Home > Trip Reports > June 7, 2015, Pahto, north side

June 7, 2015, Pahto, north side

6/7/15
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Posted by Charlie Hagedorn on 6/8/15 12:35am
The right weather and limited snowpack elsewhere led quite a few people to choose Adams' north side this weekend. Descents from the Pinnacle numbered at least eighteen, and at least one party skied Lava Ridge.

NFNWR is as fat as I've seen it up close in three trips into the amphitheater, but the crossing to the Adams looked narrow and subtle.

Susan and I skied the Northwest Ridge itself, hopping briefly over the ridge to the west side at about 10,400' when blue-ish snow on the north side spooked me (but not Susan). The ridge avoids the major logistic commitment of the lower face, but the consequences of a fall remain dire. Navigating on the face was even harder than I expected; altimeters were handy.

Our original plan for the weekend was Lava Ridge, but knee-deep soft snow on the north ridge bootpack at 10 am, a complex schrund-situation on the direct line, and awkward carries on the ridgeline encouraged us to look elsewhere. We'd love to hear how that descent went.

Incredibly few bugs on the approach and at camp at 7.7k. More Sunday than Saturday.

If you descended from the Pinnacle on Saturday, either in the afternoon on the face/ridge or the bold sunset descent of the face, please get in touch.
What an amazing weekend of weather up on the north side of Adams.  A group of us skied NWR around 1 Sat from the pinnacle, then Lava Ridge Sun around 10.  You get some good photos?  I'd be psyched to see em.

Grateful to get out there with an awesome crew.  Here are a couple photos of conditions on the mountain:

Cool trip Charlie! keep it up man!

Nice pics, ya'll!  Way to get on it.

Amazing photos folks... Charlie that last one of the sunset is off the hook!!

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june-7-2015-pahto-north-side
Charlie Hagedorn
2015-06-08 07:35:01