Home > Trip Reports > June 14, 2013, ONP Victor Pass, Klahane Ridge

June 14, 2013, ONP Victor Pass, Klahane Ridge

6/14/13
WA Olympics
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Posted by danpeck on 6/14/13 5:34am
Woke up at 5 am to attempt an early ski to be home by noon.  I was a bit concerned about the "mostly cloudy" forecast and the early time.  Worried that I might be facing cloudy and low vis weather with rotten snow or icy, sketchy snow with clear weather.

I made it to the TH at 7:45 am and was blessed with clear, blue skies.  So I wondered whether there would be only icy, firm snow for me.  I made it to the pass by 8:20.  The solitude was refreshing although I spent some time with a curious and not too shy marmot.  I hiked around to check out conditions and lines and determined I was fortunate to have had the morning sun warm up the NE and E faces of the bowl below the pass to perfection.  I enjoyed a couple of laps and wanted more but alas, it was time to head home to make it in time.  I started my walk down by about 10:30 and was at the car at10:50, driving away by 11, and home by 12:30.

I found the NE and E faces to be in good shape in the morning.  The N, NW, and W faces likely would have needed until noon to be decent corn.

Here's a link to lots of photos taken for recon and a hopeful return soon while conditions are good.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/danpeck/sets/72157634129951852/

My tracks, hard to see, but a super fun smooth couple of runs.  I started from the upper most piece of snow on the upper right.


Beautiful Morning above the clouds.


Better a not-shy marmot at Victor Pass than a goat!  ::)
Were you hiking most of the way up the Switchback Trail?

author=telemack link=topic=28820.msg121229#msg121229 date=1371311199]
Better a not-shy marmot at Victor Pass than a goat!   ::)
Were you hiking most of the way up the Switchback Trail?


Yea, I hiked all the way to the pass on the switchback trail crossing a few remaining small snow patches.

I was worried that the marmot might like to try his teeth on me. I've been around friendly goats and that is nerve wracking.

Thanks for the beta!

I was up there a couple of weeks ago and thought about running this line on the east side of the bowl after seeing a couple die hard locals run it in the fog hoopin and hollering all the way down. Today visibilty was good so I skinned up as far as practical and booted the rest to the top of the notch. Good spring corn to be had the entire way but runnels are forming and the snow is melting rather quickly.

Nice!  That is the very line I'm hoping to tag before it's gone.  Nice work and thanks for the motivation!  At what time in the day did you make the descent?

author=danpeck link=topic=28820.msg121269#msg121269 date=1371440227]
Nice!  That is the very line I'm hoping to tag before it's gone.  Nice work and thanks for the motivation!  At what time in the day did you make the descent?


I got a lazy start and I think it might have been 3:00 when I headed down the chute. Lots of daylight this time of year is a real boon for late risers :)

author=runcle link=topic=28820.msg121271#msg121271 date=1371441330]
I got a lazy start and I think it might have been 3:00 when I headed down the chute. Lots of daylight this time of year is a real boon for late risers :)


Perfect.  That's good to know it was still in good shape at that time.  When I was there it was waaay too icy to make an attempt at 8:30 am

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danpeck
2013-06-14 12:34:30