6/3/13 - ONP - Klahhane Ridge Sun and Fog
6/3/13
WA Olympics
2996
3
Jeff and I headed up to Klahhane Ridge last Monday to get in some sunny turns. The Switchback Trail is now melted out over half way up, so we shouldered skis and boots and headed for Victor Pass. Once on continuous snow we found a great bootpack made in recent days which led to our intended destination.
At the pass we decided to ski a lap down into the North Bowl then climb one of the chutes back up to Klahhane Ridge, ski it and then climb back to Victor pass and exit down the south side to the car. The run down the bowl was on soft, but very skiable snow. At the bottom we picked the line we wanted to ski and began climbing. The booting conditions were excellent. As we climbed higher in the chute, more and more marine air spilled over the ridge line above us. By the time we reached the top, it was pretty much a white out. Hoping for a sucker hole to develop, we took a leisurely break. After about 20 minutes our patience ran out, so down we headed into the fog. The rock band along the left side of the chute helped with depth perception. The snow was excellent.
We had no more finished our transition at the bottom and started climbing when the clouds disappeared and we were back in the sunshine. Guess we should have been a little more patient.............
After a short break at the pass we skied and hiked our way back to the car.
Here's a few pictures:
1. The line off of Klahhane Ridge we skied
2. Jeff in the North Bowl
3. Gary skiing into the cloud
And a link to a few more:
https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/108358933107087702026/albums/5886588112061063297
Gary
At the pass we decided to ski a lap down into the North Bowl then climb one of the chutes back up to Klahhane Ridge, ski it and then climb back to Victor pass and exit down the south side to the car. The run down the bowl was on soft, but very skiable snow. At the bottom we picked the line we wanted to ski and began climbing. The booting conditions were excellent. As we climbed higher in the chute, more and more marine air spilled over the ridge line above us. By the time we reached the top, it was pretty much a white out. Hoping for a sucker hole to develop, we took a leisurely break. After about 20 minutes our patience ran out, so down we headed into the fog. The rock band along the left side of the chute helped with depth perception. The snow was excellent.
We had no more finished our transition at the bottom and started climbing when the clouds disappeared and we were back in the sunshine. Guess we should have been a little more patient.............
After a short break at the pass we skied and hiked our way back to the car.
Here's a few pictures:
1. The line off of Klahhane Ridge we skied
2. Jeff in the North Bowl
3. Gary skiing into the cloud
And a link to a few more:
https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/108358933107087702026/albums/5886588112061063297
Gary
Good to see some N'Olympics stuff Gary! That first pic looks like an interesting variation on an old friend.
That's a gutsy run in the fog! I saw your tracks today while booting up the main gulley. A lot less snow now than when you took the photo you posted. Was that April/May?
author=runcle link=topic=28774.msg121267#msg121267 date=1371434150]
That's a gutsy run in the fog! I saw your tracks today while booting up the main gulley. A lot less snow now than when you took the photo you posted. Was that April/May?
Hey Doug,
Glad you got out and enjoyed the beautiful day. The picture I posted was taken 4/26/13 from the col where the summer trail to Heather Park crosses over the ridge line. We had skied the line from near the summit of Mt. Angeles which drops into the basin on the west side of this ridge and climbed to this col on our way back to Victor Pass.
Hope the snow holds up a while longer, there's a couple more runs we'd like to ski this spring. :D
Gary
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