December 18, 2010, Chair Peak

Headed out late yesterday morning to Chair Peak with two others.  Great snow headed up to Chair Peak Basin, got a few glimpses of the peak, but beyond that the light was flat and visibility was poor up high.  Approached the gap to drop down to Snow Lake, but we crossed the ridge in an earlier gap than the typical.  Ended up high above the cliffs of the lake on the east side because we could hardly see anything 5 feet in front of us, skinned west to the col down to the east end of the lake.  By then it was already 3:30ish. 

We met another group of 5 that was also heading out via the east end of the lake.  Our party came to the conclusion that the lake was solid enough to cross, we skirted around the edges of it and after a while decided it was completely solid.  Then shot across the middle of it to the end.  This is where it really dawned on us that it was going to become a moonlight tour.  We combined groups at the top of the ridge and shared batteries, headlamps, gps, and terrain knowledge to get back to source lake and to the parking lot. 

Best visibility and turns of the trip was in the evening, awesome to see a bunch of headlamps making sweet turns in the darkness.  Snow was very stable.  Have to go back to take advantage of the powder that lies back there right now.

Big thanks to other group for extra batteries and an extra headlamp, also the good times.

Looking for battery advice for GPS/Headlamps.  I always use Lithium batteries for my gear in the back country and replace them for each trip, but as of late I seem to keep having problems with the batteries draining super fast or the extra batteries I have seem to be almost dead when I replace them later in the trip. 

Cheers,

Now I'm indoors kicking myself for not going out today...it's effin clear out.  Weather man = fail.