Home > Trip Reports > Sunday, May 17. Birthday Tour

Sunday, May 17. Birthday Tour

5/15/09
WA Cascades East Slopes North
5918
13
Posted by Stewie on 5/17/09 1:34pm
This weekend, my dad, Scotsman and I decided to head up to Washington pass to do the Birthday tour. After reading a report about some avalanche danger up there we decided that we would give it a go and just wake up and get an early start. Along with us came Altasnob and Pnwbrit.
We finally got up to the trail head around 12 pm after giving help to a Canadian couple who had ran out of gas 40 miles from the nearest gas station, set up the sleeping pads and fell asleep. That night we were worried that the snow wouldn't consolidate or freeze any over night but  as a pleasant surprise when we woke up, there was frost on the car and a beautiful bight sunny day.       
We all set out at an early 6:30 Am and made great time, making it up to the col by 9:15. There, after waiting for twenty minutes got a great ski down Madison avenue. By this time everything was starting to really soften up, all around us snow was falling off the cliffs. At 10:15 we made it up to the second col. We skied down through the larches in ankle deep slush and down to the hair-pin bend.
Over all it was a great trip, everyone had a great time.
Some Pics.
Please excuse the thumb!

Great day son, thanks for leading the way!

This is a nicely written trip report Stewie. Keep them coming!

Chris posted photos! I guess you can teach and old dog a new trick.

A vision of a father and son power team of journalists is emerging.

We were behind you by two hours, starting at 0830.  Lovely day.

author=JibberD link=topic=13361.msg55597#msg55597 date=1242652717]
This is a nicely written trip report Stewie. Keep them coming!

Chris posted photos! I guess you can teach and old dog a new trick.

A vision of a father and son power team of journalists is emerging.


Have you seen my photos??? :-[
Stewart was reviewing my photos on the way home and 16 of the 20 I took had a thumb in them.
At least we didn't have a scrabble board with us.
Remember when you and I did it and you pulled a scrabble board out of your pack at the bottom of Madison Avenue???? ::)

Nice report Stewie.  I think you should also carry the camera on the next outing.  ;)

Glad you guys got out on the hill. Chris' thumb looks great, next time I get to Washington Pass I'll look for the large thumb on top of Madison Ave.  :D

Views must have been spectacular!

Fun day guys.

It should be noted that Stewie went uphill like a frickin mountain goat all day. I've sent him some photos "sans thumb" for subsequent editing into his report.

Stewart, wha' happen' to those gorgeous blond curls of yers?  Is your hair darkening as you approach adulthood? 
You are certainly one of the youngest proficient ski-mountaineer-type guys out there.  8)

author=Zap link=topic=13361.msg55612#msg55612 date=1242664291]
Nice report Stewie.  I think you should also carry the camera on the next outing.  ;)


Jeez, tough crowd.
Look at this beauty! I like the composition and detail in this one.
Right up there with one of Jason Hummel's IMHO and probably a shoo-in for next years TAY calendar. May's taken! ha ha ahaaha  ;D

author=Scotsman link=topic=13361.msg55607#msg55607 date=1242662283]
Have you seen my photos??? :-[
Stewart was reviewing my photos on the way home and 16 of the 20 I took had a thumb in them.
At least we didn't have a scrabble board with us.
Remember when you and I did it and you pulled a scrabble board out of your pack at the bottom of Madison Avenue???? ::)


Oh yeah, the Scrabble board incident. I remember that now and it's making me laugh. Just in case anyone is wondering, I forgot it was slipped between the padding and main compartment pocket of the pack after a multi-day hut trip. Guess Madison Ave is as good a place as any to find a missing Scrabble board, eh! My feelings were hurt that day when you refused to play a game at the bottom of Mad-Ave. I've since recovered and forgiven you.

And yes, your photos are crap, but even photos of crap are worth a thousand words, er, eh, or something like that. They are right up there with my GPS navigation skills, which I recall also gave us a few chuckles on that day back then.

You keep practicing with the camera, me with the GPS and Stewie with cranking out the trip reports and the world will continue to improve!

Stewie- nice job on the TR.
Scottie- good try on the pics, you are on your way to becoming as good as Grant Gunderson.
All- nice work keeping up with Stewie, I sure won't be able to when I finally get out!

Good to see you all going out and hitting some good terrain, sure fires me up for when the quarter ends...

Chris

I emailed Scotsman on Monday for a quick question as my buddy and I were headed up to do this tour on Tuesday morning.  We left Wenatchee at 3:55 am to try and beat the melt but ended up running into other weather issues.  The previously clear and sunny days had given away to freezing temps and snow/wind.  The skintrack was crap (when you could find it) and every bit as bulletproof as anything else on the face.  We took about 30 minutes at the Spire Gulch entrance trying to figure out if it was worth the time to complete the tour and finally resigned ourselves to defeat.  Rather than ride out to the Blue Lake TH we opted for Spire Gulch, a nice mix of frozen avi debris and bootpack.  After a couple hundred feet it softened up and I rather enjoyed it on the splitboard (my buddy, the skier, had a different version of events).







Sorry the weather didn't cooperate.

I've never enjoyed the approach to the col up Spire Gully, direct but tiring.
I think the skin from Blue Lake TH gives a more relaxing start to the day.

Get right back on the horse, it'll be good this weekend!

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2009-05-17 20:34:30