Dec 9, 2006, Kendall Peak Couly

Is there still powder out there?


Why yes my neophyte...

A friend on mine heard confirmation from a source, who'd been out during the week, that the goods still remained.  The weekend prior I slept in and missed Squirrel99's adventure, even though I found one of my own.  The pictures from his Red Mountain trip haunted me all week so when I the opportunity arose again I didn't have to think twice.

It's no secret with all the books, guides, trip reports that the Snoqualmie bc is refuge to some of the gnarliest lines I would soon witness.  What I was dying to know was how hard I was gonna have to work for these turns.  Since I was a virgin to this area and visibility was in and out I am not able to give a full description of the area.  Just know that we approached via Commonwealth and exited via Gold Creek.

All seven of us Squirrel99, Lani, Cascadefreeheeler, Bjorn, Teague, and JP departed from the Summit West parking lot by 8am ish.  The skies sported their typical shades of gray with intermitent spurts of frozen stuff falling from the sky.  The paved skin track was nice though firm in a few places.  About 20 minutes after starting Lani and Cascadefreeheeler broke ahead to embark on their own journey.


Skinning...(photo by Squirrel99)

After this section we skinned through some glades before reaching a logging road, which soon gave way to more trees.  Then we followed a ridge line before traversing below more cliffbands.  Just when I thought my legs were falling off we arrived at our destination.


Looking down...


(photo by Squirrel99)







Teague and Bjorn took one chute while JP, Squirrel99 and myself took the one over.  The chute that T and B dropped appeared to already have a previous crown.  JP ski cut ours and produced nothing but a little sluff that was minor enough to turn into.  Down below old debris was scattered about.

Now how do we get outta here?  We could either boot back up what we just came down and retrace our ascent or exit via Gold Creek.  Even after Squirrel99's warning we decided on the latter.  What an adventure.  There were more creek crossing then gray days in the PNW.


(photo by Squirrel99)


(photo by Squirrel99)



Stick a fork in me cause I'm done!  That's what I thought until the next day,