June 7-9, 2002, Teanaway/Ingalls Lake area
6/7/02
WA Cascades East Slopes Central
2682
0
After sorting through a seemingly dozen or more options for a three day trip with weather being a moderator, we felt that heading to the eastern side would be a wise choice. This was however somewhat false hope.On Friday we packed up gear and skis at 1200 or so from the Teanaway trailhead, the road was dry and clear with 3 or four other cars in parking lot. Cool with scattered clouds spitting snow and ice. Trail clear for a half mile or less then booted up to Ingalls pass with snow crusty and well frozen, felt no need to bother with skins. Lots of rain? runnels and solid areas of ice/crust. Cool in mid 30's as we dropped packs for a break at Ingalls pass.
Dropped over edge in hard crusty snow with too heavy of packs reminding me of why I prefer to day ski with packs that weigh less than I do or seem so at least. Snow obviously bombproof with scanty fresh powder blown about by the 20-25mph gusts blowing about. The clouds lowered and the snow and wind picked up. Having made grand plans to head over to the base of Stuart to climb and ski something beyond what our comon sense and wifes would want us to do, reality hit us as we made camp in darkening skys fairly steady wind and snow, we made camp in between some rock butresses overlooking Stuart pass near Ingalls lake.
Sat morning looked no different except for the 2-4 inches of snow that had been whipped about. Below 6800 ft the snow surpisingly softened a bit and we had pretty fair sking in the bowl below S. Ingalls peak/face. Big cornices still hanging and a bit icey to skin above that 6800 foot level, but the snow had softened despite the wind and provided fairly pleasent turning so we played and yo-yoed a bit. Turned the corner to ski the ridge west and the cloud deck lowered winds picked up and it started to snow pretty darn heavy, along with vis down to 100 meters or less we headed back to tent, hot tea and the long twilight of a mid June camp.
Sunday woke to life as it should be. Patches of blue a fresh 2 inches on top of a solid yet softening base. Skied aspects around upper Ingalls basin, the 7300 ft point east of Ingalls. No signs of snow instability, easy skinning on even the steeper climbs, No pinwheels or even surface hissers. No other skiers seen as we had our way with what ever one wanted to ski.
Back over Ingalls pass the snow had softened nicely. Easy turning with still plenty of snow for choices. Dropped packs for a couple of short 600 ft Yo-yos on some steep sun sweetened corn shots off the skiers left ridge going down. Should be another week or so of easy shots on front side before needing to move over the ridge to find more snow.
Take care
C. Wiley
Dropped over edge in hard crusty snow with too heavy of packs reminding me of why I prefer to day ski with packs that weigh less than I do or seem so at least. Snow obviously bombproof with scanty fresh powder blown about by the 20-25mph gusts blowing about. The clouds lowered and the snow and wind picked up. Having made grand plans to head over to the base of Stuart to climb and ski something beyond what our comon sense and wifes would want us to do, reality hit us as we made camp in darkening skys fairly steady wind and snow, we made camp in between some rock butresses overlooking Stuart pass near Ingalls lake.
Sat morning looked no different except for the 2-4 inches of snow that had been whipped about. Below 6800 ft the snow surpisingly softened a bit and we had pretty fair sking in the bowl below S. Ingalls peak/face. Big cornices still hanging and a bit icey to skin above that 6800 foot level, but the snow had softened despite the wind and provided fairly pleasent turning so we played and yo-yoed a bit. Turned the corner to ski the ridge west and the cloud deck lowered winds picked up and it started to snow pretty darn heavy, along with vis down to 100 meters or less we headed back to tent, hot tea and the long twilight of a mid June camp.
Sunday woke to life as it should be. Patches of blue a fresh 2 inches on top of a solid yet softening base. Skied aspects around upper Ingalls basin, the 7300 ft point east of Ingalls. No signs of snow instability, easy skinning on even the steeper climbs, No pinwheels or even surface hissers. No other skiers seen as we had our way with what ever one wanted to ski.
Back over Ingalls pass the snow had softened nicely. Easy turning with still plenty of snow for choices. Dropped packs for a couple of short 600 ft Yo-yos on some steep sun sweetened corn shots off the skiers left ridge going down. Should be another week or so of easy shots on front side before needing to move over the ridge to find more snow.
Take care
C. Wiley
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