Home > Trip Reports > November, 21-23 Esmeralda's Long Bean

November, 21-23 Esmeralda's Long Bean

11/15/09
WA Cascades East Slopes Central
4490
8
Posted by ema on 11/23/09 1:24pm
Stayed a few days in the Teanaway. Chose this location due to drier snowpack and nicer weather. Camped at 29 Pines each night and took sleds from there. A rutted, wheeled vehicle track currently goes as far as Stafford Cr. Snowpack depth at the Esmeralda TH is roughly a meter, while higher in the basin I probed 140 cm. avg. We skied in Bean Cr. basin and Esmeralda Basin and got some nice views from the ridgelines, especially the pic of Argonaut Pk. from Long Pass. Snow was nice and cold, in contrast to some West side reports. Very small (8") pocket slabs were observed. No other people were observed. "A great place to meet people!"
Thats a fantastic picture of Sherpa Peak.
Looks very nice snow conditions out there.
thanks

Beautiful! Great photos, looks like amazing snow too. Well done, maybe I could get photos like that if I could just get someone to ski with me :'(

Very nice. That area is high on the list of places that get me pondering whether sleds are just too much gear to mess with or not...

Thanks for the comments. And thanks to "gilbert" for correcting me on peak names. The peak is Argonaut, so dismiss the tag "sherpa" under the photo.
Jim, sledding is a sport all it's own! If you aren't ready to take the plunge and learn how to ride, then it would become a disaster every time. We broke "trail" in about 18" of fresh up the road, with not one other sledder (or anyone) around. Only got stuck once! Also, riding, on it's own, is a huge workout. Gold's Gym should have some snowmobiles on the floor! FWIW, the new engine technologies are great. My 4-stroke didn't use any oil last season! Not one drop!!!!!! Dip stick read full at the beginning and end of the season!!! It also gets about 17mpg. Some 2-strokes are using the tested Evenrude outboard boat motor technology now as well. Those use a fraction of the oil of 2-stokes from the past. ie) adding oil once per season, and get up to 20mpg. They smell MUCH cleaner as well...I look forward to the approach and return on a sled, sometimes as much as the skiing itself!!?? Oh no, they said this might happen!!

author=TobyT link=topic=14599.msg61107#msg61107 date=1259109505]
I look forward to the approach and return on a sled, sometimes as much as the skiing itself!!?

ON a sled is the key, not on a rope being towed behind it!  After 20+ miles of that, some people are frozen stiff, hardly able to ski then. :(

Yup. You need you own.

Good stuff as usual, Toby -- Teanaway's on the list this winter, hopefully I can make it happen. 

author=TobyT link=topic=14599.msg61110#msg61110 date=1259110257]
Yup. You need you own.


Thanks for the report.  Been wondering how conditions were up there.  I go snomo accessed touring in the Teanaway pretty frequently.  PM me if you're looking for partners.

Reply to this TR

6834
november-21-23-esmeralda-s-long-bean
ema
2009-11-23 21:24:30