Dec 31, 2007;Near 3 A.M. Mountain- Twisp Valley
12/15/07
2749
2
Following 2 days of fun powder skiing outings in the Methow Valley, part of our seemingly traditional New Years weekend tribe (3 out of our group of 14 friends staying in Mazama-area rented cabins) set out for a ski exploration up the Twisp River Valley. Mark S., Kevin S., and myself began skinning up Canyon Creek Ridge (a mostly gentle-sloping spur ridge off of 3 A.M. Mountain) from the Twisp River Road in the crispy cold morning slowly being warmed by the sun.
Our low angle ridge route was chosen mostly for scenic views and exercise and also owing to suspicions of an unstable snowpack from observations made on our earlier outings in the nearby Methow Valley.
Those suspicions were confirmed early on our ascent in the Twisp Valley above about 3,200-ft as the snowpack sang an often loud and un-nerving chorus of instability (whumpf!, whumpf!, whumpf!) along with some shooting cracks on flat and low angle terrain on each aspect we traveled on (southwest-to-southeast; most of the collapsing was in shaded areas in the forest). Some of the sudden snow settlements felt like mini-earthquakes with whumpfing noises propagating well away from the trigger point (possibly collapsing buried surface hoar and/or failure on the faceted early Dec. crust? buried about 2-to-3+ feet on our ridge route). The pow was deep!!! (stepped out of my bindings at our lunch spot and sank in to waist level!) Been awhile since Ive heard so much collapsing in the snowpack on a single tour. In view of these observations, we abandoned possible plans to ski steeper lines off the western side of the ridge and stuck to the ridge top on slopes generally less than 20 degrees in pitch.
The ridge line offered a beautiful touring route through mostly ponderosa forest with nice openings for spectacular views of the high peaks to the west and northwest toward Twisp Pass. After breaking trail up for about 2,600 vert ft, we topped out on a ~5,000-ft high knob basking in the sun while enjoying the views and
Our low angle ridge route was chosen mostly for scenic views and exercise and also owing to suspicions of an unstable snowpack from observations made on our earlier outings in the nearby Methow Valley.
Those suspicions were confirmed early on our ascent in the Twisp Valley above about 3,200-ft as the snowpack sang an often loud and un-nerving chorus of instability (whumpf!, whumpf!, whumpf!) along with some shooting cracks on flat and low angle terrain on each aspect we traveled on (southwest-to-southeast; most of the collapsing was in shaded areas in the forest). Some of the sudden snow settlements felt like mini-earthquakes with whumpfing noises propagating well away from the trigger point (possibly collapsing buried surface hoar and/or failure on the faceted early Dec. crust? buried about 2-to-3+ feet on our ridge route). The pow was deep!!! (stepped out of my bindings at our lunch spot and sank in to waist level!) Been awhile since Ive heard so much collapsing in the snowpack on a single tour. In view of these observations, we abandoned possible plans to ski steeper lines off the western side of the ridge and stuck to the ridge top on slopes generally less than 20 degrees in pitch.
The ridge line offered a beautiful touring route through mostly ponderosa forest with nice openings for spectacular views of the high peaks to the west and northwest toward Twisp Pass. After breaking trail up for about 2,600 vert ft, we topped out on a ~5,000-ft high knob basking in the sun while enjoying the views and
A few notes about where one might start:
- No need for a snopark pass - the 'buttermilk' snowpark is actually up a different valley, not on the twisp road.
- The Twisp River road is plowed a few miles past canyon creek and obvious log road that ascends toward the ridge. There is a small pullout at the end of the plowed road. Although the slope is a little steeper and south facing here, the ridge can be gained directly without too much difficulty, intersecting with the log road about 1.75 miles in.
- Kevin
- No need for a snopark pass - the 'buttermilk' snowpark is actually up a different valley, not on the twisp road.
- The Twisp River road is plowed a few miles past canyon creek and obvious log road that ascends toward the ridge. There is a small pullout at the end of the plowed road. Although the slope is a little steeper and south facing here, the ridge can be gained directly without too much difficulty, intersecting with the log road about 1.75 miles in.
- Kevin
wow, sounds like it was a fun trip, with some slightly sketchy conditions! glad you didn't get eaten by any snow monsters out there...nice photos too! 8)
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