Home > Trip Reports > May 7-8, 2017, Bogachiel, High Divide, Haigs Lake Loop

May 7-8, 2017, Bogachiel, High Divide, Haigs Lake Loop

5/7/17
3655
7
Posted by RonL on 5/10/17 10:12am
Frank and I took advantage of the weather window to attempt the high divide loop. I don't believe we put skins on until deer lake. There were bear tracks just before the lake so they are up and about. Skinning now up the bowl we found a supportive crust. You could push a pole thru it so it wasn't consolidated but no trouble with skier weight.

We made some turns into what I will call Bogachiel Basin on sun softened snow some small sloughing but nothing bad. The steep slopes across the basin had serious cornices. There were a few car size blocks which had broken off and slid almost intact to the bottom which was comforting to see that something that size triggered nothing. From the basin we climbed up to the low point in the saddle to enter seven lakes basin. We made turns to lunch lake and then went up toward the high divide.

We dropped our gawd awful heavy packs and skinned up to the summit of boagachiel. It wasn't quite possible to make out the pacific earlier because of the haze and cloud but now the sun was reflecting on the ocean and looking quite nice. The peak was heavily corniced so we skied down the ridge a bit to a good enterance. A bit of poking with my pole showed the same unconsolidated with crust bridge. The first ski cut was just fine and it was a really nice ski back down the peak into seven lakes basin and back to the packs. It was warm and sunny here so we cooked food and relaxed a while so that we would have less to do later wherever we found camp.

We followed the path of least resistance on the seven lakes side of the high divide route to above heart lake before calling it a day. The travel along here was open and easy and the snow surface began to refreeze and even had crystals forming on this part of the ridge. The views of Olympus and the hoh were impressive along the route and Appleton was still a destination on our minds.

In the morning there were more clouds and it was not nearly as inviting of a ski day. We continued along the divide and found even more unobstructed views of Olympus than are found from bogachiel. Here the route and snow conditions began to change the fun we were having.

Steep ridges and firm crust made travel difficult for skinning and the crust was not supportive enuf for booting. Our time had slipped away and our ambition for Appleton had waned so we opted for booting the col to see if we could find a fun way to ski into haigs lake bowl. Frank led the way up the col to a fun chute to the lake. I was really tired after that boot up but the bowl below looked fun and there was a great little enterance between the cornices.

It was a fun ski and we dropped a lot of elevation quickly from the crust to sun warmed snow again. At the lake level there were some of the first signs of instability and recent looking slides on the other side of the bowl from what we had skied. We skied down to the valley and then fought creek crossings and tough intermittent coverage to the trail. It was a long slog back to the truck and I had just enuf energy to make it.

Thanks for being up for this crazy idea Frank! I really enjoyed getting back in there to ski off bogachiel and see more of the terrain.
It's pretty fascinating over there in the Olympics. Plenty of unknown trips tucked away around each corner. But I can see why it's not hugely attractive to most skiers. Still, Appleton should be worthy, or just more time in Seven Lakes Basin for skiing endless short runs. Or more carefully map out the full High Divide route as a series of ascents and descents, to skip some of the more challenging/hazardous traverses, probably as a 3 day trip. Or I could just stay over here and keep skiing Snoqualmie and Rainier...

My photo contribution:


the Hoh unfolding below


totally stoked to be viewing the ocean and everything from this obscure little peak, on skis


Olympus, of course


getting into some difficulties on day 2


above Haigs Lake, finally


skiing soft debris


exit from Haigs Lake


Great pics, Frank - What a place.  Beautiful.

Yeah great photos!

Thanks for a nice report in from a novel, beautiful place.

...it looks wonderfully desserted out there! Good effort.

Thanks for the TR. I'm jealous---that's one of my favorite places in the whole world. I've only skied it once, in August 2013 I think, when we had even longer-lasting snow than we'll probably have this year. 

Cool, I would love to hear more about your august trip, especially the route you took and the difference in conditions on the steeper ribs toward the back of the cirque. I think Frank is on to something with planning it out as more of an ascent decent oriented tour than following the trail. Other than going back for Appleton I will likely need to let the memory consolidate along with the snowpack into just the best parts before I convince myself to go back there... the place does work on ones mind though. There is something special about the quiet and staring into so many of the great headwater areas of the peninsula that makes for a unique experience.

Reply to this TR

13734
may-7-8-2017-bogachiel-high-divide-haigs-lake-loop
RonL
2017-05-10 17:12:46