Table Mountain, Feb17, 2007
2/15/07
WA Cascades West Slopes North (Mt Baker)
2230
1
Telemack had invited me to join him in a backcountry tour in the Table Mountain area. The local weather forecast for the Vancouver region was not very encouraging with suggestions of 50 degrees F. and rain, but my TAY weather links indicated that partially sunny conditions were likely in the Mt.Baker Ski Area. I live less than two hours from the ski area, but Telemack and his wife had a considerably longer drive to our meeting place at the Mountaineers Lodge. The border crossing time was a personal record, less than 1 minute. The guard wasn't even interested in what I had in my sandwich.
We had no clear destination when we left the upper parking lot at 12:30. There did not appear to be many disturbances on the surrounding slopes, man made or natural,(apart from the ski hill, of course). So we joined the primarily snowshoeing crowd up to Austin Pass and on to the east base of Table Mountain. The conditions were pleasant enough for touring until we hit strong headwinds there. Now the snow was either rubble or wind-crust and a run down the northern slopes did not look too inviting. We went from wind packed to HEAVY glop as we dropped down and around to the Table Mountain trail route. It didn't seem to make much sense to continue on this slope so we climbed up to and past the Artist Point parking lot. From there we had a short but reasonably fun ride down to the road. With the Tap Room now our priority, we opted to take the shortest route back. We survived the snowshoe track in Austin Pass, got a few turns in on the hardpacked Austin Run and coasted into the pub for one of America's best products, Descutes ale.
It was kind of a hard day to rate. We got some exercise, the views weren't bad, we didn't get wet and/or cold, and any day in the mountains........ But it wasn't a day for turns. Hopefully the weather system coming in, (I hit rain at Maple Falls) will bring in some improvements. BTW, I experienced a personal worse border crossing time on the way home, spending close to an hour in downtown Sumas. They must have been looking for American terrorists using the President Day weekend as a cover.
We had no clear destination when we left the upper parking lot at 12:30. There did not appear to be many disturbances on the surrounding slopes, man made or natural,(apart from the ski hill, of course). So we joined the primarily snowshoeing crowd up to Austin Pass and on to the east base of Table Mountain. The conditions were pleasant enough for touring until we hit strong headwinds there. Now the snow was either rubble or wind-crust and a run down the northern slopes did not look too inviting. We went from wind packed to HEAVY glop as we dropped down and around to the Table Mountain trail route. It didn't seem to make much sense to continue on this slope so we climbed up to and past the Artist Point parking lot. From there we had a short but reasonably fun ride down to the road. With the Tap Room now our priority, we opted to take the shortest route back. We survived the snowshoe track in Austin Pass, got a few turns in on the hardpacked Austin Run and coasted into the pub for one of America's best products, Descutes ale.
It was kind of a hard day to rate. We got some exercise, the views weren't bad, we didn't get wet and/or cold, and any day in the mountains........ But it wasn't a day for turns. Hopefully the weather system coming in, (I hit rain at Maple Falls) will bring in some improvements. BTW, I experienced a personal worse border crossing time on the way home, spending close to an hour in downtown Sumas. They must have been looking for American terrorists using the President Day weekend as a cover.
Ack! I posted without seeing your report of the same trip....what ignominy.
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