Home > Trip Reports > July 10, 2011, Mt Maude

July 10, 2011, Mt Maude

7/10/11
WA Cascades West Slopes Central
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Posted by sierra_slider on 7/12/11 9:03am
Skied the north face of Mt Maude on Sunday. Went up the west face and out via Ice Lakes. The snow on the north face wasn't quite soft enough to smooth out all the ripples, but it was still a fun ski. There were huge runnels on the lower half and plenty of rocks falling along the traverse (which, for that reason, we didn't take). The snow was well consolidated on all aspects--we could have left our skins in the car. Failed in my earlier attempt to post a picture. So:

https://picasaweb.google.com/bradmchose/MtMaudeJuly122011?authkey=Gv1sRgCIb88IrYtP62Yg#
When you fail, try again! :)  Nice report.


beautiful!  

That's a big day, how long did it take you?

author=trees4me link=topic=21457.msg91880#msg91880 date=1310515805]
beautiful!  

That's a big day, how long did it take you?


530 from the car, returning at 630.

Would have been faster if we didn't waste time bushwacking across lower Leroy basin on the descent.  Should have traversed across the upper basin instead of being lazy and following gravity into the jungle.
The west face couloir was pretty efficient for the ascent, especially for Brad who smoked me up that thing.  Discontinuous snow at the bottom added some transition time for me as I don't like climbing rock with my aluminum crampons.

Thanks for putting the pic up.

author=sierra_slider link=topic=21457.msg91878#msg91878 date=1310515410]
Skied the north face of Mt Maude on Sunday. Went up the west face and out via Ice Lakes. The snow on the north face wasn't quite soft enough to smooth out all the ripples, but it was still a fun ski. There were huge runnels on the lower half and plenty of rocks falling along the traverse (which, for that reason, we didn't take). The snow was well consolidated on all aspects--we could have left our skins in the car. Failed in my earlier attempt to post a picture. So:

https://picasaweb.google.com/bradmchose/MtMaudeJuly122011?authkey=Gv1sRgCIb88IrYtP62Yg#


Hi - looks like a great day - what was your approach?

Cool guys!

I was wondering how it went for you this weekend.  Glad you had a good trip.

Looks like you only had a thin spot to cross through onto the lower slope before crossing the runnel? I had to scramble that section last year.


edit...

Oddly, I took a picture a week prior to riding it, that section was not yet melted out?



author=stevehindman link=topic=21457.msg91921#msg91921 date=1310590657]
Hi - looks like a great day - what was your approach?


We just tried to look on the bright side of things.

Alternative answer: Phelps Creek Trail to Leroy Creek Trail to the (skinny) couloir going up the west face, which took us to the ridge a little northwest of the summit. Then a short and easy walk up to the top of the north face.

author=alecapone link=topic=21457.msg91927#msg91927 date=1310596383]
Cool guys!

I was wondering how it went for you this weekend.  Glad you had a good trip.

Looks like you only had a thin spot to cross through onto the lower slope before crossing the runnel? I had to scramble that section last year.


edit...

Oddly, I took a picture a week prior to riding it, that section was not yet melted out?





The only scramble we had to do was below and to the skier's left of where I was in the last ski pic, and probably we could have avoided that by staying skier's right of the big runnel.

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2011-07-12 16:03:30