June 2, 2003, Broken Top

There is 2' of snowpack at Sparks Lake. Broken Top was skiable from within 100 v.f. of the SW Summit, and the skiing on the SW Face was great corn snow. The SW Face looked to be in the best condition, versus the now rock peppered crater lines and the runneled West face, which is below the N Summit Block. If you are aiming for the SW face, versus the NW Ridge and W face, be aware that the Green Lks. trail follows a, presently, fast flowing, high volume, Fall Cr. that is in-crossable until a few miles up. There are presently 5-6' snowbanks along Fall Cr., and no snowbridges, up where the first signs of Lava flow from S. Sister are, before Green Lakes. An obvious better access is to stay on the East side of Fall Cr. from the start. Or take the Soda Cr. Trail for a bit, then branch off North,directly to the SW Ridge. This is the way we skied out, and made for a nice return. Only 3 other skiers here on a nice, sunny Sunday.