Backcountry Skiing at Washington Pass in the North Cascades!

Backcountry Skiing at Washington Pass in the North Cascades!

April 26/27, 2003

Doerte and I were heading over to the Washington Pass area for the weekend so Karel Zikan and Eli Holmes recommended the Blue Lake Basin tour. They have skied the Washington Pass area for years and are intimately familiar with every run. It was only three hours and fifteen minutes from Seattle to Skins at the Trailhead, 5,200'. There was not a cloud in the sky! It promised to be a beautiful day!

The South Early Winter Spire, 7,807'. You can see Lee Coutermarsh and Tom Briet in the center of the steep snow couloir on their descent. (the two specks)

Eli led the way through the trees and then up the basin to the ridge top at 7,320'. It was interesting to see the Larch Trees still bare. Close inspection revealed not a single new bud. When will they start to bud? We had amazing views of The Liberty Bell, 7,720’, The North Early Winter Spire, 7,760’, and The South Early Winter Spire, 7,807'.

Mike, Doerte, Eli at the top of the level ridge, 7,320', south of Early Winter Spire.

We could see WAC member Lee Coutermarsh and Tom Briet in the center of the steep Southwest Couloir on The South Early Winter Spire. The two climbers were descending the Couloir after reaching the summit before noon. Lee said it was mostly a steep snow climb with an icy rock pitch at the top.

View of Blue Lake Basin from the base of South Early Winter Spire.

This is a good view of the big cornice. The skiers are only little specks.

Photo by Tom Briet!

We watched two skiers climb to the top of the ridge to the left of a big cornice. Eli called this the Birthday Tour, which visits another basin and then eventually returns to the hairpin. The other side of the ridge top is a challenging 2,000' run down the Spiral Gully, ending at the hairpin turn on Highway 20. The top of the Spiral Gully is a steep bottleneck but opens up below. It looks like a great run but is said to be over "too soon".

Doerte high on the run from the pass. Lee and Tom are to her left on their descent.

We opted for the 2,000' run of varied terrain down Blue Lake Basin. Our run started out in slightly breakable crust, but we were still able to do some nice turns.

Eli, Doerte, Liska, and Mike making some tracks!

Photo by Tom Briet!

Thanks Tom!

Eli had spotted some powder on the left side of the basin where the snow stayed shaded so we moved over there. There we found some really nice fluffy perfect powder in the glades.

Woohoo! Eli in the deep powder!

It was fun to run into Lee and Tom as we neared the parking area. We didn't know that it was our friends in the couloir! If you go be sure to arrive early. Parking was at a premium both days. Pete Bustanoby says, "It’s not over till it’s over!"

Sunday, we skinned up through the trees toward Cutthroat Pass, 6,800' from the road at 4,000' on firm snow. We had lunch at 5,800' and then had a nice run through some glades and then along the trail back to the car.

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