January 17-19, 2009, North Cascades

Will and I took advantage of the high pressure to make a stab at a route I've dreamed about since becoming aware of its existence ~18 months ago. Approached all day Saturday, and much of the morning Sunday, before being forced to bail by avy concerns. At least where we were, North of 20, Sunday's slide cycle started up promptly at 10:30 am, perhaps urged on by persistent small ice and rockfall. As high as the 4k we reached, the snow simply didn't freeze overnight Sunday; apparently that was true to 8k as well. Headed back out Monday. ~32 hours on skis for ~3000' of skiing. I'd do it again in a heartbeat, but I'll wait for more consolidated conditions first.

Pervasive surface hoar to 1 1/2"  in creek bottoms.

Will was a fantastic partner on a route I'd originally intended to solo; we were far more successful as a team than I would have been alone. We also got to violate the "skis never break" theorem just as we finished the steepest part of our deproach. Will's ~5 year old  Snowwolf snapped beneath the binding ~5-7 miles from the road. Fortunately, he'd gotten his skins reglued at REI last week. The exceedingly tenacious (getting skins unfolded was usually a two man job) G3 glue, in combination with a ski strap and three straps off my Cilogear pack, kept things together back to the car.

Poring over USGS quads is a ticket to rewarding adventure.