May 30, Klahane Ridge, ONP
5/30/14
WA Olympics
5694
1
Enjoyed an early morning ski on Klahane Ridge today above the clouds and in the sun.
Woke up at 4:30 am, was on the road by 5 am, and at the TH at 6:45 and walking by 7 am.
Headed up the switch back trail and made Victor Pass by 7:35. A few snow patches on the way up, but easily negotiated in tennis shoes with some nice boot pack trails to follow.
Had a nice freeze last night. Sun had been on the N and NE faces since 5:17 am this morning. By 8 am I had left the pass and traversed N, NE up the snow patch towards Mt. Angeles thinking to climb up one of those cool couloirs and summit Mt. Angeles and then descend the N face and circle E over a nameless col and back into the basin just N of Klahane ridge and then home. But, as I got to the highest finger of snow the marine layer of clouds started to envelope me and I could barely see that skiing down from the col of the N buttress did not have continuous snow. So, I decided to go for a couple of laps in the basin.
The Snow was warm up top form the sun. Full boot penetration. About 3 inches of penetration with skis on, but firm base underneath. Mostly smooth skiing. As I got lower the snow was firmer due to cloud/fog cover and was a bit bumpier and definitely faster.
All in all a great morning. I was home by noon as promised :-)
More pics here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/danpeck/sets/72157644929590594/
Woke up at 4:30 am, was on the road by 5 am, and at the TH at 6:45 and walking by 7 am.
Headed up the switch back trail and made Victor Pass by 7:35. A few snow patches on the way up, but easily negotiated in tennis shoes with some nice boot pack trails to follow.
Had a nice freeze last night. Sun had been on the N and NE faces since 5:17 am this morning. By 8 am I had left the pass and traversed N, NE up the snow patch towards Mt. Angeles thinking to climb up one of those cool couloirs and summit Mt. Angeles and then descend the N face and circle E over a nameless col and back into the basin just N of Klahane ridge and then home. But, as I got to the highest finger of snow the marine layer of clouds started to envelope me and I could barely see that skiing down from the col of the N buttress did not have continuous snow. So, I decided to go for a couple of laps in the basin.
The Snow was warm up top form the sun. Full boot penetration. About 3 inches of penetration with skis on, but firm base underneath. Mostly smooth skiing. As I got lower the snow was firmer due to cloud/fog cover and was a bit bumpier and definitely faster.
All in all a great morning. I was home by noon as promised :-)
More pics here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/danpeck/sets/72157644929590594/