Feb 21, 2009, Union 5696'-Jove Pk 6007' NW Slopes
2/21/09
1931
2
Folks were spread to the wind today in search of late holding powder. Pico and Margy hit some north facing stuff south of Smithbrook and I think Randy, donb, et. al. were in the Stevens environs: look forward to the trip report.
Jake and I had hopes of powder on the NW sides of Union and Jove that the sun didn't quite reach. We were oh so pleased to find TG metamorphosed frosty light powder, consistently at least six inches deep, that was fast and fun most the day!
Our approach: Up Smithbrook to the clearcut that the road switchback is in. Take a direct climb making switchbacks along the east edge of the cut unit and then into some nice open spaced old growth. Popping out just west of Rainy Pass we got on Union's long east ridge. We bypassed the ridge bumps on the south side on sun warming corn and descended on nice powder to the final saddle before the short ridge finish to Union's summit. Above this saddle a nice looking north facing shot could be skied down into Rainy Creek if Jove is the real objective.
Union Pk: We hoped to find good snow and a good fall line off Union's NW slope. The snow was even better than we predicted. But the slope was not quite what we had hoped. After a fun start on open slopes we quickly cliffed out and were forced to traverse. Then some open tree skiing and more cliffs, more traverses, more short tree shots, more cliffs, more traverses¦. You get the picture. If there is a fall line shot top to bottom we never found it. Looking back, though, I think I found an acceptable route for those wanting a descent and then a skin route onto Jove. Take our first pleasant NW shot, and at the base of it traverse hard right out about all the way to the north ridge. Then nice open tree skiing (reminiscent of Lake Janus slopes) drops one down for a fall line run to about 4500 ft. This we found on our climbing traverse up Jove. Staying west of the south ridge of Jove is pleasant skinning in open forest. Finally up to Jove with high hopes for the west descent. Earlier in the day we watched the big SE slope get baked in the sun but by the time we summited clouds came in, temps dropped, and the surface refroze. We wanted powder anyway, there will be plenty time for corn in Spring.
Jove Pk: This W/NW run had been preserved and was excellent. We stayed toward the NW edge of the slopes, first through the open 600 ft. vert. summit slopes, then into open baby trees, down through the big old growth, and finishing in the beautiful meadow country at 4200 feet just north of Lake Janus. Perhaps the best run of our 4 weeks of searching for powder as successful as they actually have been! Lately we've been forgetting that this has been a long drought!
The exit: We skinned up back up to the Union-Jove saddle finding our Jove up-track for some assistance in the trail breaking. At the saddle we traversed out to the NE slopes of Union hitting open yet shaded glades for a few hundred more vertical of turns. Then more eastward traversing through lots of morning sun affected breakable crust, finally happy to reach the road and clearcuts back to Rainy Pass. Smithbrook road was an ice-luge run back to the car, at least it went fast as our legs were spent.
The Upshot: If we get rain tomorrow this TR will probably be meaningless, but I am amazed how for the last month wind protected north slopes have just held great powder that has been persistently drying out on the deep clear cold nights. The telemetry sites showing 40+ degree temps. at 5000 feet didn't have an effect at all, all month, if you could avoid the tree/rock drip.
I have yet to find a descent route I really like off Union but I prefer it rather than having to drop down into Rainy Creek with all the cut units and snowmobiles. I finally combined the two peaks after a couple attempts to Jove via Union giving up at the saddle or coming back down the ugly south side of Union. Union seems to be circled with a mid-slope cliff band that just denies it great long lines on either the NE or NW sides. In the future I think an option will be to just drop into Rainy Creek from the 5300 ft. point on Union's east ridge. At least this run is north facing and there is no real reason to summit it unless you like skiing off the tops of things like I do. No matter what, to ski the NW side of Jove it requires skins off and on for four times. So I keep trying to find the most turns and aesthetic route choices to get to Jove.
Jake and I had hopes of powder on the NW sides of Union and Jove that the sun didn't quite reach. We were oh so pleased to find TG metamorphosed frosty light powder, consistently at least six inches deep, that was fast and fun most the day!
