March 30-31, 2013, ONP Hurricane Ridge-Deer Park
3/30/13
WA Olympics
3976
2
The super-sunny days of last weekend seem far away as I write this by our woodstove in the rain and wind. 8)
Kevin Koski and I left a car at the Deer Park gate and were dropped off by his gal at the Obstruction Point Road. We had quite a good sweat out to Obstruction Point, passing four skiers on the same route. The only real turns of the day were E of Obstruction Point, then a simple entry below Ob. Peak and a final hot pull to Elk Mountain. Kevin found a great bivy spot on a little ridge just off Elk's summit, and we had all-time views of the Olympics, the Strait and Canada.
After a couple previous nights' short sleep we had decided to lay in. A leisurely 10:30 start made the snow much better for the first part of the second day that began with steep S-facing sidehilling. We passed the foursome for the last time here; hope you all finished well. :)
We had an engaging descent of the ridge to Maiden Peak via rolls and cornices, then skinned to its summit and got the longest turns of the tour off its N side and NE bowl. Then it was another sweaty up- and- down around Green Mountain. Well-laid tracks of a previous party made the routefinding much faster!
One more sunscreeen-in-the-eyes climb through a burn and a trees finale got us to Deer Park at 3:10. The finish was several miles of road skiing and five miles of walking that made us very glad to have carried light sneakers the whole way. We reached my car a bit before 6.
This was not any sort of tour for getting lots of turns unless you have the time and juice for side laps, but it was absolutely one of the most beautiful view tours one could imagine and we had superior conditions. We used ski 'pons once, but axes and crampons only anchored the tent. We did a surprising amount of downhill skiing with skins on due to all the travel up, down and around the ridges, but got several shots of exciting turns. WOO HOO
23 miles, 4500 vf gain, 2500' elevation loss. Be willing to air out your hot-spots along the way ::)
Kevin Koski and I left a car at the Deer Park gate and were dropped off by his gal at the Obstruction Point Road. We had quite a good sweat out to Obstruction Point, passing four skiers on the same route. The only real turns of the day were E of Obstruction Point, then a simple entry below Ob. Peak and a final hot pull to Elk Mountain. Kevin found a great bivy spot on a little ridge just off Elk's summit, and we had all-time views of the Olympics, the Strait and Canada.
After a couple previous nights' short sleep we had decided to lay in. A leisurely 10:30 start made the snow much better for the first part of the second day that began with steep S-facing sidehilling. We passed the foursome for the last time here; hope you all finished well. :)
We had an engaging descent of the ridge to Maiden Peak via rolls and cornices, then skinned to its summit and got the longest turns of the tour off its N side and NE bowl. Then it was another sweaty up- and- down around Green Mountain. Well-laid tracks of a previous party made the routefinding much faster!
One more sunscreeen-in-the-eyes climb through a burn and a trees finale got us to Deer Park at 3:10. The finish was several miles of road skiing and five miles of walking that made us very glad to have carried light sneakers the whole way. We reached my car a bit before 6.
This was not any sort of tour for getting lots of turns unless you have the time and juice for side laps, but it was absolutely one of the most beautiful view tours one could imagine and we had superior conditions. We used ski 'pons once, but axes and crampons only anchored the tent. We did a surprising amount of downhill skiing with skins on due to all the travel up, down and around the ridges, but got several shots of exciting turns. WOO HOO
23 miles, 4500 vf gain, 2500' elevation loss. Be willing to air out your hot-spots along the way ::)
Mack! One of these days I'll do that traverse. You know I've been wanting to do that.
I'm just back from a spring break trip to escalante, ut.
We need to tour in April!
I'm just back from a spring break trip to escalante, ut.
We need to tour in April!
Nice work!
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