Home > Trip Reports > April 14, 2012, - Mary's Peak, Or

April 14, 2012, - Mary's Peak, Or

4/14/12
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Posted by stoudema on 4/16/12 10:57am
Thought I'd post this for anyone interested in seeing a few photos from the highest point in the Oregon Coast range.  We don't have many skiable mountains along the coast range like Washington or California, but the Peak is a beautiful place nonetheless........

On Saturday morning, I headed out for a solo tour of Mary's Peak, located west of Corvallis, and an area I know quite well having grown up less than 15 miles from the mountain.  It was a nice feeling heading west in the morning from my house, as opposed to the normal eastern direction towards the Cascades. 

I was able to drive up the road to within a couple of miles from the top, and started skinning from there.  As I expected, the weather was perfect.....cool, calm and lots of low lying clouds.  The cloud seas up here are spectacular!  Here's a shot from the west prairie on the approach.....



I continued skinning through a small drainage and found the snow on the opposite side located on the main prairie.  Though low angle, it was super smooth and would be great corn in a few hours.  The views back to the west were excellent.....here's a shot of Grass Mountain above the clouds....



Obviously the reason to tour at the peak is for the views.....being the highest point in the coast range, the views down on the Willamette Valley 3800 feet below are unparalleled.  The turns are pretty much secondary.  Here's a shot I took with my tripod looking southeast from the top....



Here's a different view looking northwest..........



I toured down off the top and north, finding some excellent views.  To the north I could see St Helens, Hood, Jefferson, the Three Sisters & Diamond Peak.  Here's a shot of Hood....



By the time I returned to the top, the snow on the west side was starting to corn.  The main prairie is pretty low angle, but that makes for lots and lots of turns.  I made 4 laps in the span of a little over an hour, and each lap was better than the last.  Here's a couple of shots of my turns....





Touring back through the trees, I crossed Parker Creek again and snapped this photo...



Skiing out the road on my split board was actually enjoyable, and I only fell once :)  I was back at home by 12:45, and enjoying a lunch in the sunshine with the family not long after that.  The snow is starting to go pretty fast now and won't stick around much longer, but will probably be ok this weekend if the rain doesn't wash too much away.  I'm hoping to get back next year for a bit of pow in the trees!
Thanks for sharing this. I've always wondered if there was skiing up in dem hills.

As a college student at OSU in the 70's I spent many days and nights on Mary's exploring and gaining solitude from the classroom.  Having never skied her, I am envious of this trip Stoudema.  This TR is just what the doctor ordered.  Great nostalgia, great TR.  Way to bag the mistress of the coast range.

Sweet - that looks like a great vantage up there!  We were checking out the low snow line in the coast range from the top of Tom Dick peak a week ago - that sounds great to make a spring tour out there.

Too Cool!  Last time I heard, they were gating the road.   I figured skiing at Mary's Peak involved parking the truck and hiking to the snowline.  I didn't know they quit locking the gate!  Thanks for the heads-up!  Great pictures!

I skied up at Santiam Pass last Sat and the snow got extremely soft.  So soft they stopped traffic on 20 to clear a small slide off Hogg Rock.  Looks like I would've been better off skiing up to Mary's Peak!

I'm a Corvallis resident, married to a power scholar, and father of a two year old.  The latter two realities have limited my opportunities into the Cascades the past few years.  I would like to say I NEVER take advantage of Marys Peak (sounds funny stated that way), a coastal gym with fairly reliable snow that is merely 25 min from my house.  There are NEVER days up there where one can ski 1000 ft. 45 degree lines through noble fir old growth.  Don't believe anyone that says the back 3/4 mile long meadow, currently holding ample snow, is worth the trip.  I can also say that rumors of high quality Marys' glade skiing last Friday night, underneath a full moon with the lights of ships visible on the Pacific in the distance, are completely unfounded.  Enjoy.

Buck.... anytime you "Never" feel like a partner for some Mary's "Unfounded" action, please send me a pm.  Stoudema, that goes for you also.

10-4.  I tend to be spur of the moment when I have a spouse/kid window -- seems like before dawn or after dark of late, but if I have a more defined window I'll shoot you a pm.  Feel free to to send me one as well.

Stoudema.  Just looked at your photos again.  My previous post was an injustice to you for not mentioning how stunning they were, as usual.  Thanks for doing Marys justice.  Still remember running into you and Todd that first time at the TH on Snowdome years ago.  Keep it up.

Thanks Buck for the compliments on the photos.  I haven't forgotten our meeting on the north side of Hood either, and would love to hook up for a quick tour at the peak.  I'm looking forward to a return trip up there and it would be fun to get a few more runs in, especially to watch the ships at night!

Ron - next time I'm thinking about heading up I'll let you know. You're always welcome on my trips!

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2012-04-16 17:57:19