December 11, 2005, Skyline/Heather Ridge

After reading the posts on this board for the last couple of years I thought it was about time that I posted something myself.

Had a great day touring up Heather Ridge (or is it Skyline Ridge?) from Stevens Pass. Left the car at 10am in bitterly cold conditions but warmed up signficantly all the way up. Up at the lake it was positively balmy.

The cat track was nice and firm and took us up towards Skyline Lake very quickly. We went around the lake and climbed up and over the saddle to the south of the summit. We considered dropping down into the bowl and traversing over to Pt 5476 (I think that's what we were looking at) but according to a few people who we met coming back up, conditions weren't worth it. The snow was apparently quite crusty on top and like sugar underneath. We decided instead to hike around towards the summit and were rewarded with a great hike and views.

The ski back down was great, as the ski down always is, but conditions in the glades were pretty cut up. Had to work hard to make a turn or two. The cat track back down was hard packed and fast.

Back at the car and the frigid temperatures by 2.15pm.