12/1 Ski Columbia River Gorge
12/1/07
6525
10
I've lived in the Columbia River Gorge for 15 years and have been waiting for a chance to ski Stacker Butte in the Columbia Hills on the north side of the river. It's the perfect looking ski hill, but at only 3000 feet it rarely has enough snow. Saturday looked good. I found public land access from the North side near my home in High Prairie (outside of Lyle). The most difficult part was finding a place to pull off the road because of the snow plow wall and unknown ditch depth. I finally found a place, skinned up and started climbing. There was about a 18 inches of nice powder on top of some crud at the base. I had to stay in the wind loaded areas because the other areas were too thin. Temp maybe 25 base, 20 on top. Breezy and chilly on top. A little sun even peaked out! I broke trail the whole way (of course). I'm guessing about 1200 feet of vertical. It felt like a good workout, mostly because I am not yet in climbing shape.
The downhill run was VERY GOOD. For a low altitude non-ski hill that is. I made a lot of fall line turns, caught some small airs over the two old road grades and even got some powder in my face. I'd say it was a 35 degree slope at the steepest. Amazingly I never bottomed out. Or, if I did, it is all grass and very few rocks so it wasn't noticeable. Wow, what a great hill. I'm hoping for more low elevation snow storms in the near future! What a great trip, and only 5 minutes from my house.
Sorry I don't have a current picture, but here's a picture of the butte how it normally looks in the winter. Use your imagination. It's windy up there. The cornices and powder stashes are nice.
The downhill run was VERY GOOD. For a low altitude non-ski hill that is. I made a lot of fall line turns, caught some small airs over the two old road grades and even got some powder in my face. I'd say it was a 35 degree slope at the steepest. Amazingly I never bottomed out. Or, if I did, it is all grass and very few rocks so it wasn't noticeable. Wow, what a great hill. I'm hoping for more low elevation snow storms in the near future! What a great trip, and only 5 minutes from my house.
Sorry I don't have a current picture, but here's a picture of the butte how it normally looks in the winter. Use your imagination. It's windy up there. The cornices and powder stashes are nice.
Way to get after it! I wish I had powder five minutes from my house.
That pic brings back fond memories. Reminds me of riding in the Palouse. Thanks!
That's super sweet pabloson. I love creative stuff like that!
Hey snoslut, are you a coug? Where did you ski over there? Moscow mountain?
Hey snoslut, are you a coug? Where did you ski over there? Moscow mountain?
That sounds nice. I've also thought Table Mt and Dog Mt in the gorge would be fun to check out. Table Mt would be a long hall in but Dog Mt is realistic. I've also skied Silver Star Mt, not really in the gorge but one worth checking out.
I'm sure there are more places if you used some imagination.
I'm sure there are more places if you used some imagination.
Yo Slo-Steve, yup I was a Coug (94-98). Never rode around Moscow Mt. but I did shoot down some X-mas trees down, up there. Hit up Schwietzer, Red, 49, Red, Silver (when they got enough snow to not ride the gonjola down). Never hit up Spokane though. Kamiak & Steptoe Butte though my memories are hazy. The Pullman golf course had some sweet booters with hard liquor bottles lining the top. Snowboarding on campus was fun too, but had to watch out for campus popo.
Once again, well done pabloson!
Once again, well done pabloson!
Nice report - it looks like an excellent ski. I have often thought that the Mosier Syncline would be pretty nice if not too wind affected. I went up to Bennett Pass on the 1st and found many good turns. I also live in the Gorge, though further West (in WA) and have done a few trips on the back side of Wind Mountain (BC patterned skis only) and some nice tours up near Willard. During the last big storm (4 years ago) I was able to take many runs and get in many good turns on the power line cut. A friend and I have looked at skiing from Willard down to Home Valley, if we get another big, low elevation snow storm. If that happens I will try and post it here.
NICE!!!!!! Looking foreward to your future tr's on this area. With rock skis one can find some pretty good areas with a little imagination...Black Butte near sisters can be pretty good with a low snow year and beater skis........
Thanks for the nice welcome to this site everybody. It's a refreshing to find a friendly internet site.
Wind and Dog mountain sound great! I've been eyeballing Mt Defiance for years, but man what a long haul to get in there. Although, maybe there is access from the roads on the North side? Anybody skied it?
Since I live near Goldendale, I mainly go up to Satus pass and ski the Simcoes. There is some really nice ridge line skiing up there and it's frequently sunny when the gorge is fogged in.
Wind and Dog mountain sound great! I've been eyeballing Mt Defiance for years, but man what a long haul to get in there. Although, maybe there is access from the roads on the North side? Anybody skied it?
Since I live near Goldendale, I mainly go up to Satus pass and ski the Simcoes. There is some really nice ridge line skiing up there and it's frequently sunny when the gorge is fogged in.
Wasn't there a ski area on Satus pass some time ago?
Oh Yeah the Syncline area, seems like I've seen pictures of people skiing there.
Oh Yeah the Syncline area, seems like I've seen pictures of people skiing there.
There was a ski area there that closed in the 70's. It was a Washington State Park I think.
There are still some remnants of riblets and the foundation of the lodge that burned down etc.
Check out the lost ski area web site. It's a good way to find places to backcountry ski. There's an old ski hill in Trout Lake as well.
http://www.hyak.net/lost/
There are still some remnants of riblets and the foundation of the lodge that burned down etc.
Check out the lost ski area web site. It's a good way to find places to backcountry ski. There's an old ski hill in Trout Lake as well.
http://www.hyak.net/lost/
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