It's not every day you have one of your best days of spring skiing ever.
Partners: Brian Melvin, Peter Lillesve
Mileage: 24.37
Gain: 12000'
Elapsed Time: 13 hours ish
Start time: 4AM
Approach/deproach: Short road approach to get to Cascade Pass from near Eldo TH, bikes recommended (anything will do but a MTB will be more fun)
Ski Gear: Alien RS and Bilzzard Zero G 85
Technical Gear: One Petzl Gullty, Petzl Irvis hybrid crampons
Rope: No
Pack: Pretty light
Start: Cascade River Road, as far up as you can get
Finish: Start
Dryland: Just biking (depends on snow level)
Travel Logistics: Very easy other than a bike rack
Partners: Brian Melvin, Peter Lillesve
Mileage: 24.37
Gain: 12000'
Elapsed Time: 13 hours ish
Start time: 4AM
Approach/deproach: Short road approach to get to Cascade Pass from near Eldo TH, bikes recommended (anything will do but a MTB will be more fun)
Ski Gear: Alien RS and Bilzzard Zero G 85
Technical Gear: One Petzl Gullty, Petzl Irvis hybrid crampons
Rope: No
Pack: Pretty light
Start: Cascade River Road, as far up as you can get
Finish: Start
Dryland: Just biking (depends on snow level)
Travel Logistics: Very easy other than a bike rack
Cascade optimism was a recurring theme of the day. We rode the bicycle approach and ascended to cascade pass with a thick cloud layer above. Peter just past Cascade Pass.
Pelton Lake looking fantastic
Just a little marine layer blowing in from the West
GPS route finding near Kool-Aid lake, at least one of us remembered to download the maps...
Peter dropping past Art's Knoll as the clouds break
Brian had found a TR from the Magic Mtn Couloir in case weather wasn't working for the loop, it was on the way so why not include it?
The top had a very steep drop in, with a perfect flat col above to transition in. Probably a cornice during the winter/early spring
A little exposure down low, but nothing major
Peter just about to top out Cascade Pass on the way home, looking pretty chipper for 12K' vert
Even the skiing down from Cascade Pass was fantastic. Got back to the bikes where we had stashed some beer and enjoyed the last few mins out there
One last obstacle, massive slide debris, the trees are on top of at least 10' of snow.
This was on of my best outings in the mountains ever. Great views, interesting route finding, great skiing, and just enough hazard to keep it interesting without feeling scary. We were never in a rush and things just flowed. What a nice day!
This was on of my best outings in the mountains ever. Great views, interesting route finding, great skiing, and just enough hazard to keep it interesting without feeling scary. We were never in a rush and things just flowed. What a nice day!