May 28, 2003, Point 7552, Cutthroat Pass
5/28/03
WA Cascades East Slopes North
2425
2
I went back to the Cutthroat Pass area hoping to find somewhat improved conditions from the previous week. Also, to spice things up, I hoped to get to point 7552 just north and west of the pass proper.
Conditions this Wed Am were cloudy (once again!) and very warm. (It cleared to blue skies just as I got back to my car at 4PM!) I was a bit bummed that the snow conditions were such that not much corn developed over the course of a week of rather benign weather. I guess it has just been too warm of late and all the surface snow is just melting with little refreezing at night. In any case the conditions were not bad with a slate grey sky, very high ceiling and very good visisbility.
I bypassed the pass proper just shy of the pass and headed up to pt.7552. Because of the warm conditions and because I was travelling solo, I felt that some of the terrain rolls were suspect and I gained the ridgeline just shy of the peak to reduce my exposure. Here I could see that most of the cornices had sloughed recently (indeed they were doing so off of Cutthroat as I watched). Because there were significant cornices on pt. 7552 seemingly in a helter skelter pattern, I chose to do yo-yo skiing off of the slopes below the ridge. The conditions up high were quite good. The sloppy conditions were lower down and made the roller coaster ride back to the car less fun.
I think that this area has much potential, requires only a couple of hours of sking up to access and will ski for at least several more weeks, though the snow on the trail in will go away very quickly.
Next week I think I will be heading up to Hidden Lake Peak. Anyone been there lately? Condition?
Alan
Conditions this Wed Am were cloudy (once again!) and very warm. (It cleared to blue skies just as I got back to my car at 4PM!) I was a bit bummed that the snow conditions were such that not much corn developed over the course of a week of rather benign weather. I guess it has just been too warm of late and all the surface snow is just melting with little refreezing at night. In any case the conditions were not bad with a slate grey sky, very high ceiling and very good visisbility.
I bypassed the pass proper just shy of the pass and headed up to pt.7552. Because of the warm conditions and because I was travelling solo, I felt that some of the terrain rolls were suspect and I gained the ridgeline just shy of the peak to reduce my exposure. Here I could see that most of the cornices had sloughed recently (indeed they were doing so off of Cutthroat as I watched). Because there were significant cornices on pt. 7552 seemingly in a helter skelter pattern, I chose to do yo-yo skiing off of the slopes below the ridge. The conditions up high were quite good. The sloppy conditions were lower down and made the roller coaster ride back to the car less fun.
I think that this area has much potential, requires only a couple of hours of sking up to access and will ski for at least several more weeks, though the snow on the trail in will go away very quickly.
Next week I think I will be heading up to Hidden Lake Peak. Anyone been there lately? Condition?
Alan
Next week I think I will be heading up to Hidden Lake Peak. Anyone been there lately? Condition?
We were there on Monday (Memorial Day). Trail is mostly melted out to where it exits the woods and enters the slide path below Sibley Pass. Lots of avi debris here making travel somewhat annoying, but easy. Higher up coverage is still great. Except for very near the top of Hidden Lake Pk, the snow didn't refreeze overnight and by afternoon was very slushy.
Thanks for the beta on Hidden Lake Peak.
I think that the area has been consistently covered by high and middle level clouds and this is preventing a solid refreeze during the nights. Judging from when I left yesterday (when it cleared) and today, the clear skies will greatly assist the refreezing. I hope.
I think that the area has been consistently covered by high and middle level clouds and this is preventing a solid refreeze during the nights. Judging from when I left yesterday (when it cleared) and today, the clear skies will greatly assist the refreezing. I hope.
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