March 3, 2005, Heliotrope Ridge
3/3/05
WA Cascades West Slopes North (Mt Baker)
2180
3
A sunny day, a few inches (maybe 6) of new snow, 3 eager Glacier residents. I wanted to try out my relatively new Glittertinds (skinny metal edged Madshus skis) in the non perfect conditions I expected; the others all had fat skis and stout boots. After some entertaining auto gymnastics, chipping with shovels under the high centered vehicle, towing, jumping, and other stuff, we parked at the trailhead, walked up through the woods, and did some typical Cascade brushfighting on the lower part of the route (completely untypical to have to do so). Then the route gets smooth, well covered, mellow in angle, and leads spectacularly up to 7,000 feet. The snow was stiff, windworked powder - far from perfect but not at all hideous.
I made a few turns, then looked down, and, shocked, found 2 of the three already 500 feet lower. They had shot down, making just a few turns, at 40 mph. I guess that's one fun purpose for fat skis - going really fast in variable conditions. My skis would have exploded if I had tried to go that fast. Anyway my skinny, little skis did fine on their own terms, at maybe 10 mph.
Another yoyod run, then a descent into the brushwack - thankfully not too long. Back at the trucks, the snomo groomer had gone by but said nothing when we passed him on the way out, carving tire tracks into his fresh platform (the snow up to the trailhead was not deep; certainly not the 24 inches a sign said was necessary for snomo access).
I made a few turns, then looked down, and, shocked, found 2 of the three already 500 feet lower. They had shot down, making just a few turns, at 40 mph. I guess that's one fun purpose for fat skis - going really fast in variable conditions. My skis would have exploded if I had tried to go that fast. Anyway my skinny, little skis did fine on their own terms, at maybe 10 mph.
Another yoyod run, then a descent into the brushwack - thankfully not too long. Back at the trucks, the snomo groomer had gone by but said nothing when we passed him on the way out, carving tire tracks into his fresh platform (the snow up to the trailhead was not deep; certainly not the 24 inches a sign said was necessary for snomo access).
SB,
Just curious, did you go up the summer trail or did you head up just above the outhouse? Also, how much of a pain was the work you did to make the road driveable?
Mike
Just curious, did you go up the summer trail or did you head up just above the outhouse? Also, how much of a pain was the work you did to make the road driveable?
Mike
The berm is easy to go around. The platform stayed solid all day (it didn't warm up much). The berm is at 3,000 feet, the trailhead at 3,700, so the distance is well within the reach of touring type skis if you don't want to do the drive on snow. I'm not really sure why they groom Glacier Cr. road since it's not long and seems mainly to be an open invitation to illegal snomo riding in the wilderness west of Mt. Baker (we saw 4 machines in the Wilderness).
To answer your other question, we just headed up from the outhouse. The trail would avoid the brushwack but goes well out of the way.
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