[TR] Mt Catherine - 3/16/2008

[RCT]

Trip: Mt Catherine -

 

Date: 3/16/2008

 

Trip Report:

A group of 5 skinned up Hyak and went to Mt Catherine. It took us about 2.5 hours to the top from the car. After exiting the cross country trails at the base of Mt Catherine, we took a low angle skin track west around the base of the mountain below the cliff bands. At about 4000 feet turned east toward the summit, the route steepened and this is where the elevation is quickly gained.

 

From the summit we skied several gullies to skiers right, then skiing down left along the skin track. Each lap was about 1000 feet with great conditions, face shots included! By early afternoon it had warmed up quite a bit and we caused several small sluff avalanches, enough to make us cautious.

 

This is a great route with protected tree skiing that is skiable even when the av danger creeps up. It can be easy to get cliffed out, so watch for rollers if you can't see where they end.

 

Approach Notes:

If you have a pass at Snoqualmie you can cut some time off the approach. Otherwise, follow the cross country tracks until you the low angle glade. Skin west around the base of the mountain until you clear the cliff band and can skin up the n-nw slopes.