March 25, 2012, Lake Susan Jane environs
3/25/12
1649
0
After Saturday's warmth I figured on the Stevens Pass resort snow being pretty well damaged, and it was. A run down Cloud Nine confirmed that. So, even though resort was pleasantly liftline-free, a good day to try something off the beaten path. With a double lift assist to boot.
It's pretty quick work to go the short bootpack under the power towers then a sidecountry run under bowl/slopes of Rooster until it dips left into several parallel gullies above hairpin. The usual sidecountry run goes left and down, today I went right and up. Picked up existing traversing skin track right away and picked option that led to Lake Susan Jane, then through some really nice old growth timber to the notch a couple hundred feet above.
Above gap and to the south is an interesting terraced bowl leading upward to Lumiere Ridge. Nice place to just putter around on low angle slopes. Followed a left-trending track that eventually led onward to Fleur de Lis then branched right to follow the edge that overlooks the Josephine Basin. That drop to Josephine is kinda steep and well baked by southern exposure, so not worth messing with this day. Slopes with true north facing and especially those near big trees were still holding heavyish powder or sometimes a mix that was wet and silky on top but not yet porridge. Tried heading up to sub summits of Lumiere but sun had hit this too much on sideangle and it was gloppy. Fortunately there's a small lower band of steeper slopes with northish facing just below that, less in the sun. This area is only a couple hundred vertical but made for a fine place to do mini laps and snarf up the leftovers that the sun had let alone.
Weather was a grayish overcast and fast forming clouds that occasionally spit some short snow showers. Was glad it was snow and not the rain of the forecast 5500 snow level. And towards 2 PM there was a remarkable clearing again, giving nice views over to the Chiwaukums and blue sky. Heard voices over towards Nasikelt but didn't see any other tourers. Did see skin tracks in both the higher bowls of Rooster, probably a lot of people were checking out the area on Saturday.
The run out down Could A was unfortunately a little sun affected too, but only slightly. Looked worse than it skied, because sun had hit areas above and snowballs had tracked up the run, but actual surface wasn't balling by itself. But not the perfect powder I was hoping for after having eyed that slope from the lifts many times this year. What's nice about this tour is that instead of some luge run or sunbaked south slope to finish the day, you get to ride a lift, and then zip down a nice wide groomed blue run to your car.
It's pretty quick work to go the short bootpack under the power towers then a sidecountry run under bowl/slopes of Rooster until it dips left into several parallel gullies above hairpin. The usual sidecountry run goes left and down, today I went right and up. Picked up existing traversing skin track right away and picked option that led to Lake Susan Jane, then through some really nice old growth timber to the notch a couple hundred feet above.
Above gap and to the south is an interesting terraced bowl leading upward to Lumiere Ridge. Nice place to just putter around on low angle slopes. Followed a left-trending track that eventually led onward to Fleur de Lis then branched right to follow the edge that overlooks the Josephine Basin. That drop to Josephine is kinda steep and well baked by southern exposure, so not worth messing with this day. Slopes with true north facing and especially those near big trees were still holding heavyish powder or sometimes a mix that was wet and silky on top but not yet porridge. Tried heading up to sub summits of Lumiere but sun had hit this too much on sideangle and it was gloppy. Fortunately there's a small lower band of steeper slopes with northish facing just below that, less in the sun. This area is only a couple hundred vertical but made for a fine place to do mini laps and snarf up the leftovers that the sun had let alone.
Weather was a grayish overcast and fast forming clouds that occasionally spit some short snow showers. Was glad it was snow and not the rain of the forecast 5500 snow level. And towards 2 PM there was a remarkable clearing again, giving nice views over to the Chiwaukums and blue sky. Heard voices over towards Nasikelt but didn't see any other tourers. Did see skin tracks in both the higher bowls of Rooster, probably a lot of people were checking out the area on Saturday.
The run out down Could A was unfortunately a little sun affected too, but only slightly. Looked worse than it skied, because sun had hit areas above and snowballs had tracked up the run, but actual surface wasn't balling by itself. But not the perfect powder I was hoping for after having eyed that slope from the lifts many times this year. What's nice about this tour is that instead of some luge run or sunbaked south slope to finish the day, you get to ride a lift, and then zip down a nice wide groomed blue run to your car.
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