June 21, 2014, - Eldorado Peak
6/21/14
WA Cascades West Slopes North (Mt Baker)
6639
8
View from the summit of Eldorado Peak.
Good skiing at Eldorado Peak today. I left Seattle at 4 a.m. and found just one other car in the parking lot when I arrived.
The upper boulder field has more snow than usual for this time of year and you can ski several hundred vertical feet lower than last year at this time. A bit of recent snow made the upper mountain very clean and white and eliminated any stickiness in the snow.
I ate lunch on the summit (nobody around) then started down a little before noon. Good skiing all the way back to the Roush-Eldorado divide.
A couple other skiers were just reaching the Inspiration plateau when I skied down. Several other parties were coming up with overnight packs. Overall, a fairly quiet day for a sunny Saturday.
This will probably be my last ski day of the season, since school is out and it's looking like a busy family summer.
Ski tracks on the Eldorado Glacier slope.
Did you find decent corn? I was doing some climbing in Boston Basin on thursday and was post-holing through isothermal mush, particularly above 7k. I had thought that it would be pretty heavy for skiing, and that the area needed some sun/clear cycles before I wanted to go back.
Yes, I found good corn starting from the summit a bit before noon. There was a good freeze Friday night. And the recent snow I mentioned made the surface nice.
No guarantee that what I found on Saturday is still true today. I think the key to good snow is to get up early so you can ski early. I was moving pretty quickly.
No guarantee that what I found on Saturday is still true today. I think the key to good snow is to get up early so you can ski early. I was moving pretty quickly.
Thanks for the snowpack update!
Good idea Lowell. Has this become a tradition of yours? It seems you visit Eldorado around the solstice each year.
A perfect spot in my mind for the longest day of the year. I may see you out there one June day :)
A perfect spot in my mind for the longest day of the year. I may see you out there one June day :)
Nice tracks Lowell, if you don't get out again, that looks like a perfect way to close out the season.
author=danpeck link=topic=31954.msg134460#msg134460 date=1403556898]
Has this become a tradition of yours? It seems you visit Eldorado around the solstice each year.
It's the best kind of tradition, I think. Not something I do because the calendar says so, but because the place just keeps drawing me back. There's something about being among the glaciers up there, even for a day.
Lowell. I know exactly what you mean. That place is a sacred place. I feel the call.
Nice trip and write up Lowell. Especially like the shot of your tracks.
Reply to this TR
Please login first: