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Trip: Wahpenayo Peak - West Ridge Trip Date: 02/23/2024 Trip Report: Alex and I took advantage of the beautiful weather and ventured out to an area that I've wanted to visit for a few years: Wahpenayo Peak, in the western part of the Tatoosh range. It was amazing and I will definitely be back! The basin was beautiful and held fantastic cold soft snow on the north facing slopes, we had clear views ranging from the Olympics to four volcanoes to other Tatoosh peaks, and what I think was Tookaloo Spire. The ridge travel was certainly engaging and the mountain let us pass safely to and from the summit -- and not another soul in sight all day! The tour starts at the Eagle Peak trailhead outside of Longmire (no pesky gate concerns) at a whopping ~2800'. We carried skis up to around 3800' and then were able to continuously skin the trail and then it was up the avalanche debris to the saddle south of Chutla Peak; still in the shade, we had great skinning conditions (soft debris but very supportable snow). Some of the first fantastic views Skinning up to the saddle Cool rock feature Other Tatoosh peaks (Lane and..?) Woohoo! Yahoooooo! Alex gets sick airtime With huge smiles, we made our way around and up... we weren't feeling much time pressure so took a sort of roundabout way, fully enjoying the scenery, to the NE ridge that one source suggested as the best (maybe with a ton more snow? ...it might have been easier to have just gone in with no beta for this one). After booting the ridge, using the trees to our advantage and an undercling, plus a short in-your-face steep snow climb, we decided that we'd reached an impassable notch for our gear and headed back down and around to the other ridge. This ridge did not go. That one was also engaging -- decided to go up a short gully after soft shallow snow on heather and rock seemed pushing the limits of what made sense. After a bit of large tree assistance, we were on the summit (6,231')! Amazing views.... From the summit looking west From the ridge looking east toward the summit We headed back down the ridge carefully to where we'd left our skis and skied more fantastic dry snow back into the basin, then headed back up to the saddle, and made a long traverse which resulted in only a short section of side stepping/shuffling to get back to the trail (felt like spring for sure), back to skis on packs, and back to the car, in base layers, vents open, no gloves. Felt so much like a spring day. Special place! I'll be back! Gear Notes: Skis. Brought sharp things but did not need them! Approach Notes: Enjoy!

Today we did what would have been a fun gully on the east crater wall. I don't know what number it's supposed to be. v4? Or is it between v3 and v4? Anyway it would have been more fun in firmer snow/rime. But we were wallowing in deep snow, and the rime was so fragile it could barely support itself. Though that did make all the excavation easy. Took WAY too long to get up there and we dealt with a lot of hollow snow. Went down v4(?) instead of finishing the traverse. The soft snow made for an absolutely blissful ride down to the lot. Beautiful day 🙂 Also saw a pretty massive avalanche crown on the west crater.

So fun! I concur with Jason. Need less desk jockey time. Thanks for sharing @Alisse

Looks like a great day! I need to retire.

Trip: Nak Peak - North side Up, South side Down Trip Date: 02/17/2024 Trip Report: @geosean and @thedylan and Mike (not sure if he is on here) already had a plan for this past Saturday, but they graciously let me tag along after I sent a flurry of texts trying to find a partner for the hills. Plan A was the North Couloir on Thar, then traversing up and over Nak to Yak, or maybe skiing the couloir. But a reactive windslab in the the couloir after digging a pit scuttled that idea right quick. And so we skittered down and around to the west, eventually booting and skinning up through every type of terrible snow to the Yak/Nak col. It is a great viewpoint! We had it to ourselves, but the afternoon was getting on and we had some windboard to schralp. We didn't relish the thought of going back the way we came and so we picked the devil we didn't know and headed off the south side of the Nak. The snow wasn't any better but it wasn't much worse either. More importantly, we were "Exploring the Coast Mountains on Skis"! The snow was, however, a bit thinner on the south side of Nak, and soon everyone but @thedylan had their skis off and was thrashing down to the pipeline road. Once reaching this welcomed scar on the landscape, we had a bonus 500' of gain to end the day, but at least there was no brush and @thedylan was charged up and breaking trail out front. I was very pleased to not arrive at the car dead last, despite how worked I was. In the future with these fit, young bucks, I think I'll leave the dSLR at the car! Skinning across Falls Lake: North Couloir on Thar: @geosean in the North Couloir at about our high point: uhhhhh, run away? Plan B! North side of Yak: Yes, this is fun: @thedylan skinning up below Nak: Why not keep carrying these skis? And where are my sunglasses??: Needle Peak: Looking out to Silvertip, Outram, etc.: Booting up to Nak: Steinbok, Ibex, Chamois, etc.: Mike pulling up on the summit: @thedylan getting ready to have more "fun" "skiing": Gear Notes: Standard backcountry ski gear. Axe, helmet, and crampons helpful to get up Nak from the North if snow conditions are thin Approach Notes: Falls Lake TH and head up to the lake and past it