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Mt. Cashmere, 4/19/2014

4/19/14
WA Cascades East Slopes Central
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Posted by jwplotz on 4/20/14 1:20pm
My Wenatchee friend Loren Foss and I took a pilgrimage to Mt. Cashmere Saturday.  Loren's been skiing his whole life but new to touring.  He had toured up Skyline Ridge a couple times this year without any snowmobile assist, so I was reasonably assured he had the stamina to cover the vertical to the top of Mt. Cashmere.

Since neither one of us had brought bolt cutters, we had to walk the dry, still-gated road 3 miles to the 8 Mile Lake trailhead, scratching our heads the entire time as to why the road was still gated.


South facing as it is, we didn't hit skinable snow until the ~5,000' mark.  From there, it was smooth sailing all the way up to the col at the entrance of the NE Couloir, 400' below the summit.


It was looking like a stellar day for us.


We transitioned to booting when it became obvious that it would be much more efficient.




The flow of the day was abruptly interrupted when I realized I had forgotten my rap rope draped over a tree limb at our transition point to booting, 1,000' below us.  So, I got a bonus ski to retrieve it while Loren hung out.

Unfortunately, in the one hour's time it took me ski then boot back up, the weather rolled in.  We hung out at the col out of the wind for an additional two hours for a window to summit to no avail.

Weather frustration.


So we reluctantly decided to ski back down  The first 500' was wind hammered root canal skiing that transitioned into great powder turns.






I'm not a very greedy person, but the glory skiing ended way, way too soon.  Apart from a 500' patch of respite snow, it was booting down in mud and rocks.



We did have one (completely contrived) rappel on the mud/dirt descent.  I had carried my rope for the entire day, so by God we were going to use it at least once. Lauren was nice enough to play along as we rapped a short 50' cliff.



The downpour on the 3 mile hike down the road provided the perfect bookend to this ill fated tour.



So, we almost made it.  And now when Lauren looks out at Mt. Cashmere from his home on sunnyslope, he'll remember fondly  his touring days on Skyline.
I guess that's what you get for going skiing this year.

Exactly Sol.  I have no mountain touring cred built up this year.

John, I have to agree with Sol, you were conspicuous in your absence, now you are just like the rest of us, suckered in to a season of frustration and waiting for the weather to change!  Welcome to the club!

This report makes me think I should go ski Mt. Cashmere this weekend.  Great photos John.  I like the boot shot with Stuart in the background the best.

I wonder if Loren knew how big a day he was getting himself in to?  Bottom of Bridge Creek to Mt. Cashmere, that's around 6300 feet isn't it?

author=mikerolfs link=topic=31511.msg132146#msg132146 date=1398098261]
This report makes me think I should go ski Mt. Cashmere this weekend.  Great photos John.  I like the boot shot with Stuart in the background the best.

I wonder if Loren knew how big a day he was getting himself in to?  Bottom of Bridge Creek to Mt. Cashmere, that's around 6300 feet isn't it?


I think Loren believed the skiing:suffering ratio would be more favorable.  Silly guy.

He did great!  Mt. Cashmere in mid-winter sans snowmobile is so much more pleasant.  We'll be back next year.  Maybe.

I've wondered about that last bit above the col when looking at Cashmere from the Colchuck environs.  You need a rope for the last bit, eh?

Nah.  No rope needed.  Easy booting.  We had planned to tool around on the north side of Cashmere, and had the rope as a just-in-case.  Plus, it's super fun to carry around all day.

Phoito's excellente.
I was beginning to think you'd abandoned skiing for the entire season. Nice to see you out.
Also I have a couple of old ropes you can have to carry around all the time, just for shits & giggles!

author=Jake the Brit link=topic=31511.msg132203#msg132203 date=1398184930]
Phoito's excellente.
I was beginning to think you'd abandoned skiing for the entire season. Nice to see you out.
Also I have a couple of old ropes you can have to carry around all the time, just for shits & giggles!


Save the ropes for Slesse, coming up soon.

Been off the radar a bit trying to de-TAY myself, but then I read this and laugh out loud. Way to giv'er John!

Getting Cliffed out was the best part. As many of us have some understanding of questionable plans getting worse we fully understand that getting out the rope to rap a gulley in the rain was merely a fun diversion from the "good booting"

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2014-04-20 20:20:21