April 10, 2011, Bedal Peak
4/10/11
4089
3
Slept through the alarm on saturday, but reset and got up on sunday. Drove to a few yards short of the switchback where the "fisherman's trail" purportedly starts. Parked the car in 6-in of snow on the road at 2200'.
7 am alone in a forest is a great way to start a day. Tough going to 3200', booting up steep forest and the occasional cliff through boot to knee deep saturated mush. Above 3200' switched to skinning and the forest really opened up. Very nice terrain, and easy skinning. It was snowing from about 3400' on up.
Crossed the basin above Nels Lake at about 4700', but had to work through some very steep (but brief) treed slopes to get to the ramp. The ramp from Nels Lake basin to the north snowfield of Bedal was really nice, great skiing and would make a great destination on its own.
Stayed on the NW ridge of Bedal until 5600-5800' or so. Total whiteout in the featureless north slope of Bedal were less than inspiring, this is also when the wind began to pick up. I tried hard to avoid steep slopes, and if I found myself on a steepening roll, quickly switched to avoid it and go above. Trail breaking was slow with lots of squinting into the cloud and 8" of ski-pen.
Eventually summitted. About 2pm, in strong southerly winds. Views were limited, though it cleared a bit during the summit.
Skied down, fought the Nels Lake traverse, found the skin track, lost the skin track, turned over granite chunks in the mush, more granite chunks, switched to booting, booted down last 400', way too far skiers right, hiked over logs in 8" of mush for an hour trying to maintain elevation, FINALLY saw the road. good day (in a mountain loop sort of way)
7 am alone in a forest is a great way to start a day. Tough going to 3200', booting up steep forest and the occasional cliff through boot to knee deep saturated mush. Above 3200' switched to skinning and the forest really opened up. Very nice terrain, and easy skinning. It was snowing from about 3400' on up.
Crossed the basin above Nels Lake at about 4700', but had to work through some very steep (but brief) treed slopes to get to the ramp. The ramp from Nels Lake basin to the north snowfield of Bedal was really nice, great skiing and would make a great destination on its own.
Stayed on the NW ridge of Bedal until 5600-5800' or so. Total whiteout in the featureless north slope of Bedal were less than inspiring, this is also when the wind began to pick up. I tried hard to avoid steep slopes, and if I found myself on a steepening roll, quickly switched to avoid it and go above. Trail breaking was slow with lots of squinting into the cloud and 8" of ski-pen.
Eventually summitted. About 2pm, in strong southerly winds. Views were limited, though it cleared a bit during the summit.
Skied down, fought the Nels Lake traverse, found the skin track, lost the skin track, turned over granite chunks in the mush, more granite chunks, switched to booting, booted down last 400', way too far skiers right, hiked over logs in 8" of mush for an hour trying to maintain elevation, FINALLY saw the road. good day (in a mountain loop sort of way)
Cool, I'd like to knock that one off too (being the Mt. Loop aficionado I am).
Very Nice!!
Sounds like a fun day.
Which way did you drive in from?
Sounds like a fun day.
Which way did you drive in from?
The mt loop is closed on the south side at red bridge and at barlow pass. I always find it faster to drive via d-ton anyway... Merrybrook road is where I parked, about 500' below where I parked in february (both at snow patches). :)
Jim - shoot me a pm if you ever want to go explore.
Jim - shoot me a pm if you ever want to go explore.
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