March 17-21, Chelan Mtns, N. Fork Entiat

Our 5 day tour began at the N. Fork Entiat trailhead (snowmobile assist) with our first camp beneath Pyramid Mtn.  The four of us skied from the summit the next day (very windy) with windpack for a few hundred feet, then skiable sun crust with some nice soft snow in protected pockets.  Being so far east of the crest, we enjoyed nice sun breaks, with a few snow showers from the springtime storm hanging along the Cascade Crest.  The third day we crossed Grouse Pass into Grouse Basin, and skied from the summit of Skidgravel (a satellite of Cardinal).  Its aspects were more protected from sun and wind, and gave us fine skiing, especially the larch glades on the bottom half of the run.  The morning of the fourth day we climbed to a lesser summit east of the basin--its NW slope had 3-4 inches of fresh, light snow from the previous night, on top of 6 or so inches of older snow.  This was some of the best Vernal Equinox powder I have ever enjoyed.  In the afternoon we departed the high country, skiing down Grouse Creek into the N. Fork Entiat Valley.  The fifth day we reached the trail head, and skied and skated 12 road-miles to our cars.  Stable snow conditions had allowed us to enjoy some fine terrain. 

The first photo shows Andy Dappen almost ready to ski off the minor summit above Grouse Basin, with the Sawtooth Range in the distance.  The second photo shows Squaretop Mtn. (left) and Pyramid (right)