July 7, 2011, Silver Peak
7/7/11
WA Snoqualmie Pass
2546
5
I like timely TRs, so here is one in case you want to dawn patrol tomorrow, or dusk patrol this eve. Pics may be added later.
I hit Silver this morning and it is still worth going up there. Especially if you let the sun cups soften up. (I didn't so much)
I left the car at 7:15am. Clouds at Windy Pass when I started and no visible signs of snow. I decided to park at the PCT and hike in. (Not the best idea.) But the woods had less brush than the meadow. I was expecting this TR to be about how it was not worth it. First two creek crossings have some serious blow downs. Upon reaching the third creek, I headed up and crossed it later to reach continuous snow about 500' from where I parked. Somehow I wound up too far east following ski tracks that ended in cliffs above. Some traversing got me into the bowl and I headed for the ridge. I quickly tagged the summit as clouds rolled in and the wind picked up.
First bit from the ridge had seen some sun and was soft. This continued into the bowl on skier's right. Although there was one stretch that was harder than the rest on the way down. Made me think I need my edges sharpened. Then it was picking my way through flatter terrain back to a bushwhack.
Took me the same amount of time to get back out due to overzealous bushwhacking attempts.
From what I could see from the ridge. (It was undercast.) If you continued on the road past the PCT and headed left at the next intersection, you could get continuous snow on the road. Then the standard north approach to the upper bowl. (Wish I had done that.)
FWIW, Lundin had plenty of snow still, as well as Kaleetan and West Granite.
I hit Silver this morning and it is still worth going up there. Especially if you let the sun cups soften up. (I didn't so much)
I left the car at 7:15am. Clouds at Windy Pass when I started and no visible signs of snow. I decided to park at the PCT and hike in. (Not the best idea.) But the woods had less brush than the meadow. I was expecting this TR to be about how it was not worth it. First two creek crossings have some serious blow downs. Upon reaching the third creek, I headed up and crossed it later to reach continuous snow about 500' from where I parked. Somehow I wound up too far east following ski tracks that ended in cliffs above. Some traversing got me into the bowl and I headed for the ridge. I quickly tagged the summit as clouds rolled in and the wind picked up.
First bit from the ridge had seen some sun and was soft. This continued into the bowl on skier's right. Although there was one stretch that was harder than the rest on the way down. Made me think I need my edges sharpened. Then it was picking my way through flatter terrain back to a bushwhack.
Took me the same amount of time to get back out due to overzealous bushwhacking attempts.
From what I could see from the ridge. (It was undercast.) If you continued on the road past the PCT and headed left at the next intersection, you could get continuous snow on the road. Then the standard north approach to the upper bowl. (Wish I had done that.)
FWIW, Lundin had plenty of snow still, as well as Kaleetan and West Granite.
Thanks for the report. Unfortunately I had to turn down an invite for a dusk patrol there for this evening. Your report reminded me that we once used the road approach you wish you'd used as the snowpack was waning, and we only had to walk a little past the car-blocking berm to reach a snow strip that was between one and two feet wide for what must have been at least a quarter mile before reaching better snowpack. But it worked well for both ascent and descent!
You can sort of see the white strip of road in the middle of the pic I posted.
It wasn't the cliff/waterfall in the photo bellow was it? I imagine the marks from 2 weeks ago are probably gone, but if it was here I apologize for leading you astray.......but at least you didn't get on TOP of the waterfall. That was an interesting evening.
Jim the road before that big berm hasn't quite fully melted out still, there are patches of snow large enough that I wasn't able to get my Subaru though yet (granted the summer tires are horrific in the snow). I'd say give it a week though and you should be able to get to that strip again and tour most all of the way from the car for a bit still.
author=Jim Oker link=topic=21408.msg91586#msg91586 date=1310085306]
we only had to walk a little past the car-blocking berm to reach a snow strip that was between one and two feet wide for what must have been at least a quarter mile before reaching better snowpack. But it worked well for both ascent and descent!
Jim the road before that big berm hasn't quite fully melted out still, there are patches of snow large enough that I wasn't able to get my Subaru though yet (granted the summer tires are horrific in the snow). I'd say give it a week though and you should be able to get to that strip again and tour most all of the way from the car for a bit still.
It is now time to use the road, not the meadow to access Silver!
Drive as far as you can past the PCT taking a left at the Y in the road. Stay on the road until it ends (there is a fire pit here when the snow is gone). The road ends near to where you pick up the normal ski route.
No bushwacking required. 8)
Drive as far as you can past the PCT taking a left at the Y in the road. Stay on the road until it ends (there is a fire pit here when the snow is gone). The road ends near to where you pick up the normal ski route.
No bushwacking required. 8)
Big Foot sighted in the second photo?
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