June 2-4, 2012, Obstruction Point, ONP
6/2/12
WA Olympics
4812
8
Port Angeles locals, Gary H. and his brother-in-law Jeff, and I spent three days touring from Waterhole Camp, off Hurricane Ridge Road. Very fun, variable conditions with lots of boot-hiking on the Ob. Point Road and across bare scree and meadows. Didn't see another human for the entire time.
Saturday: Four mile tour to the convenient campsite, drop overnight gear, summit Eagle Peak in snow storm, then some exciting lines off its southerly aspects.
Sunday: Climbed Obstruction Peak, skied its W bowl in some whiteout, and then a fine gully below the road at some snowstakes.
Monday: Got all cool and drizzly so out.
Still much snow in this part of the Olympics, but a lot of the easy pickings are gone. The road out to the Point won't be open before the end of the month at this rate. Be ready for lots of ski carries of all lengths. Ski crampons were very useful for all the sidehilling on the road.
Almost a near-tragedy when we returned to the car and found Gary's "refrigerated" beer had melted out and lain fully exposed to the world a few feet from Jeff's bumper! ::)
Saturday: Four mile tour to the convenient campsite, drop overnight gear, summit Eagle Peak in snow storm, then some exciting lines off its southerly aspects.
Sunday: Climbed Obstruction Peak, skied its W bowl in some whiteout, and then a fine gully below the road at some snowstakes.
Monday: Got all cool and drizzly so out.
Still much snow in this part of the Olympics, but a lot of the easy pickings are gone. The road out to the Point won't be open before the end of the month at this rate. Be ready for lots of ski carries of all lengths. Ski crampons were very useful for all the sidehilling on the road.
Almost a near-tragedy when we returned to the car and found Gary's "refrigerated" beer had melted out and lain fully exposed to the world a few feet from Jeff's bumper! ::)
Nice! That sounds fun. How far from the road to your camp? And once you were at the camp were you able to keep the skins on the whole time for your different climbs? Thanks! Hopefully I make it out there next week!
author=WhiteyWhite link=topic=25021.msg105727#msg105727 date=1339028358]
Nice! That sounds fun. How far from the road to your camp? And once you were at the camp were you able to keep the skins on the whole time for your different climbs? Thanks! Hopefully I make it out there next week!
Fun trip with amazing cloud formations and not much precip. until we bailed Monday. Waterhole Camp is 4 miles from the paved road. You can't skin very far anywhere out along Obs. Point Road. It is a mix of flat snow, sidehilling on old drifts, and hiking. There was enough snow that bringing sneakers wasn't worth it. We did both short carries (skis in hand or on shoulder) and long carries (skis strapped onto the pack). Both Eagle and Obstruction Peaks were bare scrambles to the summits. Climbing out from various runs off the road or the peaks was partly booting on snow and partly skinning. That said, there should be good skiing for a while. Check the NW-NE aspects of Eagle Peak. Hope to see your TR :)
Definitely fun times Mack! Your buddy Yukon Jack was much nicer to me on this trip than the last time he and I spent some time together............ ;)
Here are some pictures, I will post some additional ones on Picasa soon.
1. Mack on the summit of Obstruction Peak
2. Mack dropping a knee
3. Jeff on our last run
Gary
Here are some pictures, I will post some additional ones on Picasa soon.
1. Mack on the summit of Obstruction Peak
2. Mack dropping a knee
3. Jeff on our last run
Gary
I wondered who left that permit pinned to the shingle :) Thanks for the report!
author=telemack link=topic=25021.msg105728#msg105728 date=1339030107]Check the NW-NE aspects of Eagle Peak.
Skied these aspects with Chmnyboy last February in blower, bluebird pow ;D Definitely a lot of cool terrain out that direction if the weather and snow cooperate!
Nice pictures - a Haiku
Mack flies like Raven
He genuflects like a priest
Is he man or god
Mack flies like Raven
He genuflects like a priest
Is he man or god
author=Rusty Knees link=topic=25021.msg105746#msg105746 date=1339082109]
Mack flies like Raven
He genuflects like a priest
Is he man or god
I think we both know the answer to that. :)
author=runcle link=topic=25021.msg105737#msg105737 date=1339048886]
I wondered who left that permit pinned to the shingle :) Thanks for the report!
We wondered who made the extra set of ski tracks ........... now we know :D
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