June 8, 2019, Eldorado
6/8/19
WA Cascades West Slopes North (Mt Baker)
1503
1
Headed up to Cascade Pass Saturday morning planning on a tour out past Eldorado to Klawatti, Austera, Primus, and Tricouni. In a momentary lapse of sanity at the trailhead I removed all the overnight gear from my pack and decided that I would do it in a day and spend the next day on another tour.
It was raining when I left the TH at 7:40am. I hiked up to 5,500' where the skinnable snow started. The forecast called for morning showers so I continued upwards through rain and low visibility. Once I dropped into the Roush Creek Basin I could see hints of sun poking through so I continued up to the Inspiration Glacier and finally broke through the clouds. It was past noon and there was substantial fresh snow - up to 8" over 8,000'. I decided to save the trip past Eldorado for a different time. I didn't want to rush through that terrain in poor conditions.
I headed up the E ridge of Eldorado, again in a whiteout. When I made it to the summit I waited for a marginal break in the clouds and skied off. The snow was fairly deep and very sloppy. Visibility was bad enough that I followed my skin track the whole way down.
Made it back to the car a bit before 5pm and the clouds had lifted a bit but it was still raining. The new snow had not bonded well to the firm existing surface so I decided that the steeper objectives I had in mind for the next day would be unsafe and headed home. On my way down Cascade River Road I got a flat tire. Some trips do not go as planned.
Photos:
1. Boulder field around 5k in the morning. Snow melted during the day.
2. Forbidden poking through the clouds. Moraine Lake is completely melted out.
3. Flat tire. Took me a while to realize that there was an issue with my tire and not the road so I completely shredded it.
It was raining when I left the TH at 7:40am. I hiked up to 5,500' where the skinnable snow started. The forecast called for morning showers so I continued upwards through rain and low visibility. Once I dropped into the Roush Creek Basin I could see hints of sun poking through so I continued up to the Inspiration Glacier and finally broke through the clouds. It was past noon and there was substantial fresh snow - up to 8" over 8,000'. I decided to save the trip past Eldorado for a different time. I didn't want to rush through that terrain in poor conditions.
I headed up the E ridge of Eldorado, again in a whiteout. When I made it to the summit I waited for a marginal break in the clouds and skied off. The snow was fairly deep and very sloppy. Visibility was bad enough that I followed my skin track the whole way down.
Made it back to the car a bit before 5pm and the clouds had lifted a bit but it was still raining. The new snow had not bonded well to the firm existing surface so I decided that the steeper objectives I had in mind for the next day would be unsafe and headed home. On my way down Cascade River Road I got a flat tire. Some trips do not go as planned.
Photos:
1. Boulder field around 5k in the morning. Snow melted during the day.
2. Forbidden poking through the clouds. Moraine Lake is completely melted out.
3. Flat tire. Took me a while to realize that there was an issue with my tire and not the road so I completely shredded it.
You are a Gulo for punishment,........let's see, early morning rain/ poor vis........turn around, bolder field with snow on it,I don't feel like a broken leg...........turn around, 8 inches of poorly bonded glop..........turn around! Flat tire, ..........payment for being such a hard head!!!!! You are a Gulo for punishment!
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