Home > Trip Reports > January 1, 2015, A taste of Big Chiwaukum

January 1, 2015, A taste of Big Chiwaukum

1/1/15
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Posted by lrudholm on 1/3/15 5:04am
Scott, Rowan and I started the new year in classic cascadian style. As in... follow x creek for x miles until you reach y creek, and continue. Continue until your starting to fade a little and still in the damned trees. Continue into the alpine until you find beauty, your second wind and stunning ski terrain.

First leg of the trip:
We skinned up a road for about a mile then a trail up whitepine creek and then another trail up wildhorse creek to about 5500'. Many many small creek crossings and thankfully minimal alder bashing. We were able to pop into some meadows almost directly below our objective (Chiwaukum twin couloirs) partly from scotts knowledge, intuition and luck.

Second leg of the trip:
I was struggling a bit at this point but nom nomed on some chocolate pretzels, salami and fresh alpine water to regain my strength while Rowan continued his epic trail breaking up the apron. It was late afternoon at this point and we pretty much followed Rowan up the left couloir until snow conditions became windbuff/slab and the light faded. We could have skied the whole couloir in late dusk light but decided to get some sunset photos and ski the apron in decent light. The snow was shin deep dried out blower pow! Easily best of the season. Touring conditions couldn't be better.

Third leg of the trip:

We celebrated a good line with good company with tasty pendelton whiskey at sunset!!!!! And also did some hippie meadow skipping back down to the summer trail before switching into headlamp exit mode.
    I feel like skiing out by headlamp isn't ideal or conventional but i've actually grown to enjoy it. The cold seeps in and the stars and moon come out. It just makes the mountains that much more mystical. Worries of getting avalanched on your killer ski route are gone. Worries of having a bad crash or slip are gone. I think its the most peaceful moment of ski touring. Also, just having a trail and the "tunnel effect" of your headlamp makes the hike out that much easier and simple.
    Anyways the ski out Wildhorse creek was a fun downward traverse on trail. A little spicy by headlamp :). The split boarders skied it with skins on. However skins were mandatory on the rolling trail down Whitepine creek. Damned up and down trails.

We made it back to the car by 8 p.m. making our new years day ski tour a 12 hour mission. Happy and crushed we made the drive back to seattle uneventful.

Thanks for reading! Here are some photos.




Excellent report Leyland, though i must take issue with this:
author=lrudholm link=topic=33318.msg138134#msg138134 date=1420319075]
    Anyways the ski out Wildhorse creek was a fun downward traverse on trail. A little spicy by headlamp :). The split boarders skied it with skins on.


I wouldn't call that downward trail ski "fun" on a splitboard...   :( >:( :'( ???

author=Rowan Stewart link=topic=33318.msg138138#msg138138 date=1420322096]
Excellent report Leyland, though i must take issue with this:
I wouldn't call that downward trail ski "fun" on a splitboard...   :( >:( :'( ???


LOL, I half wish I would have joined you guys, and half glad I took the wife to paradise.

That photo of Ale slashing with GP in the background is amazing.

Nice work getting those turns guys.

author=powhound link=topic=33318.msg138141#msg138141 date=1420328106]
LOL, I half wish I would have joined you guys, and half glad I took the wife to paradise.


Brownie points are good, maybe you'll both head up to muir next time!

author=Rowan Stewart link=topic=33318.msg138138#msg138138 date=1420322096]
Excellent report Leyland, though i must take issue with this:
I wouldn't call that downward trail ski "fun" on a splitboard...   :( >:( :'( ???


Yeah... i wasn't sure how it went for you guys. Maybe it was the sleep deprivation kicking in.

author=Kyle Miller link=topic=33318.msg138142#msg138142 date=1420328522]
That photo of Ale slashing with GP in the background is amazing.

Nice work getting those turns guys.


Thanks! It was either sunset photos or skiing a couloir by headlamp. I'm pretty sure we made the right choice.

Thanks for the TR and excellent pics!

Nice one guys

rad!  i agree with kyle--the sunset photo of scott is one of my favorite that i've seen all season.

i think it was a good call not to join you guys as even the "all pow no shwack" day that i did instead caused me a bit of ankle pain... but i'm still feeling better each day and expecting that i'll be back to the alder thicket hikes in no time.

Good effort and photos.  Nice to see alecapone in action; I thought he had dropped off the edge of the map.    ;D

well that looks like fun

way to giv'er with a long day in the early season

That is a lot of headlamp time! But the first pic is awesome. Nice run!

I think this is the best report this season!  Nice work.

author=danpeck link=topic=33318.msg138244#msg138244 date=1420599754]
I think this is the best report this season!  Nice work.


Thanks!

Long days make for long lasting memories.

I'm with Dan, best report/snow this year, and good to hear Scott still has a fools errand or two left in him! Nice going.

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