June 3-4, 2001, Esmeralda Basin, Wentachee NF

Started up Sunday afternoon under the blue skys of the eastside into the lowering gray clouds of being nearer the crest. Not a smidge of snow at the trail head nor under 5,000 feet for the most part. Climbed up to a a little basin at 6,000 where the snow started and there was still a nice spot to drop a pack and room to sleep. Skinned up thru old snow actually able to skin a line without desking. Made it up to the ridge overlooking Lake Ann, sort of the back side of Ingalls peak. Made one run down to the lake in less snow than what appeared from above. A number of rocks carefully placed about a inch or two under the surface assured me of the need for a new wax base job in the future. Skinned back up and back over down to camp thru actually pleasent corn and able to de-ski right at the tent in pelting snow. Woke up in the AM to clear skys and warming temps. Skinned up over the ridge to my west and found a much more pleasent bowl a bit west of the rocks of lake ann. 700 ft from the summit of 6500 or so was all one could eke out but what was there was about perfect. A few old snow mobile tracks but no ski or walker tracks to be seen. Another nice run back down to camp on a more northeasterly aspect provided a pleasent end to the morning before making camp and walking back out.

Cwiley