camps. Hiked in to McCall Basin the next day and set up camp around noon, then settled in for the requisite after hike nap. Mostly patchy snow in the basin, and all bare trail on the hike in. Man it's a long haul in there. This was the first time I've had to carry my T3's this year. I have a general rule of no hiking in ski boots further than 3 miles. This was much further.

We headed up into the upper basin for an afternoon ski, and came across another group of 3 skiers already getting in some turns. They were camping just up from us. We made the west ridge at 7000' around 5:00 pm and quickly headed back to camp for food. This had to have been some of the softest and smoothest "spring" snow all year.

Next morning we left camp around 9:00 am and again headed up to the upper basin. We had kind of a time limit, but wanted to at least make it above the steep several hundred ft section that tops out at 7000' before the final section up to the summit area. We booted up to about 7400' before deciding we had to get going. That section was pretty steep for us, but it skied really nice. We arrived back to camp at around 1:00 pm and, after a tea and lunch, we packed up and hiked out. Car at 5:30 pm. Need at least another day next time.



Good work; classic photo #2.  How many miles to snow/skinning, and how many total to camp?

Nice report Mike. We were up there last year over Memorial Day weekend and the snow started at 4000'. It snowed hard and the wind blew for a few hours the first evenng, enough to lay down an inch or so in camp and winddrift to fill in on the glacier. It softened the next day with blue skies and it was a fantastic ski down. Hard to find the trail out, but great conditions. Lots of blow downs on the trail last year. They must have cleared those since, as you didn't mention them, and I'm sure you would have. My son carried downhill boots all the way in! It is a slog even with snow at 4000'.

I think it's just under 5 miles to Tieton Pass then close to 2 more to camp at McCall basin. It's only about 15 min or so and 200' vertical up to the upper basin and snow in photo 1. A week earlier would have been better, as we couldn't find a continuous snow path through the upper basin until we were above it. That discovery made the ski out and the skinning the next day a bit easier.

Wow! That would be a long ways in with snow starting at 4000'. I'm not sure it would be that easy to skin that route. We pretty much had dry trail all the way into McCall Basin, lots of deeper patches there and lots of water and flowers popping up. Beautiful spot. The trail is in really good shape. It's as well maintained as the best sections of the PCT. We didn't climb over a single log except for one on the short trail into the basin. Spoke to a hunter guy hiking out who said he had personally cleared a lot of those logs the year before. Thanks to him for the great job.

This was our first trip into that area ever and Brenda's already talking about another trip there next year.

spent three nights in there over the 4th. was able to ski all the way into McCall ( off the PCT ) and the last mile or so of the PCT as well. Skied some of the same lines you did on the 4th and 5th.
our crew skied a good way out.
how were the bugs

Navigation, would definitely be easier if the trail were exposed as we got lost on the way out. We got a late start and camped at about 4000' the first night, and then skinned up to about 6000' and camped the next day. We stayed a little high on the south side of Tieton Pass and then headed west off the trail. There was only one steep section where we turned south and crossed the PCT. We tried to follow the PCT out and got royally lost as everything was under snow. We talked to another couple coming in and they said they get lost every time they go there. GPS would be good. Great snow coverage the end of May if you go again. No bugs, just the biggest mountain goat I've ever seen. Many thanks to the guy that cleared those blowdowns!

funny thing. The bugs never even rose to nuisance levels. With all that water and wet meadow in McCall Basin I would have expected swarms.

I concur with the long haul, getting lost (extremely tough route finding early in the year - especially if you’re a virgin to this route) and need for an additional day.  My ski partner Andy, my trusty snow dog Oliver and I were up in McCall Basin on June 28th & 29th. I apologize for not posting a TR.  We hit snow below 4,000’ just under the Tieton Pass.  There was about 12-18” of snow at the pass and about 5-6’ over the PCT on the way up to the basin.  The snow was so littered with forest debris and being unfamiliar with the route (many route finding issues) we decided to keep our approach shoes on as it didn't appear to be easy skinning on the PCT.  It took us 6.5 hours to get up to the Upper Basin which should have taken us 4 or so…yes, we got really lost at one point.  Exhausted and getting dark we grabbed some grub and got some z’s. The next day provided us with nice snow under clear blue skies with amazing views. It’s interested to compare your photo #1 & #2 with our photos.  Sure wish I had another day or two.  We opted to boot out to Tieton Pass with our AT boots, which helped with purchase.  Using the GPS and having a few familiar landmarks helped us cut the return trip to Tieton Pass down to 2 hours.  I would brush up on your map skills and take a GPS or even flagging tape but don't rely on the GPS!!!!  The GPS helped us at times especially on our way out (saved us an hour or two) but it also helped us get lost too.  When the PCT is under snow the forest sure looks completely different on the return trip.  Our return to the trailhead from the pass took us about another 1.75 hours or so. Being our first trip on the north side I sure wish we had a dry trail to follow up to the Basin but now we know the way and we will plan an additional day as the basin is a great area for skiing.  We had the entire basin to ourselves and only saw 2 trailrunners at the trailhead. ;D

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july-19-20-2008-old-snowy-mtn
md2020
2008-07-20 22:27:42