Home > Trip Reports > July 4, 2011, Sunrise: The Palisades

July 4, 2011, Sunrise: The Palisades

7/4/11
WA Cascades West Slopes South (Mt Rainier)
1396
4
Posted by ~Link~ on 7/5/11 2:16pm
Before this last Saturday, having made it up Skyscraper Mtn with Boot, I'd never been to Sunrise before in my waking life.  So, come Independence Day, where else to be other than this enchanted land of apparent skiing opportunity? 

Met up with Alta Snob at the Enumclaw Safeway at 9:45am.  Loaded up on calories with a couple of chicken tender snacks from the hot-deli, and an apple before hitting the road to Sunrise.  The goal was set: The Palisades.

We arrived at the Sunrise look-out point to scope out the distant terrain, and the plan for approach/return.  Our decision was to head up the road a ways, park on the side, and commence a bootpack climb to the Dege saddle from Sunrise Road.  By about 11am, we were geared up and stoked for the long day ahead.  We snuck through a low point in the snow wall to begin the initial climb and starting-line of the journey.

The weather was similar to Saturday with beautiful clear skies, although the breeze was not as constant which made for a heated hike to start the trek.  Several hundred steps later, we crested the ridge between Dege Pk. and the unnamed highpoint between Dege Pk. and Antler Pk. of which I'll refer to as ~Link~ Peak.  ::)

Looking to the north from the saddle revealed Marcus Peak and The Palisades in what looked like sequential alignment.  The drop down to the basin and Prospect Creek would be over runneled snow, and a large avy path.  Signs of glide are evident around the slopes which makes for relevant study. Many cornices still exist on north-facing aspects.  It'll be interesting to see how soon it'll all let loose.

We four-wheeled our way through the suncupped, and heavily runneled basin to end of Prospect Creek for bootpack #2 up the south side of Marcus Peak.  Luckily the breeze began to pick up as we stomped out about 1,000' of vert up to the saddle of Marcus Peak and another unnamed highpoint; we'll call it Alta Snob Peak.  We stopped for lunch and took in the astounding panoramic views of the north side of Tahoma, and surrounding environs.  Shortly thereafter, we dropped down the steep north-facing Marcus Peak bowl for speedy slightly runneled turns, and down to Alta Snob Lake. ;D

The south side view of The Palisades is such a familiar sight with scattered trees on about a 30-degree slope of seemingly sustained pitch.  We skinned through the basin and up to The Palisades SW ridge.  From there, we postholed our way around exposed trees, melting snow, and boulders to the summit.  It was great to stand a top a peak with such beautiful and rare views.  The Seattle Mountaineers Peak Registry was discovered under a boulder a top Palisades.  Signed: July 4th 2011 ~Link~, Alta Snob.

Lot's of photos of the terrain were taken to assess and document line capability.  We were hoping to find skiable couloir routes on the E-NE side of Palisades, however observation of terrain indicated otherwise with large granite cliff bands and melted out suicide slots which appear to be feasible if the conditions were very, very right.  The day was getting away from us, so we took the advice of the topography map, and headed down the ridge for skiable terrain on the SE side of Palisades.

We sniffed out a point of entry of the ridge into a sweet couloir down to Hidden Lake which held spectacular corn on a steep, speedy slope all the way down to the lakes edge.  We looped to the south side of the lake, pausing to look back and revel in the great ride down with corny-grins on our faces that only sweet turn-o'-corn can evoke.  Transitioning to ski-carry, we embarked on bootback #3, this time the more northern side of Marcus Peak. 8)

The views of the east-facing bowl off of Marcus peak were of an artistic magnitude, showing beautiful steep rolling slopes, and asymmetrical pinstripe runnels with Tahoma and Little Tahoma peaking over.  By this time, the sun was just beginning to sink which made for soft lighting and great visual stimulation of the surroundings.  We were on our journey back.  We had got what we came for, now it was time to find our way out. 

Exiting out through the gulleys, which feed Sunrise Creek, made for some spicy-dicey four-wheeling skinning conditions.  The terrain is melting out by the second, exposing huge treewell craters, and large blind-sided sink holes over snow covered downed trees, and other topographical traps from the relentless thaw.  Near the basin bottom, we came across an impressive avalanche debris pile that flowed from the east-facing Marcus Peak ridge; many of the trees were snapped off about 6'-8' up which gives some clue as to when that monster let loose.  Amazing.

We reached Clover Lake around 6:30pm, after ascending/descending the gulli-fied terrain.  Alta Snob makes a call to the Snorting Elk to find out about operating hours, and potential pizza order.  It'd been a long day, and our nomad hunger was kicking in.  By this time, I'd transitioned to permanent ski-carry, and bootpack for the final haul out.  Sticking to lower elevation features, it took us about an hour to climb from Clover Lake to the fourth and final bootpack up to the road.  We charged to the top, descended down the road, and kicked a step down on the snow wall to the road for the final mile hike up the asphalt Sunrise Road back to the car.  Cold beers, and a stop to the look out to once again revel in a great tour before heading home.  Rare and awesome tour!  Thinking there may be a first descent or two in this trip...


pics Here
Summer pic of the Palisades got me interested in sniffing around for some lines


Even with our enormous snowpack this year, it's already too late. But if anyone wants to come up here in the winter, it offers Sierra like slots



anyone ski the western face of Slide Mountain?


Cowlitz, Dege, and Marcus


~link~ charging raw dog couloir


raw dog couloir


altasnob lake with the mellow aspect of the Palisdaes

author=~Link~ link=topic=21390.msg91488#msg91488 date=1309929374]  Rare and awesome tour!  Thinking there may be a first descent or two in this trip (???)


Although Alta Snob Lake sounds catchy, I resent that you are calling Joedabaker Lake another name. You gotta at least swim in it once before you can claim it!  ;D
I'll give you the Raw Dog though. That has always been an enticing line, must have been an interesting down climb to access it. About 8 years ago I was cooking some Ramen at the base by the lake of what you call Raw Dog. All of a sudden there was this huge rock avalanche that had me diving for cover on the Island in the middle of the lake. Tons of rock shrapnel sprayed where I was sitting on to the Hidden Lake.

I told Marcus a couple years ago I was going to ski his namesake peak, but missed it because we spent 3 continuous days skiing all the other stuff on the Sourdough Ridge line from Buck Creek international air strip to the WR campground.
A year later, Scotsman and I came back to make up for it. Sorry Boys...
Unfortunately you guys missed the big hits off the backside of the Palisades.
Nice trip thanks for the enthusiastic TR, a couple years ago did it while Sunrise was still closed and it's much simpler when they open the road with snow! Hint...hint Park Service ;)

author=Joedabaker link=topic=21390.msg91491#msg91491 date=1309933493]
Sorry Boys...
Unfortunately you guys missed the big hits off the backside of the Palisades.
Nice trip thanks for the enthusiastic TR, a couple years ago did it while Sunrise was still closed and it's much simpler when they open the road with snow! Hint...hint Park Service ;)


May of 2009, says the photo.  That's some decent snow coverage.  How far up the forest road were you able to drive?  Looks like a direct route to/from...

First D down Raw Dog!!  :D

We started from Buck Creek, via Dollar Lake and across the Sourdough ridge. As you noted it was awesome snow coverage.
I'm happy that you boys are getting out in that direction! Early access is the key.

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2011-07-05 21:16:14