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Alisse

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Everything posted by Alisse

  1. 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!
  2. Beautiful! Here's @manninjo on Sunday above the hordes:
  3. Skiing IS still pretty darn fun, isn't it? My photos can't compare to @JasonG's, of course, but a little farther south, we found some pow pow too, and some sun breaks and better vis than expected! A discerning eye will pick out @Hoo and a magic eye would pick out @aaronohn (not pictured)
  4. Sorry to hear your shoulder isn't 100%! I hope you can change that. I hadn't heard of that one, thanks for putting it on my radar!
  5. How was your Obliteride and how's your collarbone? In other bike news, I am trying to encourage more women and gender-diverse people to participate in the bikepacking races we have in Washington! I've been bikepacking for just a couple of years and last month I rode the Washington High-Lite race. It was fun and interesting in some unexpected ways and I learned a ton. But only two other women joined the race! 😭 If you know any non-dudes (or maybe this describes you, dear reader) who enjoy bikepacking or gravel riding in a "try to keep moving at a good steady clip" kind of way, or might be interested in it, I want to talk with them! I think in April or May there will be a group weekend bikepacking ride coordinated by these people https://thetownbicycle.com/washington-bikepacking-women-group/ My goal is to bring three people to the next race I do (May or June). Thanks for reading! Alisse
  6. Did you stop to swim in any of the lakes, though? (I assume there are at least a few tarns?)
  7. This is an amazingly informative TR -- CC lives on as a fantastic source of beta because of you and others who put so much time and thought into their TRs! I don't think I could even follow that route, but this writeup and set of photos makes me want to get out there!
  8. So amazing! https://www.opb.org/article/2023/08/27/peak-bagging-the-bulger-list-washington-state-mountains/
  9. Please see the TR on the TAY website for this momentous FFA: https://turns-all-year.com/trip-reports/tay-69-46-3-home-lake-snowpatch-mt-constance
  10. I need some psychoanalysis 🤪
  11. It was a dark and scary night... Wait no, it was a beautiful sunny day, around dusk. We passed the gate plastered with signs warning us.... we noticed many good sketch camp spots along the nice gravel road.... we kept going... we stopped when we saw all the Stuff Showing Activity, had a discussion about the alternatives, Cassidy and I brow-beat Aaron into agreeing with us, then the three of us crept -- somehow -- on bikes, pedaling silently and slowly, past a large black truck with two of its doors open... somehow unspotted, we wove our way through the gravel labyrinth roads... finding a dead-end (huge mountain of gravel) yet with some expert sleuthing (e.g., heading up a different road for two minutes), found a way through! There was SOME hike-a-bike-ing but not much. SUCCESS!
  12. It was a really fun adventure. https://ridewithgps.com/routes/42919481
  13. Thanks for posting this, Porter. I think I may join you in fundraising and riding the century.
  14. You got this! Keep your head up and we'll see you out there soon!
  15. Oh no!!!! Shit man, I'm so sorry.... Ugh. Will you have to have surgery? What's the prognosis? Heal up soon!!
  16. @olyclimber HEY we were both bikin' around Goldendale on Sunday! I was just looking through the pics and I was like HEY that guy looks familiar and looked you up on the time score list. DNF! What happened? It was my first ever timed bike "race" (we did it non-competitively), had a really fun time. #68 out of 87 finishers on an 89-mile course with no training, no long rides in the couple months beforehand, and having fun the whole way -- success!
  17. Damn, I am volunteering at the tool library that night until 8pm. If it's in Lake City and people are still around after 8, then I can make it!
  18. Humpback wasn't our initial plan and we didn't have a sno-park pass with us, so with a little work, we were able to drive up the road toward the trailhead just a bit to park there. With a higher-clearance vehicle, we could have gone much farther up the road (there was at least a Jeep up there). I'd really like to go back and explore the options across the drainage that you can see in my second photo...
  19. Humpback on Saturday was a decidedly Great Ski Day. Lots of smiles.
  20. Bump for price drop! New price $550 for highly-rated, near-new AT boots!
  21. I'll meet you all around @OlympicMtnBoy's. Woo hoo! Thank you, @bellows! I'll bring the road sodas! Just kidding?
  22. Maybe @Rad wants to chauffeur us in his minivan?! 😁😁😁 #CCPartyBus
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