May 6, 2010, Naches-Dewey tour, Chinook Pass
5/6/10
WA Cascades West Slopes South (Mt Rainier)
3105
6
Sprinkles while driving made us worry a bit, but it turned out to be pretty nice weather. Parked at Cayuse with another car, the road to Chinook is closed, but was clear to the first sharp turn. We skied low along the road while they were running huge machines spewing snow.
A lot of snow at the pass, we skinned up Naches' south shoulder on dense new snow. Not much sliding activity, except some loose snow off warming rocks. Yakima was getting full morning sun resulting some sloughs, but nothing big we saw. The east slope looked pretty good skiing, but we opted to tour toward a high ridge on Dewey Peak south (see pic). The snow was fairly heavy, but enjoyable (Cascade powder after all). Avoided steep south facing slopes except a few short pitches where the top 6" peeled off easily.
From a high point on Dewey's south ridge, we skied a NE slope staying under 30 deg. The snow was again very ski-able. There are many nice looking steep slopes down toward Dewey lake, maybe next time!
We retraced our uphill track, then skied into Seymour's east basin down to the Dewey drainage, and out to the road. Finished by walking back for 2 miles and 500' UP!
Skiing this weekend should be pretty good. Look for shady NE slopes for soft snow.
A lot of snow at the pass, we skinned up Naches' south shoulder on dense new snow. Not much sliding activity, except some loose snow off warming rocks. Yakima was getting full morning sun resulting some sloughs, but nothing big we saw. The east slope looked pretty good skiing, but we opted to tour toward a high ridge on Dewey Peak south (see pic). The snow was fairly heavy, but enjoyable (Cascade powder after all). Avoided steep south facing slopes except a few short pitches where the top 6" peeled off easily.
From a high point on Dewey's south ridge, we skied a NE slope staying under 30 deg. The snow was again very ski-able. There are many nice looking steep slopes down toward Dewey lake, maybe next time!
We retraced our uphill track, then skied into Seymour's east basin down to the Dewey drainage, and out to the road. Finished by walking back for 2 miles and 500' UP!
Skiing this weekend should be pretty good. Look for shady NE slopes for soft snow.
Beautiful shot of Dewey. For years I've had a plan to camp at Dewey and spend a couple of days skiing the unlimited lines, maybe even heading over to Cougar Lake and Cougar Peak.
How long did it take you to tour from Cayuse to Chinook? At the moment the mileage escapes me.
How long did it take you to tour from Cayuse to Chinook? At the moment the mileage escapes me.
author=blackdog102395 link=topic=16605.msg69544#msg69544 date=1273286535]
How long did it take you to tour from Cayuse to Chinook? At the moment the mileage escapes me.
Cayuse to Chinook is very short, about a half mile to get onto a ski terrain. If you continue on PCT w/o going up on Naches, it is a easy day tour to Dewey leaving a lot of time to explore. I guess I may soon be going back there for more.
That's interesting that you guys skied out the drainage rather than hoof it out. Was the creek drainage pretty filled in? Was one side of Dewey Creek better than the other to ski out?
There are some cool chutes I've skied on the Naches side down to the lower knolls at the base of Seymour. But you need a good snowpack to pull that off like they have now since they opened with a good snowpack.
There are some cool chutes I've skied on the Naches side down to the lower knolls at the base of Seymour. But you need a good snowpack to pull that off like they have now since they opened with a good snowpack.
We did the same tour up on Friday, most likely followed your skin track up. Almost totally consolidated on Friday after Thursday' sun. We had a pleasant lunch on top while we waited for the snow to soften for the ski down. No movement anywhere even on some of the steeper pitches.
We tried to walk the plowed road, the road crew was polite but said no, evidently they are working Tuesday thru Friday and don't want skiers on the road below. On Friday they just made it past the first hairpin turn
We tried to walk the plowed road, the road crew was polite but said no, evidently they are working Tuesday thru Friday and don't want skiers on the road below. On Friday they just made it past the first hairpin turn
We followed your trails on Saturday. Found some sweet corn on the shoulder. Only saw one other party in the area. Thanks for a nice uptrack. Ranger said Chinook likely open next weekend.
author=jgreenleaf link=topic=16605.msg69569#msg69569 date=1273418336">
We tried to walk the plowed road, the road crew was polite but said no, evidently they are working Tuesday thru Friday and don't want skiers on the road below. On Friday they just made it past the first hairpin turn
The opening of Cayuse before Chinook has the advantage of still being able to access Chinook. (pretty obvious)
They had been doing simultaneous openings, maybe due to road slide issues on 123.
So it's nice to have them open Cayuse earlier so there is more snow to do stuff that we normally can't do when they open them both at the same time.
I would guess the less the road crew sees anyone or has to worry about public wandering around the fringes of their way to do their jobs, the better the chance of them being able to do their work and not blow the chance to have this earlier opening of Cayuse in the future.
There are plenty of places to access and depart the area without getting in the way of their work. Or other places to ski that are not near their work sites.
A near weekly update is located HERE if you missed it.
author=snoholic link=topic=16605.msg69572#msg69572 date=1273420666">
Ranger said Chinook likely open next weekend.
I would be surprised if they open next weekend if based on Greenleaf's account that they have only plowed just past the 1st hairpin.
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