April 17, 2004, Maple Pass/Lyall Glacier
4/17/04
1929
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Location: WA Pass area
Route: Maple/Heather Pass tour with side trip to Lyall Glacier.
Party: Ema, Pete, Mark, Eli + Liska (dog)
We left from Rainy Pass at 9am and followed the summer trail up to Heather Pass and on to Maple Pass. The SE facing slopes above Lake Ann were softened (but still firm) by 10am. We followed the ridge to the col to the left of Frisco Mtn and dropped down to the flats above Rainy Lake (1000 ft run). We turned and skinned up Lyall Glacier (1000 ft or so) to the ridge between Lyall and Frisco. Return traced our ascent more or less.
Conditions: Granular snow up to 5,500ft or so. 5,500-7200ft was flawless landscape of cream. No sloughs or spinwheels had marred the slopes yet. Snow was at this elevation was windpacked powder being to corn. Lots of pollen in the trees.
Time: 7 hrs
Weather: Fairly cold; freezing overnight in Mazama and icy snow in the parking lot at 8:30am. Weather partly cloudy.
Notes: In early season, its possible to descend from the bottom of Lyall Glacier to Rainy Lake, but the skiing seems unappealing (cliffs and dense trees) relative to the slopes off Maple Pass. The SE facing slope between Heather and Maple Passes and the SE slope below Frisco Mtn get early sun, liquify quickly and tend to be dangerous after 11am on warm spring days (unlike Apr 17th). On the same days, NW facing slopes in the same area can be very firm (even icy) and provide escape options.
Route: Maple/Heather Pass tour with side trip to Lyall Glacier.
Party: Ema, Pete, Mark, Eli + Liska (dog)
We left from Rainy Pass at 9am and followed the summer trail up to Heather Pass and on to Maple Pass. The SE facing slopes above Lake Ann were softened (but still firm) by 10am. We followed the ridge to the col to the left of Frisco Mtn and dropped down to the flats above Rainy Lake (1000 ft run). We turned and skinned up Lyall Glacier (1000 ft or so) to the ridge between Lyall and Frisco. Return traced our ascent more or less.
Conditions: Granular snow up to 5,500ft or so. 5,500-7200ft was flawless landscape of cream. No sloughs or spinwheels had marred the slopes yet. Snow was at this elevation was windpacked powder being to corn. Lots of pollen in the trees.
Time: 7 hrs
Weather: Fairly cold; freezing overnight in Mazama and icy snow in the parking lot at 8:30am. Weather partly cloudy.
Notes: In early season, its possible to descend from the bottom of Lyall Glacier to Rainy Lake, but the skiing seems unappealing (cliffs and dense trees) relative to the slopes off Maple Pass. The SE facing slope between Heather and Maple Passes and the SE slope below Frisco Mtn get early sun, liquify quickly and tend to be dangerous after 11am on warm spring days (unlike Apr 17th). On the same days, NW facing slopes in the same area can be very firm (even icy) and provide escape options.
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