April 9, 2009, Pilchuck Workout

With an iffy weather and avy forecast we opted for a slog up good ole Pilchuck. The J-Team (Jeff, John, Jon, & Jim) + Reggi met up at the Red Apple in Granite Falls and loaded mt. bikes into Jeff's truck for the drive to the Heather Lake trail head. Around 10 we pedaled past the closed gate and chugged our way about half way up the road with skis and packs on our backs before stashing the bikes and putting on the skis. Early season legs were already feeling the effort by the time we reached the trail head about noon.
   

The climb to the top went well on pretty good snow (no deep mush). Jeff and Jon dug a pit and tried to cut the cornice over the Gunsight, but all looked well, so we dropped in. We saw a line across the way that isn't filled in later so Jim climbed up Larrison Ridge to ski it while the rest of the crew climbed back up the Gunsight to do The Trigger (next gully south of the Gunsight).
   

Larrison ridge was surprisingly good skiing on slushy, but not mushy corn. We skied down the drainage instead of climbing back up to the trail as we normally do. A long traverse through beautiful old growth timber got us back to the flats just above the trail head parking lot.
 

Skiing down the road was a bit tiresome due to pollen buildup on our skis, so there was more kicking than gliding. The bikes were a welcome switch and a cool fast ride back to the truck, then chowing down at the Mexican restaurant in Granite Falls finished off a good long day on our favorite little mountain.