May 25, 2007, Reynolds Peak
5/25/07
4472
5
Our objective was to climb a Big Boy (on our highest 100 peak list) and Reynolds seemed like an excellent early season objective. And I think we all agreed that it was one of the best trips ever. At 8512 Reynolds is the highest peak in the Chelan Sawtooth and the SE slopes provide a nearly 2500+ run on beautiful moderate slopes. This is a scenic, remote, and, I think, underappreciated area, at least by those of us from the western part of the state. Of the 3 amigos only I was on skis, and early on as I tangled with the blowdowns on the trail I was truly questioning my sanity. But later it was 100% worth it.
From the TH at Reynolds Creek we hiked the trail to the 4700 level where the rushing stream is braided in the flats. Many trail will have nasty blowdowns this year, and if there is a blowdown scale, Id give this a BD3 (4 w/ skis). But its only about 2 miles of it. Crossed the creek on logs and with a foot+ of snow on the ground we experienced none of the brush that the guidebooks warned of, as we headed south up the tributary of Reynolds Ck. I was able to skin all the way up from the creek, except a 100 or so up around the 6200 level where it was a little too steep. We kept left on the way up and wrapped back right up higher toward the summit, basically following the route with the reasonable contours evident on the map.
The class 3+ scramble up the last couple hundred feet was a bit trickier than I expected due especially to the recent new snow, and the rock is loose with a couple exposed moves.
The ski down was one of the best ever. The recent few inches on top was soft and wet, but it was consolidated underneath, and a joy to ski even at 2pm. Although I did ski down the 500 forested section to the creek crossing, it was very lumpy, too firm, and badly littered with tree debris.
Please watch the MOVIE at youtube and judge for yourself. Warning, you will feel very sorry for those walkers.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZwQzs1TPUc
Note: we accidentally left an ice axe near the car side of the creek crossing at 4700, so if anyone finds it sure appreciate getting it back. Contact thru TAY. Thanks.
From the TH at Reynolds Creek we hiked the trail to the 4700 level where the rushing stream is braided in the flats. Many trail will have nasty blowdowns this year, and if there is a blowdown scale, Id give this a BD3 (4 w/ skis). But its only about 2 miles of it. Crossed the creek on logs and with a foot+ of snow on the ground we experienced none of the brush that the guidebooks warned of, as we headed south up the tributary of Reynolds Ck. I was able to skin all the way up from the creek, except a 100 or so up around the 6200 level where it was a little too steep. We kept left on the way up and wrapped back right up higher toward the summit, basically following the route with the reasonable contours evident on the map.
The class 3+ scramble up the last couple hundred feet was a bit trickier than I expected due especially to the recent new snow, and the rock is loose with a couple exposed moves.
The ski down was one of the best ever. The recent few inches on top was soft and wet, but it was consolidated underneath, and a joy to ski even at 2pm. Although I did ski down the 500 forested section to the creek crossing, it was very lumpy, too firm, and badly littered with tree debris.
Please watch the MOVIE at youtube and judge for yourself. Warning, you will feel very sorry for those walkers.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZwQzs1TPUc
Note: we accidentally left an ice axe near the car side of the creek crossing at 4700, so if anyone finds it sure appreciate getting it back. Contact thru TAY. Thanks.
Cool video, and a good advertisement for ski mountaineering.
Nice trip, Art. It appears your hip is doing just great.
Thanks for the fresh perspective with the GREAT video! The look on your face at the end sums it up. I felt like I was there. Bueno!
Haha... awesome... it should be illegal to be on snowshoes on beautiful ski terrain like that!
Fantabulous! What a great outing. Congrats on skiing it -- that's really cool. I've posted a link to your TR on my website. --Scott
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