Home > Trip Reports > October 1, 2017, Bagley Lakes Postage Stamps

October 1, 2017, Bagley Lakes Postage Stamps

10/1/17
WA Cascades West Slopes North (Mt Baker)
3940
5
Posted by GregLange on 10/1/17 6:10am
The early bird gets the turns, I suppose. 4:15 AM push-away from Edmonds, and 2 1/2 hours of solo car time. My friends at PGS (Thanks, Martin!) have infected me with both ski fever and alpine start-ism. Can't seem to shake either 1. Thought I would also catch some of the first lower ski-able snowflakes, but they resided about 1500 feet higher than I did...

Arrived at 7 AM, after jamming to Santana's, "Moonflower", on the drive from Acme. While I'd driven through a bunch of rain lower down, the skies at the end of 542 were very high clouds, enough so to see new snow on Shuksan, Boundary Peaks area, and Hannegan Pass valley environs. (The percussion in that album is a nod to my son, the drummer.) Now, some of you might scoff at knowing that the skiing won't be lengthy or challenging on a patch of snow that is about 300 vert, and about 1/4 mile long. But, as I've gotten older, I've also wised up. Snow in early October, only a 15 minute walk from the car, is GOLDEN! As well, not a soul in the lake basin, save for myself and the birds welcoming the new morning.

The snowfield certainly showed it's age, with bumps, humps and chumps galore. But once at the top, and a bit of a side-slip for the first 50 feet (so as not to fall into the creek bed 15 feet below...), it was clear (not smooth, mind you...) skiing back to just above the lake shore. Not epic, but certainly solid turns on a solid surface of snow. I'm hoping winter hits early in the high country, so that this is not my only trip for gathering the glisse.

On the walk back along the lakeshore, the math teacher in me began to ask 2 questions: 1) "Is 239 a prime number?", because that was last month's number. YES, is the answer! 2) What is 240 written out as in prime factorization?" 2x2x2x2x2x3x5 = 240. (Do the math; it works...) Indeed, 20 years ago, in November, 1997, my streak began. I've been trying vasliantly to catch Silas Wild all these years, but he's not missed a month, so I'm still a month behind. And, while not the most epic ski day I've ever had, it typifies what I look for: solitude, beauty, snow and activity. It's not in the planning (thought that is crucial), but in the doing!

Thanks go out to all of the folks I've skiied with over the years, but especially: Martin Volken, Lara Pazamenas-Bickel, and Silas Wild. If I've not named you, don't fret; I think of you all each time I make a turn...Cheers!
Congratulations Greg on 20.  I haven't seen many posts of you getting your TAY before the end of a month   ::)  Compared to Sept. 29 there is a huge pile of freshies
---and a huge pile of blue sky!

...using literature (gathering the glisse) and science (prime factorization) you've spun a superb trip report.

Thanks, Phil. I'm a teacher of high school, and a student of snow...

Wow. Congrats. This looks like a great spot.

Congrats! 240 that's ridiculous. You should be inducted into the Turns
All Year Hall of Fame. What's the secret to keep on going?

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GregLange
2017-10-01 13:10:24