Dec 29, 2012, Snoqaulmie Mountain Ridge
12/29/12
WA Snoqualmie Pass
2479
3
Searching for untracked snow and solitude we found it--while looking across the valley and the seemingly endless wave of people coming from Alpental. I'm not sure what the ridge is called, but its the one that runs from snow lake up to Snoqualmie Mountain. There are a few sub peaks and bumps along the way. We got up to the first minor bump at about 5100 feet and stopped due to cliffs and high exposure. We had to boot back down a bit, but found a nice couloir. Unfortunately we also found about an inch of sun or rain crust. I'm guessing sun as it was on the SW slopes and high up so may have received some sunshine lately. after 4 or so tough turns the powder began and we enjoyed playing in the trees.
We felt alone and to ourselves for much of the trip. Nice place to be.
Here's a video to show the fun.
https://vimeo.com/56490930
We felt alone and to ourselves for much of the trip. Nice place to be.
Here's a video to show the fun.
https://vimeo.com/56490930
Dan - I've done that ridge in the summer from Snow Lake Divide to the summit of Snoqualmie. I got into a lot of unintended 4th and 5th class scrambling. There were a couple of spots where I started to try to go down and around the 5th class climbing only to find myself on a steep scree field. Eventually, I got up to the steep slopes below Snoqualmie that you skin up to reach the Slot entrance. Perhaps you skied one of these scree fields below one of the 5th class moves. I've skied over there once, there is some decent terrain in there.
Definitely class 5 terrain. If it weren't for the nice snow pack we would have needed a rope to traverse and rap down where we were. As it is, we had nice cascade concrete to get excellent purchase with our boots. :)
I'm sure we were skiing scree fields. Definitely lots of fun little couloirs that open up into small aprons and treed skiing along this ridge. I'd like to approach it from the other direction next time, and probably bring a small rope etc. Definitely a place to go to avoid the crowds in the pass.
It was a fun tour for us and helped me get a better sense of adventures to be had in the region.
I'm sure we were skiing scree fields. Definitely lots of fun little couloirs that open up into small aprons and treed skiing along this ridge. I'd like to approach it from the other direction next time, and probably bring a small rope etc. Definitely a place to go to avoid the crowds in the pass.
It was a fun tour for us and helped me get a better sense of adventures to be had in the region.
author=danpeck link=topic=26715.msg112665#msg112665 date=1356888191]
It was a fun tour for us and helped me get a better sense of adventures to be had in the region.
Well said!
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