Nov 17 Early Winter/Blue Peak
11/15/07
2872
5
Sorry for the tardy TR, gang.
I met Scotsman at 0-Dark-Early, and we hashed over where to go while picking up Stihlfree and Skierlyles. Consensus developed that North Cascades might be worth the drive for the most reliable snow. With 2' snow at Blue Lake trailhead we skinned from the car in a couple of other guys' tracks, with some thin snow in sections of tight trees but generally fine coverage. Light snow had stated by the time we were out of the trees. Looked like 4" new on Friday, and 4-5 a day or two before. A total of 8 skiers lunched at SEW-Blue col at 7400', pressure & temp. dropping.
Then we traversed skier's left/west into the bowls below the high cliffs of Blue Peak. Ryan, on his first-ever visit to the North Cascades, laid some fine first tracks in slightly windblown but good & light snow. 16" or more of fresh-ish atop a base equal to mid-size talus; we all hit rocks occasionally but no major damage. Meandered down thru lots of spaced trees, glades and rocky dropoffs to hit the skin track from the right[?]. A nice 1200' run, and the snow was falling thickly by now.
Reclimbing the same track, it was fillling in steadily now; Scottso got to break trail in the tracks. From the same hgih point beow the steep slope to Blue Peak Col, We headed off left again, then Skierlyles (also his first BC in the NC) showed the way to well-filled, light local pow and my first face shots of the season. Then we continued rollicking down through larch-filled gullies, rock kickers, willow twigs, and ever-tighter trees to some final flat confusing sections.
Excellent snow for early this season, much more wintry and lighter than we'd expected. 5" fell on the car from 9 to 3:30. From the forecasts and what we saw on Rt. 20 it must have snowed there consistently since Saturday PM until today, and the clear spell could keep the highway open for a while longer....We finished the grand day by staggering in to the Tractor to support the NWAC and get stickers and beer, and see the BC community swayin' to the bluegrass.
I met Scotsman at 0-Dark-Early, and we hashed over where to go while picking up Stihlfree and Skierlyles. Consensus developed that North Cascades might be worth the drive for the most reliable snow. With 2' snow at Blue Lake trailhead we skinned from the car in a couple of other guys' tracks, with some thin snow in sections of tight trees but generally fine coverage. Light snow had stated by the time we were out of the trees. Looked like 4" new on Friday, and 4-5 a day or two before. A total of 8 skiers lunched at SEW-Blue col at 7400', pressure & temp. dropping.
Then we traversed skier's left/west into the bowls below the high cliffs of Blue Peak. Ryan, on his first-ever visit to the North Cascades, laid some fine first tracks in slightly windblown but good & light snow. 16" or more of fresh-ish atop a base equal to mid-size talus; we all hit rocks occasionally but no major damage. Meandered down thru lots of spaced trees, glades and rocky dropoffs to hit the skin track from the right[?]. A nice 1200' run, and the snow was falling thickly by now.
Reclimbing the same track, it was fillling in steadily now; Scottso got to break trail in the tracks. From the same hgih point beow the steep slope to Blue Peak Col, We headed off left again, then Skierlyles (also his first BC in the NC) showed the way to well-filled, light local pow and my first face shots of the season. Then we continued rollicking down through larch-filled gullies, rock kickers, willow twigs, and ever-tighter trees to some final flat confusing sections.
Excellent snow for early this season, much more wintry and lighter than we'd expected. 5" fell on the car from 9 to 3:30. From the forecasts and what we saw on Rt. 20 it must have snowed there consistently since Saturday PM until today, and the clear spell could keep the highway open for a while longer....We finished the grand day by staggering in to the Tractor to support the NWAC and get stickers and beer, and see the BC community swayin' to the bluegrass.
Gettin face shots!
Good pics! But why are they so fuzzy? It almost looks like it's PUKING.
I had to crop and zoom in on the pics in order to see anyone at all, I am a pretty terrible photographer, but at least we were getting face shots! And yup, sure looks like it's pukin'!
Even though the pictures give the impression that you were in near white out vis, it sure sounds like you had better conditions than we had at Table Mountain.
Vis was just fine except when the flakes piled up on our goggs.
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