Feb 17, Smith Brook, Lichtenpow

AlmostAspen, Double E, and I opted to spend this Thursday funemployed in the pursuit of powder around Stevens pass. Given the pleasant weather on the ride up, and general level of stoke, we decided to make an attempt on Lichtenberg, hoping to clear up some of Double E's unfinished business.

Upon arriving at the Smith Brook pullout I was shocked (shocked!) to discover the sun unabashedly unobscured overhead. As we progressed up the road I realized, but dared not say, that we were in for a Lichtenbluebird day. 10-15cm of exceptionally light powder covered the trail, and I could feel my blood Vitamen D concentration rising rapidly.

After turning at the snowed-in Smith Brook "trailhead" we quickly identified my favorite crossing just downstream of our intersection with the brook. A bit of shoveling reinforced the bridge, making it suitable for a quick skin crossing. Other than a few choice areas, the walls of the brook were steep, overhung, and mildly foreboding.

Lichtenwasser was gained at a rabbit's pace, after a quick detour left of the ridge line to avoid the dreaded Lichtenstep. Given the layer of light, unconsolidated powder in the trees *joy*, I felt a wallow up the step would be uncalled for so early in the day.

On Burgdorfer's advice, we skinned the NE ridge of Lichtenberg directly from Lichtenwasser, which went quite smoothly until encountering a steep wallow approximately 150 feet below the summit. The ridge afforded an excellent view of the aggressively corniced headwall of the basin to the south, and a small potential break in the cornices at the western saddle. Did we tag the peak? A lady never tells.

The clouds thickened and began to release large, light flakes as we deskinned at our highpoint. We chose to interprete this as a blessing upon the powder turns we were to undertake. Pillows at 5.5k yielded the first and only face shot of the day, which did not go unappreciated.

Snow was, in my estimation, exceptionally stable. At 5.8k-5k we encountered ~25-30cm of light powder above denser powder base, with some very minor sun-effects on more southerly aspects. Harder, more consolidated layers could be found at a variable depth (45+cm, shallower near the ridge line). Not quite sure, but could these be older wind slabs along with the older crust? Below 4k we encountered thinner light powder, still quite dry in the north-facing trees but beginning to muck in exposed areas below. Ski cuts (~5.5k, low 30s deg, E facing & 4.5k, low 30's, trees, N facing) showed unconsolidated sloughing, but nothing else. I noticed very few fresh natural sloughs from steeper rocks, and no natural slab activity.

My only regret? No cash for a Polish Sausage at Costco in the evening. $1.50! So cheap!

Thanks again for the invite fellows; it was great to meet you.