January 25-26, 2014, NCNP, Eldorado
1/25/14
WA Cascades West Slopes North (Mt Baker)
8515
8
After skiing really nice corn on solar aspects around Snoqualmie the week before, I began to wonder if sunny slopes higher up would offer good skiing if the weather held out through the following weekend. Eldorado seemed like a good choice given it's sunny exposure,accessible trailhead and killer scenery. Good skiing would be icing on the cake.
We drove to within ~1/2 mile of the TH in a Suby, crossed the log and headed for the talus field.
After a snowless hike up the climbers trail we arrived to the talus field, where we fought maybe 200' of snow covered rocks before we could start skinning.
J-burg looming large per normal:
As we gained elevation it got hot. Really hot. Layers were shed and soon enough we were skinning and skiing in our skivvies.
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As the sun went down, the pants went up, and we ascended the Eldorado Glacier. Mild temperatures made the alpenglow skinning really enjoable:
We setup camp on the toe of the Inspiration Glacier and enjoyed the fading light:
A rather windy night gave way to a very pleasant morning. Feeling little hurry to get up the East ridge we enjoyed breakfast, tea and warm morning sun.
Fed and warm we headed for the East Ridge. The snow in many areas was oddly winter like - smooth, somewhat firm, windbuffed like snow. We skinned about 2/3 of the way up, then switched to crampons.
Eldo's summit ridge:
T-shirt weather and panoramic views greeted us at the summit. Lounging in mid-summer like weather is a nice consolation during a drier winter! Onto the ski conditions - they were great!! Corn dominated, with some smooth windbuff inbetween. All in all great conditions all the way back down to the talus:
Soft snow of the summit:
The bigness of the North Cascades personified en route back to the Inspiration Glacier:
The Eldorado Glacier probably held the best snow: near perfect peel away corn.
The exit went reasonably smoothly (detour around the talus in the forest downclimbers left), with only a small amount of sub-alpinism:
Soon enough we were back in Seattle enjoying Thai take-out reminiscing over what a great weekend up in the NC alpine we just enjoyed!
We drove to within ~1/2 mile of the TH in a Suby, crossed the log and headed for the talus field.
After a snowless hike up the climbers trail we arrived to the talus field, where we fought maybe 200' of snow covered rocks before we could start skinning.
J-burg looming large per normal:
As we gained elevation it got hot. Really hot. Layers were shed and soon enough we were skinning and skiing in our skivvies.
As the sun went down, the pants went up, and we ascended the Eldorado Glacier. Mild temperatures made the alpenglow skinning really enjoable:
We setup camp on the toe of the Inspiration Glacier and enjoyed the fading light:
A rather windy night gave way to a very pleasant morning. Feeling little hurry to get up the East ridge we enjoyed breakfast, tea and warm morning sun.
Fed and warm we headed for the East Ridge. The snow in many areas was oddly winter like - smooth, somewhat firm, windbuffed like snow. We skinned about 2/3 of the way up, then switched to crampons.
Eldo's summit ridge:
T-shirt weather and panoramic views greeted us at the summit. Lounging in mid-summer like weather is a nice consolation during a drier winter! Onto the ski conditions - they were great!! Corn dominated, with some smooth windbuff inbetween. All in all great conditions all the way back down to the talus:
Soft snow of the summit:
The bigness of the North Cascades personified en route back to the Inspiration Glacier:
The Eldorado Glacier probably held the best snow: near perfect peel away corn.
The exit went reasonably smoothly (detour around the talus in the forest downclimbers left), with only a small amount of sub-alpinism:
Soon enough we were back in Seattle enjoying Thai take-out reminiscing over what a great weekend up in the NC alpine we just enjoyed!
I thought I was the only one you skivvy-skied with??? ??? ???
Where did you get the take-out?
"Sub-alpinism", excellent. Great pics. Was a spectacular weekend to be in that area, we were just a couple valleys away.
Damn, I.wish the subjects of my outdoor photography dressed even half as colorfully as yours. :)
Well played. All these North Cascades TR's are awesome… what an amazing place. Amazing how little snow there is once you leave tree line and begin the scramble up the boulder field. I hope we get more snow because I want to spend a lot of spring and summer days up there.
This photo works. Nice!
author=skier8484 link=topic=30597.msg128020#msg128020 date=1391225754]
The bigness of the North Cascades personified en route back to the Inspiration Glacier:
Beautiful colors and an awesome place, thanks!
looks like an awesome trip, and incredible photos too!
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