Home > Trip Reports > May 29-30, Royal Basin (Deception fail #4)

May 29-30, Royal Basin (Deception fail #4)

5/15/11
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Posted by trees4me on 5/31/11 2:09am
Slept at the trailhead Saturday night and we were going up the Dungeness before 8am on Sunday.  Trail was in good shape except for the 1st slide path which went HUGE this year.  Got sucked up high crossing the slide and lost the trail for a bit (stay low!).  We leapfrogged with a snowshoer in for the day, trading routefinding duties until the meadow creek crossing.  Sun breaks and pretty nice weather on the way in kept our spirits high.  No tracks ahead of us, so we were free to explore the lonely basin.  Skier triggered wet slides above the lake got us thinking of setting up camp, so we did at the upper meadow (Royal Swamp).

The tent was set and we were starting dinner when 3 skiers came through.  I didn't see any tracks from them on Monday, but hopefully they found some skiing.

We had planned on Mt Deception.  This was my 4th time in the basin with skis and Deception on the mind, but I just can't get it.  With the very slushy conditions of Sunday PM, we wanted an overnight freeze.  Didn't get it.  It rained from 10:30pm to 5am.

Got up late, and skinned up near the head of the basin for a little skiing.  Sun triggered at least 7 natural slides/cornice collapses from 10-noon mostly on west facing sides of Martin Peak and Deception.  Cleaned with turn and then dropped a shady steep east facing line before heading back to camp for coffee and the hike out.

Royal weekend.


Sun breaks at the meadow creek crossing


View of Deception from camp



Camp and "Consolation ridge" in the sun



"Consolation ridge" skiing!



Big slide



more pics at:
https://picasaweb.google.com/sheekus2000/RoyalBasinSkiTrip4#
Lots of snow, skinning at ~4400'.  Looks like winter.
Nice!  Looks like we weren't the only ones making lemonade... :)

Yeah, lemonade slurpees for all! 

:D

Sorry to hear the weather spoiled your plans. We observed the building storm from the Mt. Angeles area as the day progressed on Sunday. If snow conditions in Royal Basin were anything like what we found on Angeles, it might not have been the best weekend to attempt a big line on Deception.

Hopefully the 5th time will be a charm.  ;)

Gary

Love your persistence... and lemonade.






now with pics.


GaryJan,  I had hoped the squall would be short and it would be clear and cool overnight...  just didn't happen.  Optimistic reading of the weather report.

stay tuned for lucky number 5


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may-29-30-royal-basin-deception-fail-4
trees4me
2011-05-31 09:09:14