June 23, 2002, Sauk Mountain

Snow has melted out on the road to less than .5 miles from the trailhead. The trail itself is mostly clear except for occasional short sections of snow. There is a lot a very impressive avalanche debris, including a couple of large trees blocking the trailhead parking lot.

Chris and I skied from near the east summit (5550') to the lake (4200'?) on great corn snow with minimal sun cups. At a band on trees 200' above the lake we took the skis off to cross the melted out 'cliff' section. Then skied down to the lake which is mostly frozen, but getting a ring of beautiful aqua water around the edges.

After basking in the sun for a few minutes we booted back up to within a couple of hundred feet below the west summit then did another lap. As we head back to our starting point (where we'd left the approach shoes and a pack), we passed a 30-35 degree headwall that caused us to do another short lap ;-). Great easy access trip that should be good for a few more weeks.

Russ Schwartz