11/12/2023 Route: Northwest Ridge Posted On: 11/12/2023, By: supranihilest Info: Nearly continuous snow of 1-3 inches from the trailhead (corral across SH 145 from Lizard Head Pass trailhead) to treeline. Fairly easy to follow the trail still, just follow cut logs and green tape tied to branches. The ridge is very narrow and sometimes exposed but not technical, just be careful on it as a slip may be dangerous. Microspikes might be comforting but we didn't use them. At treeline there's a brief cliff band, there are numerous ways up it and most consist of just scrambling up steep Class 2+ dirt - again, be wary of slips. Once above this the remaining route is all Class 2. The ridge widens and snow continues to the next cliff band which we stayed under, wrapping around to the south. From there things dry out and it's just steep grass and scree to the summit. We reversed our route. No snow gear required currently, though I'd highly recommend waterproof footwear. Some might find microspikes nice though we didn't use them. |
|
5/27/2023 Route: Sheep chute Posted On: 5/28/2023, By: Agstrohmeier Info: We skied sheep chute 5/27. Approached from the pass with a solid freeze, leaving at about 5:30am. Skins on mostly, a couple spots at the beginning that we had to take them off (or walk through dirt). Above treeline we hiked the final bit to gain the ridge, then used crampons along the ridge to the drop in. Massive cornice where you can enter from the ridge. If it fell it would most likely go down the chute left but we passed under quickly. We got to the top at 9:30 but waited until 11:30 for good skiing conditions. The upper 2/3 was great skiing, the lower third had a lot of rocks in it and some wet slide debris, and warmed up a lot faster than everything above and below it, so it was mashed potatoes (even compared to the apron). Not the easiest skiing down there. Exit was pretty miserable, a lot of hiking through soft snow with skis on. Not flat enough to skin, not downhill enough to ski. Snow surface was about 50% tree branches and pine needles. We might just be slow but it took us like 3 hours to get back to the trailhead in the current conditions. |
|
5/13/2023 Route: Sheep Chute Posted On: 5/13/2023, By: supranihilest Info: Not quite ready for prime time. Soft, wet snow all the way to treeline even in the dark. Weak freeze above treeline. Surface snow was a bit crunchy but it was wet underneath. Turned around at 12,600 feet in the couloir itself at 7:20am since I was sinking past my knees in slop. While descending the previously frozen surface snow above treeline was mushy and sliding around on the layer a couple inches below. Below treeline snow had gotten even worse, very wet, plenty of postholing even in snowshoes. Gear: flotation currently mandatory, crampons and at least one axe mandatory, helmet mandatory (the coulie is a shooting gallery). |
