July 3, 2005, Tipsoo Pk/Howlock Mt
7/3/05
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Brenda and I spent the weekend of the 4th at my parents in Roseburg with the intention of doing some hiking up around Mt Thielsen area on Sunday. With a little beta from Amar we decided to throw in the skis. I hate hiking on snow, and wanting to kick myself for not bringing skis.
Anyway, it was a really good day up on Tipsoo Peak and Howlock Mt area. We decided to pass on Mt Bailey once we saw that there was snow up around Howlock Mt. We drove up the Cinnamon Butte road to the Tipsoo Pk trailhead. No snow and crazy mosquitos. Putting aside our skepticism we packed the skis and headed up the trail. We were able to put on our skis about half way up the trail - 7200' and still in the trees. Here the mosquitos finally began to subside. I was surprised how much snow there was. Plenty of snow in the trees and high meadows, with lots of possibilities on the open slopes above the PCT. We were able to find continuous snow all the way to the summit of Tipsoo (8034'). The north side is pretty nice - big snow filled bowl and, with one small interruption, a continuous 600' run nearly from the summit. Excellent snow. We traversed around the north side of Tipsoo east to the PCT then skied up to the high saddle at 7600' - this is the high pt of the PCT in Oregon - then climbed up to the first peak at the north end of the ridge of Howlock Mt (8096'). Amazing views south to Mt Thielsen. The east side of Howlock Mt ridge is incredible. Huge bowl and several snow filled chutes - but not enough time. Again exellent skiing back down to the saddle area. Two summits in one day and I finally got to explore this area on skis - I've been wanting to do that since I was a teenager.
Pretty funny driving back along the North Umpqua highway with all the fly fishing tourists with their high tech gear and goofy looking neoprene garb - I couldn't tell if they were going kayaking or surfing. The SUV parade of wannabe's trying for the last steelhead on the river was quite a contrast from the days I remember when my dad would haul me and my brothers "up the river" after he got off work in his '58 Chevy Apache with the cracked block. In those days mostly loggers and millworkers spent any time working the river. The summer my dad caught 11 steelhead at the "secret spot" on a Mitchell 300 with a bubble and fly came to an end with a retired California doctor buying river front property and blocking access to the hole that we discovered.
Anyway, it was a really good day up on Tipsoo Peak and Howlock Mt area. We decided to pass on Mt Bailey once we saw that there was snow up around Howlock Mt. We drove up the Cinnamon Butte road to the Tipsoo Pk trailhead. No snow and crazy mosquitos. Putting aside our skepticism we packed the skis and headed up the trail. We were able to put on our skis about half way up the trail - 7200' and still in the trees. Here the mosquitos finally began to subside. I was surprised how much snow there was. Plenty of snow in the trees and high meadows, with lots of possibilities on the open slopes above the PCT. We were able to find continuous snow all the way to the summit of Tipsoo (8034'). The north side is pretty nice - big snow filled bowl and, with one small interruption, a continuous 600' run nearly from the summit. Excellent snow. We traversed around the north side of Tipsoo east to the PCT then skied up to the high saddle at 7600' - this is the high pt of the PCT in Oregon - then climbed up to the first peak at the north end of the ridge of Howlock Mt (8096'). Amazing views south to Mt Thielsen. The east side of Howlock Mt ridge is incredible. Huge bowl and several snow filled chutes - but not enough time. Again exellent skiing back down to the saddle area. Two summits in one day and I finally got to explore this area on skis - I've been wanting to do that since I was a teenager.
Pretty funny driving back along the North Umpqua highway with all the fly fishing tourists with their high tech gear and goofy looking neoprene garb - I couldn't tell if they were going kayaking or surfing. The SUV parade of wannabe's trying for the last steelhead on the river was quite a contrast from the days I remember when my dad would haul me and my brothers "up the river" after he got off work in his '58 Chevy Apache with the cracked block. In those days mostly loggers and millworkers spent any time working the river. The summer my dad caught 11 steelhead at the "secret spot" on a Mitchell 300 with a bubble and fly came to an end with a retired California doctor buying river front property and blocking access to the hole that we discovered.
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