Chiwawa Mtn. Lyman Glacier 7/10
7/15/11
2365
3
On Saturday 7/9 we started hiking with skis on packs to Spider Meadows, where we began a desperate attempt to start skinning. After a couple of transitions necessitated by dry ground or snow too steep to skin we made it up to the basin at the toe of the Spider Glacier, where the real snowpack is. Found a nice flat spot on a knoll above the glacier, set up a camp and went for a late afternoon recon/ski before dinner and the long process of refilling our water supplies.
Next AM we waited for the sun to show to soften things up a bit and took off toward Spider Gap. Our drop down to the upper Lyman Lake was a series of horrible tooth-shattering turns, but soon enough we were on the flats and heading toward the north face of Chiwawa in softening snow. The ascent up the Lyman was smooth, only a few cracks starting to open up on the headwall of the upper glacier. We had an early lunch on the summit and started a beautiful ski to the bottom of the glacier. Snow surface was smooth and firm with a couple inches of soft on top for perfect turns. Only sun-cuppy and runneled where the pitch isn't steep, and terrain allows strategic avoidance of these features.
We were wishing for a few more days out but work beckoned... The slopes off Cloudy and North Star were looking pretty nice. The snowpack is still substantial above about 5800, so if you don't mind the carry in this area still has tons of potential.
Photos:
1. Snow-field hopping in Spider Meadows
2. Skiing the headwall of the upper Lyman Glacier
3. View of the Lyman Glacier from near the base.
http://youtu.be/G5_fw5sNwq4
Next AM we waited for the sun to show to soften things up a bit and took off toward Spider Gap. Our drop down to the upper Lyman Lake was a series of horrible tooth-shattering turns, but soon enough we were on the flats and heading toward the north face of Chiwawa in softening snow. The ascent up the Lyman was smooth, only a few cracks starting to open up on the headwall of the upper glacier. We had an early lunch on the summit and started a beautiful ski to the bottom of the glacier. Snow surface was smooth and firm with a couple inches of soft on top for perfect turns. Only sun-cuppy and runneled where the pitch isn't steep, and terrain allows strategic avoidance of these features.
We were wishing for a few more days out but work beckoned... The slopes off Cloudy and North Star were looking pretty nice. The snowpack is still substantial above about 5800, so if you don't mind the carry in this area still has tons of potential.
Photos:
1. Snow-field hopping in Spider Meadows
2. Skiing the headwall of the upper Lyman Glacier
3. View of the Lyman Glacier from near the base.
http://youtu.be/G5_fw5sNwq4
Nice work. Figured someone else must have been doing the slog with skis on packs after I saw an NWAC sticker at the trailhead.
We skied the north face of maude on sunday morning. Agree that there is plenty of snow up high if you are willing to settle in and enjoy a good walk on the approach.
We skied the north face of maude on sunday morning. Agree that there is plenty of snow up high if you are willing to settle in and enjoy a good walk on the approach.
Thanks for the report. Looks good...especially since it's been a long enough time since I've hiked the trail that the distance to Spider Meadow is classified in my mind as "eh, just a few miles."
Very nice. Snow still looks great!
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