Our approach: Up Smithbrook to the clearcut that the road switchback is in. Take a direct climb making switchbacks along the east edge of the cut unit and then into some nice open spaced old growth. Popping out just west of Rainy Pass we got on Union's long east ridge. We bypassed the ridge bumps on the south side on sun warming corn and descended on nice powder to the final saddle before the short ridge finish to Union's summit. Above this saddle a nice looking north facing shot could be skied down into Rainy Creek if Jove is the real objective.
Union Pk: We hoped to find good snow and a good fall line off Union's NW slope. The snow was even better than we predicted. But the slope was not quite what we had hoped. After a fun start on open slopes we quickly cliffed out and were forced to traverse. Then some open tree skiing and more cliffs, more traverses, more short tree shots, more cliffs, more traverses¦. You get the picture. If there is a fall line shot top to bottom we never found it. Looking back, though, I think I found an acceptable route for those wanting a descent and then a skin route onto Jove. Take our first pleasant NW shot, and at the base of it traverse hard right out about all the way to the north ridge. Then nice open tree skiing (reminiscent of Lake Janus slopes) drops one down for a fall line run to about 4500 ft. This we found on our climbing traverse up Jove. Staying west of the south ridge of Jove is pleasant skinning in open forest. Finally up to Jove with high hopes for the west descent. Earlier in the day we watched the big SE slope get baked in the sun but by the time we summited clouds came in, temps dropped, and the surface refroze. We wanted powder anyway, there will be plenty time for corn in Spring.
Jove Pk: This W/NW run had been preserved and was excellent. We stayed toward the NW edge of the slopes, first through the open 600 ft. vert. summit slopes, then into open baby trees, down through the big old growth, and finishing in the beautiful meadow country at 4200 feet just north of Lake Janus. Perhaps the best run of our 4 weeks of searching for powder as successful as they actually have been! Lately we've been forgetting that this has been a long drought!
The exit: We skinned up back up to the Union-Jove saddle finding our Jove up-track for some assistance in the trail breaking. At the saddle we traversed out to the NE slopes of Union hitting open yet shaded glades for a few hundred more vertical of turns. Then more eastward traversing through lots of morning sun affected breakable crust, finally happy to reach the road and clearcuts back to Rainy Pass. Smithbrook road was an ice-luge run back to the car, at least it went fast as our legs were spent.
The Upshot: If we get rain tomorrow this TR will probably be meaningless, but I am amazed how for the last month wind protected north slopes have just held great powder that has been persistently drying out on the deep clear cold nights. The telemetry sites showing 40+ degree temps. at 5000 feet didn't have an effect at all, all month, if you could avoid the tree/rock drip.
I have yet to find a descent route I really like off Union but I prefer it rather than having to drop down into Rainy Creek with all the cut units and snowmobiles. I finally combined the two peaks after a couple attempts to Jove via Union giving up at the saddle or coming back down the ugly south side of Union. Union seems to be circled with a mid-slope cliff band that just denies it great long lines on either the NE or NW sides. In the future I think an option will be to just drop into Rainy Creek from the 5300 ft. point on Union's east ridge. At least this run is north facing and there is no real reason to summit it unless you like skiing off the tops of things like I do. No matter what, to ski the NW side of Jove it requires skins off and on for four times. So I keep trying to find the most turns and aesthetic route choices to get to Jove.
JimH and I did this a few weeks back and opted to just drop into Rainy Creek and ski across to Jove. It was actually pretty quick from Rainy Pass to the base of the climb up Jove with easy navigation along the way. Skins off and on again only once from Rainy Pass
author=iluka link=topic=12409.msg51838#msg51838 date=1235316788]
JimH and I did this a few weeks back and opted to just drop into Rainy Creek and ski across to Jove. It was actually pretty quick from Rainy Pass to the base of the climb up Jove with easy navigation along the way. Skins off and on again only once from Rainy Pass
Yeah, I think that's the most efficient way to go when the W side of Jove is the objective. I am always hoping to link a couple of runs in a peak traverse but Union just doesn't seem to have it. FYI, I don't think anyone has been there in between you two and us and we could barely make out some evidence of your turns. Otherwise, they were snowed and/or blown in. We had mostly a clean canvas! Lake Janus is a beautiful place in the winter.
Oh, the snowmobilers were back and actively playing in the NE bowl again while we were on top.
John
Reply to this TR
Please login first: