Sep16, 2008; Silver Peak patch

After spotting a relic snow patch on Silver Pk from afar on an evening hike near Snoqualmie Pass last week, inspiration was set for a "dusk patrol" outing to bag September turns after work on a weekday.  To my surprise, 3 others were willing to join for such an endeavor.  Skip, Jeff, Holly, and I hoisted ski-loaded packs shortly before sunset.  Following a quick road approach, we ascended a small way trail which was eventually lost in a boulder field.  Dusk was setting in, the snow patch was still far out of sight, and upward progress slowed on the boulders.  However, we still managed to reach the top of the snow patch with a glimmer of daylight remaining. 
The patch turned out to be larger than expected, though the snow was as hard and heavily sun-cupped as expected.  The chattery turns were so great I couldn't resist a second lap  ::). Managed fairly typical "Joy-O-Meter" scores for September:

1 lap on the patch:  ~70 vert. ft skied / ~1,000 vert. ft. hiked to reach the patch = 70/1,000 X 100 = 7%
2 laps on the patch: ~140 vert ft skied/~1,000 vert ft hiked = 14%

Darkness set in by the time we re-fit skis onto packs.  Ah, the night that stupidity won, but fortunately we were able to re-trace our route out by headlamp and all made it out unscathed, sore feet nothwithstanding.

Additional pics posted