Feb 26, 2011, - Tooth/Hemlock/Bryant circumnav
2/26/11
WA Snoqualmie Pass
2354
2
Anastasia, Andy, Pete, and I got an early start and headed up to Snoqualmie Pass with no particular destination in mind. We were thinking it would be a good day to do a pub crawl of sorts, hitting some of the low-hanging fruit around Source Lake to maximize the enjoyment of descending in this delightful snow and maybe head up to the north slope of Chair.
We headed for Pineapple Pass first. Andy dug a pit and was only able to get the buried layer to react at about CT 27. We took a little appetizer lap (what we dubbed a lappetizer) down into Pineapple basin. We skinned back up to the pass with our sights set on the southwest facing slope that goes off the backside. Andy dug another pit with the same results on that aspect. There were a couple sets of tracks going down that side so we followed them. What we found ourselves in was some of the lightest, fluffiest, most agreeable snow Ive ever had the pleasure to ski all set amongst perfectly spaced trees and open glades. We all giggled like children. When we reached the bottom we werent sure what our next move was going to be. Break trail back up 1400 feet to hit it again or proceed to Melakwa Lake and link up with the Chair Peak Circumnav. The well trodden skin track heading for Melakwa answered that question for us and we hopped right in it.
At the pass above Melakwa Lake, the track continued up towards Bryant col so, in deteriorating weather, we opted to head up to the Col vs. finishing the Circumnavigation. The upper several hundred feet of the slope heading down from Bryant Col towards Melakwa Lake is pretty wind-hammered and crusty, fyi. At Bryant Col we were fortunate enough to meet the woman who with her ski partner on the previous day had put in the skin track we followed up so we were able to thank her in person!
We all dropped in to Bryant couloir to get back to Source Lake - a little chunky, but perfectly skiable. A quick slide out the luge track had us back to the car by 1:45, very satisfied with our pub crawl turned Tooth/Hemlock/Bryant Circumnavigation.
Pictures here: https://picasaweb.google.com/petealderson/PineapplePassBryantCol#
We headed for Pineapple Pass first. Andy dug a pit and was only able to get the buried layer to react at about CT 27. We took a little appetizer lap (what we dubbed a lappetizer) down into Pineapple basin. We skinned back up to the pass with our sights set on the southwest facing slope that goes off the backside. Andy dug another pit with the same results on that aspect. There were a couple sets of tracks going down that side so we followed them. What we found ourselves in was some of the lightest, fluffiest, most agreeable snow Ive ever had the pleasure to ski all set amongst perfectly spaced trees and open glades. We all giggled like children. When we reached the bottom we werent sure what our next move was going to be. Break trail back up 1400 feet to hit it again or proceed to Melakwa Lake and link up with the Chair Peak Circumnav. The well trodden skin track heading for Melakwa answered that question for us and we hopped right in it.
At the pass above Melakwa Lake, the track continued up towards Bryant col so, in deteriorating weather, we opted to head up to the Col vs. finishing the Circumnavigation. The upper several hundred feet of the slope heading down from Bryant Col towards Melakwa Lake is pretty wind-hammered and crusty, fyi. At Bryant Col we were fortunate enough to meet the woman who with her ski partner on the previous day had put in the skin track we followed up so we were able to thank her in person!
We all dropped in to Bryant couloir to get back to Source Lake - a little chunky, but perfectly skiable. A quick slide out the luge track had us back to the car by 1:45, very satisfied with our pub crawl turned Tooth/Hemlock/Bryant Circumnavigation.
Pictures here: https://picasaweb.google.com/petealderson/PineapplePassBryantCol#
While y'all were giggling like children, I did my best to be very serious here in town...
Nice work! Sounded like a great tour. And you didn't leave AP behind, which was courteous of you. :)
Nice work! Sounded like a great tour. And you didn't leave AP behind, which was courteous of you. :)
Ohhhh ... that looks nice! :)
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