Icicle Canyon: Cannon Mtn. - West Face 2/6/2010
Posted By: telemarker in Alpine Lakes
Trip: Icicle Canyon: Cannon Mtn. - West Face
Date: 2/6/2010
Trip Report:I took a photo of the W. Face of Cannon Mountain on a Cashmere tour last spring, and have been intrigued and impatient ever since. On the topo it represents about 5,000' of descent, down a cool looking headwall and open slopes for a couple thousand after that.
I met Kyle Flick, Scott McCallister and Will Terrano at Bridge Creek C.G. at 5am, my official start time this year. About .6 miles up the Stuart Lake trail we did what my GPS told me and headed up Southeast to a bench at 5,000'. From there it was an obvious track up the avalanche chute, and headwall.
There was a bit of wallowing, but overall the kickstepping up the face was good. We hit the summit by 1:45pm, high above the cloud layer. Will and I were pleasantly surprised to be blasted by gusty, since winter finally felt like winter for once this year.
The skiing on the West Face was good in spots, chalky powder in others. Below the headwall, the chute turned into gliding, effortless powder that seemed to go on and on. We endured the last 800' of suckage to get to the trail, and for once, we were actually close to 8 Mile Road.
Great tour on an amazing mountain. Cannon Mtn. has every aspect worthy of skiing.
West Face of Cannon Mtn.
Low Down 
Upper Part 
Coney Lake Basin 
Summit Ridge Cannon 
Scott, summit of Cannon 
Finally looking like winter 
Will shredding the W. Face 
Scott lower down 
