June 23-24, 2011, Bachelor Butte-TAY Gathering

It started somewhat like this when I emailed Telemack:  €œIt€™s forecasted to drizzle on the 23rd at Mt. Hood so I€™m skiing Timberline on the 22nd then heading for sunny Bend.  Are you still planning to climb Hood on the 23rd?€  I received an email that the group changed plans and were headed for Bend.  Then the call from Telemack on the 23rd that they need a warmup run at Bachelor late afternoon on the 23rd.  So Jill and I finished our pleasant bike ride along the Deschutes River in Bend and met the 'testosterone oozing€ boys as they descended some pleasant corn and refreezing corn at Bachelor.  The group consisted of GaryJan, Telemack, Trevor and Snowbell.  There was talk about South Sister but that€™s a long day as is Broken Top.  I mentioned setting up base camp at Green Lakewhich I did on the Sisters Traverse and then the ski ascents are pleasant.  I especially liked the idea because I wasn€™t slogging into Green Lake and was staying in the campervan and skiing Bachelor on the 24th.
There is a huge snowpack remaining in the area so I mentioned for an overnight the Wanoga Sno Park would be dry, warmer and there is a shelter used by the snowmobilers that might be open.  They got lucky.  We then followed Snowbell€™s suggestion and piled into our campervan and had burgers and beer at the Cascade Lakes Brewery.  It was late when I dropped them off and their plans were still in flux.  Their TR should be enjoyable.

Now my tour at Bachelor Butte.  We woke up around 8am and it was 39 degrees outside the camper and brilliant sunshine.  I finally started skiinning around 10:45 which seemed like a rational choice and provided sufficient time for the snow to soften.  The guys started at the Sunrise Lodge yesterday and had to cross a deep road which was cut across the upper slope.  I started further west near the Skyliner chair and never crossed any road cuts.  It€™s about a 50 foot walk from the highway around the gate and on pavement before you reach continuous snow.  Most folks skinned near the Skyliner chair but I followed the next trail climbers right from the base.  I find any trail that has a lift on it has grease from the rollers that consolidates as the snowpack melts and is dispersed around the lift towers.  After skinning about 200vf from the base the snow was clean, consolidated with minor sun cups.  I skinned up to the right of the upper bowl and stopped after 2100vf.   This was my biggest day post-surgery plus the snow was just perfect.  Spring/summer touring is all about timing the descent when the snow is €œjust right€. The descent was pure pleasure with an inch of cream atop a firm base.   That feeling of linking turn after turn and the skis rebounding you into the next turn. WOW.  The nerve in my right leg reminded me of its existence on the climb but on the descent it was quiet and enjoying the ride.

We€™re heading further south and more sun.

Photo 1-Bachelor Buttes big snow pack
Photo 2-Some pleasant corn turns
Photo 3- Huge snow pack on Broken Top and The Sisters