July 17, 2004, Russell Glacier

I left the parking lot at 7:30 following the mellow trail to Spray park. Is there another trail over knapsack pass? I guess I should have read the Burgdoerfer guide a little more closely, perhaps. I followed the main trail to the top of spray park. Upon reaching the main snow field, I napped (negating my early start) and was passed by a couple of TAY lurkers and a strange fellow who donned his crampons for the scary flat, mellow snow. Trying to be a friendly backcountry traveller, I wished him a nice day and he replied that he hoped I would find snow. A strange thing to say on a snow field, I thought. I bit my tongue and didn't say the obvious retort of "hope you find some ice, dude."

Anyway, not being familiar with the route, I followed the lurkers as they hugged the east side of observation rock. When I caught back up with them, they said that they were headed for the north side of observation rock, where there was a steep, fairly suncupped slope. They said that earlier trip reports indicated that "you could pick your line". Later in the day when I saw their tracks diagonally across this face, I was glad that I continued up toward the Russell.

Upon arriving upon the well melted out moraine west of the Russell, I finally was able to see this glacier that I heard so much about. The upper parts were most dirty, and the middle was dirty with many bumps. So instead of continuing up, I chose to ski down the east facing slope off the Moraine. It was clean, smooth and most excellent. There was still enough snow to make it back to the bottom of observation rock. After a slight carry, I reached the slope beneath observation rock. These slopes were pretty much worthless for skiing, much suncuppage with various rocks strewn about. But it did provide a quick descent to spray park with a few more brief carries.

Next year I will remember to do this tour right after the road opens. And of course I hope to remember bug spray. Is that why it's called spray park? ???