February 13, 2009, Jove-Union Peak Traverse
2/13/09
4667
7
JimH, Brad and I had the day off and decided to head off for the area around Jove Peak.
The skinning up Smith Brook Road was easy as there was a ski track in there from yesterday (there are now lots of snowshoe and ski tracks). From the hairpin turn up to Rainy Pass, the skinning was a bit difficult in spots with several inches of new snow on a really firm crust. We dropped off Rainy Pass on our way to Jove and, although the snow looked like it would be great, we found the skiing a bit tricky with all of the snowmobile tracks in there. Once down in the basin, we traversed around through the forest toward Jove and had no problem with the creek crossing. We opted to ascend Jove by sticking to the forested slopes to the right of the open slope below the summit and found very nice skinning on our way up. After gaining the ridge, we turned left and climbed along the wind scoured ridge to a very windy summit. The south facing slope off the summit looked appealing from a distance but we stayed off it as it appeared quite windloaded and we saw some fracture propagation in spots while playing around up top.
After a quick lunch, we opted to drop off the other side of Jove toward Lake Janus and found great powder without any surface crust or instability on the west-north-west facing slope. It was so good, we opted to lap it again. From the bottom of our second run, we traversed around to the Jove-Union saddle and climbed the ridge to the top of Union. From there, we worked our way down the ridge towards Rainy Pass for a few hundred feet before dropping onto the slopes that ran down to the forest service road. The skiing here was not particularly pleasant. No instability but a few inches of soft stuff on a firm crust with breakable crust in spots as well as some old slide debris. Once on the road, it was the typical fast ski out.
No sun and cold temps all day so I suspect the powder will remain on the north facing aspects.
The skinning up Smith Brook Road was easy as there was a ski track in there from yesterday (there are now lots of snowshoe and ski tracks). From the hairpin turn up to Rainy Pass, the skinning was a bit difficult in spots with several inches of new snow on a really firm crust. We dropped off Rainy Pass on our way to Jove and, although the snow looked like it would be great, we found the skiing a bit tricky with all of the snowmobile tracks in there. Once down in the basin, we traversed around through the forest toward Jove and had no problem with the creek crossing. We opted to ascend Jove by sticking to the forested slopes to the right of the open slope below the summit and found very nice skinning on our way up. After gaining the ridge, we turned left and climbed along the wind scoured ridge to a very windy summit. The south facing slope off the summit looked appealing from a distance but we stayed off it as it appeared quite windloaded and we saw some fracture propagation in spots while playing around up top.
After a quick lunch, we opted to drop off the other side of Jove toward Lake Janus and found great powder without any surface crust or instability on the west-north-west facing slope. It was so good, we opted to lap it again. From the bottom of our second run, we traversed around to the Jove-Union saddle and climbed the ridge to the top of Union. From there, we worked our way down the ridge towards Rainy Pass for a few hundred feet before dropping onto the slopes that ran down to the forest service road. The skiing here was not particularly pleasant. No instability but a few inches of soft stuff on a firm crust with breakable crust in spots as well as some old slide debris. Once on the road, it was the typical fast ski out.
No sun and cold temps all day so I suspect the powder will remain on the north facing aspects.
Yeah. Dig that wiggy cold smoke!
Nice TR -- one question. What the heck is all the weird, blowy white stuff behind you?
Yup. Actual powder. It pretty much made the day.
iluka - thanks for the TR, the pics, and a great day outside.
iluka - thanks for the TR, the pics, and a great day outside.
Need to add this - we saw a 'biler come out of the HMJ wilderness area near the summit of Jove. He was playing around in the drainage that runs E/NE off of Jove's summit for at least a couple hours (we could hear him during our ascent and while lapping the backside).
Everyone was friendly with each other, but he seemed a little surprised to see us when he popped onto the ridge. That makes more sense now.
Everyone was friendly with each other, but he seemed a little surprised to see us when he popped onto the ridge. That makes more sense now.
author=JimH link=topic=12294.msg51546#msg51546 date=1234854465]
Need to add this - we saw a 'biler come out of the HMJ wilderness area near the summit of Jove. He was playing around in the drainage that runs E/NE off of Jove's summit for at least a couple hours (we could hear him during our ascent and while lapping the backside).
Everyone was friendly with each other, but he seemed a little surprised to see us when he popped onto the ridge. That makes more sense now.
Thanks for the heads up Jim. That E/NE basin sure looks like it has a lot of ski potential and should not be trashed with high mark tracks, as it is clear where the wilderness boundary is.
John
Did one of you lose a snickers bar? I went up very ealry on the 14th and my dog sniffed one out just barely buried under the little snow that had fallen over night. If it was yours, sorry, I ate it.
Must have been your skin track that I followed through the trees up jove. It was all but lost from wind transported snow once I gained the ridge. I could make out a few ski marks in areas where the snow was gone to the crust layer.
Also was suprised by the sled tracks... Saw some guys messing around near rainy pass, but not in the wilderness.
Must have been your skin track that I followed through the trees up jove. It was all but lost from wind transported snow once I gained the ridge. I could make out a few ski marks in areas where the snow was gone to the crust layer.
Also was suprised by the sled tracks... Saw some guys messing around near rainy pass, but not in the wilderness.
Sounds like a good long day. We had good fresh with odd crusts and layers also on Jim Hill.
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