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Topic: April 9, 2011, McCall Mt (via Napeequa Crossing) (Read 2401 times)
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fwb
5Member
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McCall Mt (5760’) (White Riiver, Napeequa Crossing)
April 9, 2011
A brief weather window and no takers on getting out -bummer. About a late 10pm... dicey decided to join me. Probably to keep me out of trouble. We started at Twin Lakes TH at 8:21a. Followed trail by boot then skis after less than a half mile. Snow was firm, but not too hard. Good snow once back on valley floor. Passed skin tracks of the group that went to Bandit the day(s) before. At the pond went right side up the creek to a giant pile of avy debris.
From here headed right through trees and up a box canyon to the smaller Twin Lake. Conditions were good, otherwise this would be a nasty terrain trap.
Then east side of the lake, a break at the Spawning Station between the lakes (3.2m, 2h50m). After a break we went further south along the larger lake passing a small gulley then a large swath that went up to the ridge. Up a forested rib south of the large gulley, snow slightly soft and good for skinning (glad to not be snowshoeing). Pitch rose to ~30deg, then c4000’ it increased to 42deg for a little less than 400’. Around 5000’ the trees got tighter and the snow mushy. Off to the left was more open.
We gained the summit ridge at point 5657 (4.9m, 6hrs from car). The ridge was thick with overhanging cornices aiming east. McCall was ¾ mile south along the ridge in the sunshine. And clouds were lifting from Crook to the north.
Back to the NW Grasshopper was very dramatic
 =
The ridge snow was mushy. On the way down passed a very fresh deep Bear track. Wasn’t there on the way up. It went left, so we went right. Out of the trees into the field/gulley that had beautiful corn snow. Midway down some dodging of sparse debris were it got shallower. Several good pitches and almost at the lake a halfpipe.
We traversed back through the forest above the lakes and back the box canyon. The snow had softened, and the skis sank in an inch or so. I had skin issues. New Speedskins are like sponges. Soaked up the wetness and wouldn’t stick when tried to attach a second time. Wouldn’t be a problem, ‘cept the snow that stuck to the skin and the snow piled between ski and skin… Guess can’t have a perfect day : )
We made it out before dark (11.3m, 4567vert, 11h44min) and polished off the trip with burgers and beer at the Headwaters.
Great day, okay skiing, great company.
-fwb
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« Last Edit: 04/12/11, 05:20 PM by fwb »
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Jason_H.
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You gotta love when that happens to the skins, eh. Nice trip.
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Andrew Carey
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Do you use skin wax? I use it more than 2/3 the time?
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... want your own private skintrack? :-) better move to the yukon dude ....(B'ham Allen, 2011).
...
Andy Carey, Nisqually Park, 3500 feet below Paradise
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fwb
5Member
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Skins -haven't had issues with my old skins (Pomoca & BD). I expect to maintain the skins, BUT was surprised to have a new skin act like it had nothing to begin with.
At home I hosed the skin and as a test three others (different brand, mohair, syn, mixed). All repelled the water except the speedskins, they soaked the water up.
The response from the mfg is, "...this is the first I’ve really heard of this issue". (regarding extreme water absorbtion). "The glue on our skins can be a little testy in colder, dryer climates which may be what you have experienced; they are designed for a maritime climate... Re-gluing is a quick and easy fix as the skins are not defective... some skin glue (Black Diamond is a good option) and re-gluing your skins ". Their solution is the customer should apply nikwax and reglue with BD glue new skins that are one day new out of the box.
WTF? (excuse my language... I'm on a rant). It's not the issue that this does happen to skins, it's that I expected new skins to work on their first day without having to do maintenance I'd expect on a well used set. Well, I could be wrong... but my skins from the 80's are doing better than the brand new ones on day one. Time to get out the iron and glue...
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Joedabaker
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Awesome trip report!
I hate to drift your thread, but since you initiated it with the skins.
I find it weird that they responded by recommending the BD glue. Why don't they just improve their glue since they charge so much for skins?
