Mt Baker, Grouse Creek/Marmot Ridge
11/15/11
WA Cascades West Slopes North (Mt Baker)
6823
12
Going to start with a confession: I was a ski partner slut this morning. Made plans to ski with Pete and Becky but bailed when I heard heard that they would be getting to Bham a bit later than I like AND my buddy called in the late evening and seduced with an offer of a sled ride up Glacier Creek Road.
Karmic payback was an empty gas tank gauge staring at us five miles from the trailhead. With four chains on the toyota four by we gouged and clanked our way to within two miles of the trailhead; passing one very stuck GMC with 200 bucks worth of broken chains laying in the snow. With the added ompf of two sled heads six guys were able to push it back on to the road.
The outhouse woods were beautiful but the snow was deep!! And dry!!! Took many hours to bust a track up to Goat Ridge. My BC 100 were no match for the unconsolidated goodness at a moderate angle so we headed to Marmot Ridge and did two delightful runs on the steep north facing slopes. First one fall line down partway and #2 a plum down down the valley all the way to the well packed road a mile above the trailhead. Headlamps on of course. The best way to end a Nov./Dec. powder day....
Best snow I have ever seen in Nov. on this side of the range. No pics. Camera went on a walkabout two weeks ago in the same location. Sad that.
Use your imagination. I am 6'2", I don't telly and the goods were in my face.
enjoy...it is good out there.
Karmic payback was an empty gas tank gauge staring at us five miles from the trailhead. With four chains on the toyota four by we gouged and clanked our way to within two miles of the trailhead; passing one very stuck GMC with 200 bucks worth of broken chains laying in the snow. With the added ompf of two sled heads six guys were able to push it back on to the road.
The outhouse woods were beautiful but the snow was deep!! And dry!!! Took many hours to bust a track up to Goat Ridge. My BC 100 were no match for the unconsolidated goodness at a moderate angle so we headed to Marmot Ridge and did two delightful runs on the steep north facing slopes. First one fall line down partway and #2 a plum down down the valley all the way to the well packed road a mile above the trailhead. Headlamps on of course. The best way to end a Nov./Dec. powder day....
Best snow I have ever seen in Nov. on this side of the range. No pics. Camera went on a walkabout two weeks ago in the same location. Sad that.
Use your imagination. I am 6'2", I don't telly and the goods were in my face.
enjoy...it is good out there.
Awesome! Sounds like you need fatter skis :D
How far up were you able to drive before resorting to chains?
How far up were you able to drive before resorting to chains?
one mile. We were towing a sled. Although the sled was pretty light with no gas in it. :(
Nice! Sounds like Pete and Becky didn't suffer too badly from your "selective partnering" ;) Hope to get up there for a tour with you soon -- and now I know I have to leave really early.
Baker BC is a zoo this time of year when it is the only show in town. I am getting less tolerant of the masses in the slackcountry and beyond as I get older. An early start makes me less grumpy. You come up Marcus and I will gladly wait for an acceptable start.
[img width=800]https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-YRYpVRbJu30/TsmrgBNQngI/AAAAAAAAG0k/09r9TK5hRvg/s720/IMG_00731.JPG" />
we had a horrible day at Baker ;)
..catch up with ya another time Gregg!
we had a horrible day at Baker ;)
..catch up with ya another time Gregg!
author=Gregg_C link=topic=22396.msg95704#msg95704 date=1321793966]
one mile. We were towing a sled. Although the sled was pretty light with no gas in it. :(
Laughed out loud at this one Gregg!
Marcus, we can carpool.....
I definitely get the collar for "worst partner ever" until someone wrests it from me. But Gregg and Gib's frustration was channeled in to successfully shaming me into driving to 1.5 miles from the trailhead. Officially not recommended. Jon & Nikki and I took the now gassed up sled there today - funny, that's a lot easier and not scary at all!
Yea, I am going to guess that your clutch disk is a bit thinner now. A good predictor of that being the smell and the blue smoke coming from the engine bay when Gib and I finally set the whips aside.
author=peteyboy link=topic=22396.msg95770#msg95770 date=1321861194]
I definitely get the collar for "worst partner ever" until someone wrests it from me.
We should start a thread for this. I once drove from Seattle to the Icicle at 2am only to learn once we got there that my partner had forgotten his skis.
author=ryanl link=topic=22396.msg95788#msg95788 date=1321898841]
We should start a thread for this. I once drove from Seattle to the Icicle at 2am only to learn once we got there that my partner had forgotten his skis.
Did the same thing but to marblemount with skins... In February there was no hope of a tour without them.
We were back in Seattle for breakfast ;)
Before a morning run down 2 k from the Asulkin Cabin I reminded everyone to bring their skins. Like a true dolt I left mine. Dug a ten foot pit to the ground in the time it took volunteers to ski back up and down from the hut. Pete's not alone by far. But an empty gas tank on the first powder day of the season....at the time it was tough to take. His welts should heal nicely.
185 cm measured at Artist Point.
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