June 3/4, 2006, MRNP - Glacier Basin/St Elmo's Pass

Lara thrashing some corn below St Elmo's Pass...


Like snowpack in the rain, our original plan to climb and slide something in the Olympics were washed away with the weekend forecast.  And with the unexpected departure of Greg, the remaining four Eli, Lara, Derek and myself decided on an overnighter somewhere else.

By 10:30am our group was making the hike to such as down trees and streams we opted to boot.  One could skin on mostly continuous, dirty snow from about a mile and quarter in.  We all found ourselves tracks than I can shake a stick at.  Boot, glissade, skis, one board, skin you name it.  Oh well to St Elmo's we go!  Eli, Lara and Derek took advantage of the bootpack up to the pass while I took comfort in skinning and the fact that we wouldn't cross any tracks but our own on the way down.  Lara, Derek and myself all found a rock to   Hmmm...corned to perfection, he exclaimed upon return.  The surface was mostly corn'd snow with patches of variable in transition.  All atop a smooth, firm base.  No major instability issues.  Only some pinwheels, sluffs where snow was in transition and bonded poorly and point releases near cliff bands/rocks.  Also worth noting were that slide paths were only observed on slopes, mostly chutes 30 degrees and steeper.  So we all enjoyed a 1500ft run back down to camp before the weather eventually turned to crap.

In the meantime...back at camp musta been a party.  My sweet'n spicy tuna, 2 ramen, bandito scramble and strawberry granola lye spread out over the snow all buffet style.  Some of my gear was even moved about.  Glad I packed my flask.  Well before I could grab an ice axe to go hunt, the culprit was discovered.  No tracks is a good indicator.  Damn camprobbers!  Were's my probe!  I'm gonna have some skewers tonight!  So here's to Eli, Lara and Derek for bringin the extra food and and bench w/ back rest that I carved outta snow in return.

So why should the fun stop there.  Shortly after dinner Eli and I were planning on taking a run but it started to drizzle.  Better save the legs for tomorrow.  Later that night it started to pour.  And into morning it continued.  Is there anything left in the flask?  It rained so hard that we could barely hear each other.  For some reason all I could do was laugh.  Eli and I stayed pretty dry but it was straight up Noah's efin arc in Lara and Derek's tent.  Suprised I didn't see them drift outta there tent.  Sounded like 2 kids in the pool.  Yeah they got soaked!  Well if it makes you feel any better Lara and Derek, I was lucky enough to only have 5 inches of water in one of my boot and a few in the other.  Kinda had a yellow tint though.  Eli you'd better not have pissed in my boot! >:( ;) ;D

Come back cause there are some good pics coming...