I have had the same problems with the glue as they state and plan to reglue them with BD Gold when I see fit, but gotta do it before the spring slop otherwise they won't hold at all. I hope that I don't have the same problem as yours in the sticky crap, but they have been very good skins overall and pack way smaller and glide way better than BD's orange skins. I know-I compared the two on the same ski.
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If it's called common sense, why isn't it more common?
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garyabrill
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McCall Mt (5760’) (White Riiver, Napeequa Crossing)
April 9, 2011
The ridge snow was mushy. On the way down passed a very fresh deep Bear track.
How big was the track and did you notice if the claws extended well past the toes? Griz's have very extended claws and the toes are relatively straight across. I spotted a 9-1/4" by 10-1/2" Griz track two springs ago along the highway 20 area. I also found a 14" diameter pile of bearshit about six miles from where I saw the tracks this past September.
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kath
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gary .. are you reporting those tracks to the state and/or nps biologists? .. did you get pix? we've done some griz camera placements in the nc for conservation nw .. so was just wondering ..
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garyabrill
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gary .. are you reporting those tracks to the state and/or nps biologists? .. did you get pix? we've done some griz camera placements in the nc for conservation nw .. so was just wondering ..
I reported the first incident and talked to the Grizzly/Wolf Re-introduction folks. I didn't take pix but three of us observed about 20 tracks that were obvious. I measured them and checked the measurement at home. I haven't reported the "big pile" yet but will do so before long. It was in an area seldom traveled by humans.
Regarding the Napeequa...let's just say I've heard...although the information is a few years old.
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JKordel
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Here is a photo from last spring on a tour relatively near Easy Pass off Hwy 20. That mitten is 12" long so that puts the tracks at about 14" x 10" or so.
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garyabrill
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Here is a photo from last spring on a tour relatively near Easy Pass off Hwy 20. That mitten is 12" long so that puts the tracks at about 14" x 10" or so.
That's my boy! 
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alecapone
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Gulp....!
Maybe smokied salmon isn't the best snack to pack up the nap...eequa
We saw no bear tracks in Franklin's above noted 'day's before'... We did see numreous very large bear tracks in the same area two weeks prior. Very active.
I'll have to send Nick a message and ask his opinion. He was the group tracker, but none of us voiced that they could be griz tracks. ... Maybe he took a photo.
Would black bears and grizzly cohabitate the same valley?
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scott
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kath
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napeequa is a place of interest for grizzly habitat .. there have been unsubstantiated sightings there .. by unsubstantiated i mean they need documentation .. photos of the bear would be awesome .. but pix of tracks are helpful too .. in dirt would prob be better ..
we were further north .. we know they are out there .. it's just a matter of time b4 they are caught on camera ..
when placing cameras in the bc we are actually carrying bear lure along too .. it's a bit disconcerting ... conservation nw recommends we carry spray too (which we didn't) .. anyhow if anyone is interested in volunteering .. just check out their website
http://www.conservationnw.org/wildlife-habitat/wildlife-monitoring
here's some pix of our experiences:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/33792231@N00/sets/72157624187020561/detail/
btw .. bears migrate thru the season for food .. early season you will find them in the lower wetlands .. l8r in the huckleberry fields.. and even l8r on the talus slopes looking for grubs .. the napeequa valley offers all this .. as do a number of other places thru out the north cascades .. they are coming in from canada too
Maybe smokied salmon isn't the best snack to pack up the nap...eequa
when we're in bear country we leave the smoked salmon behind
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« Last Edit: 04/17/11, 02:28 PM by kath »
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garyabrill
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Ummmm....smoked salmon.
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fwb
5Member
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Yes... the smoked salmon was good (different trip). I think maybe good idea to hang away from tent ; )
Soon as I skied off I wished I'd taken pictures of the tracks. nearly every other trip I have images of tracks and scat of many animals. Helps remind me of what I saw.
These tracks were going downhill. Overall path was 12-18" deep and ~24" wide plowing through the snow. Tracks were within the previous half hour. Foot print I looked at most to confirm was the rear. An elongated triangular shape. ~4-4.5" wide and ~7" long. More looking to me like black bear but I'm no expert. I had a nice open slope on my mind rather than chasing it down.
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