AlpineK

There is a steep line on the north side of Hardy and one on the north side of Tower Mountain. You can also traverse from Rainy Pass to the north facing side of Goode/Storm King.

I went into the Walmart in Surrey back a few years ago. That place was packed. 11 check stands with a 15 customer line up at each stand. Fortunately I was waiting on a friend not in line. It was amusing to watch the show.

I might have camped in a designated camp site at Squish once, but that's a guess.

Gotta keep ticket sales going year round.

Trip: Washington Pass - Hinkhouse Peak and Ragged Ridge Date: 4/30/2016 Trip Report: The opening of Highway 20 is on my mind when spring starts. While the real opening weekend wasn't in the cards, we settled for weekend two at the pass. Lower elevation snowpack looked a bit thin, but plenty of white stuff was there for the taking up high. On April 30 clouds were still rolling through Rainy Pass, so we opted for something closer to Washington Pass. The popular routes looked packed, but nobody seemed to be skiing north of the pass. We opted for an ascent of Hinkhouse Peak with a descent into Cutthroat basin. The sun was out but snow was hard pack in the morning. Hinkhouse from Washington Pass [img:center]http://cascadeclimbers.com/plab/data/3072/medium/H2-W-DSC03312.jpg[/img] It didn't take too long to gain altitude and get good views south of the pass [img:center]http://cascadeclimbers.com/plab/data/3072/medium/H5-W-DSC03315.jpg[/img] At the ridge crest we debated on the descent line. I'd followed a line towards Cutthroat lake in the past, but after a climb to the top of the peak we opted for a descent on the eastern side of the summit. Things started out just fine [img:center]http://cascadeclimbers.com/plab/data/3072/medium/H8-W-DSC03319.jpg[/img] Nice views of Silverstar and the Wine Spires [img:center]http://cascadeclimbers.com/plab/data/3072/medium/H12-W-DSC03323.jpg[/img] Skiing was great [img:center]http://cascadeclimbers.com/plab/data/3072/medium/H14-W-DSC03325.jpg[/img] We got one last view of the peak before playing a game of tree dodging [img:center]http://cascadeclimbers.com/plab/data/3072/medium/H19-W-DSC03330.jpg[/img] It didn't take too long to find the trail and reach the highway. Hitching a ride back to the pass did take some time but wasn't too bad. On May 1 despite low elevation snow we put skis on our back and hiked the Easy Pass trail. Just before the reaching the basin under Greybeard skis were back on our feet. At pass level and above we got great views of surrounding peaks Avalanche in Fisher Creek drainage [img:center]http://cascadeclimbers.com/plab/data/3072/medium/R4-W-DSC03337.jpg[/img] Fisher Peak and Black. Another party was skiing in the upper Fisher Peak Drainage. [img:center]http://cascadeclimbers.com/plab/data/3072/medium/R5-W-DSC03338.jpg[/img] From Ragged Ridge we found sweet corn back to Easy Pass [img:center]http://cascadeclimbers.com/plab/data/3072/medium/R8-W-DSC03341.jpg[/img] With elevation drop snow quality slowly declined. Eventually we reached the end of the line [img:center]http://cascadeclimbers.com/plab/data/3072/medium/R14-W-DSC03347.jpg[/img] More snow at lower elevations would have been nice, but another fun spring weekend skiing off Highway 20 Approach Notes: With warm weather snow pack might decline rapidly

You can print to PDF and save it that way Here's a link centered on Washington Pass http://www.hillmap.com/m/ag1zfmhpbGxtYXAtaGRychULEghTYXZlZE1hcBiAgICwvsOnCww

I use Hillmap. It provides several map options including caltopo http://www.hillmap.com/

Just under 7 years from Cheam N face to Emperor Face That's an improvement in climbing skills!

It's good to know the real classics have a long history and are easy to find on der web [video:youtube]

A nice crag might improve the local economy a bit. But regional economic improvements usually require multiple inputs from a variety of sources.

In terms of an easy trail Stehekin is an alternative. Otherwise you'll be doing a longish traverse.

NE Ridge (Reduced File Size) [img:center]http://cascadeclimbers.com/plab/data/3071/8-W-DSC03113.jpg[/img] There were a couple parties climbing when traversing under it

Trip: Chair Peak - Counterclockwise Circumnavigation Date: 3/19/2016 Trip Report: Decided to celebrate the last day of winter with a trip around Chair Peak. On a previous tour we did a clockwise trip around the peak, but traveling the opposite way made descending the north side of Chair the first downhill run. Start of the slog [img:center]http://cascadeclimbers.com/plab/data/3071/medium/1-W-DSC03106.jpg[/img] North side of Chair Peak [img:center]http://cascadeclimbers.com/plab/data/3071/medium/9-W-DSC03114.jpg[/img] Windpacked powder followed by fun stuff [img:center]http://cascadeclimbers.com/plab/data/3071/medium/11-W-DSC03116.jpg[/img] Climb up from Snow Lake [img:center]http://cascadeclimbers.com/plab/data/3071/medium/16-17-W_Panorama1.jpg[/img] Chair Peak Lake and Melakwa Pass [img:center]http://cascadeclimbers.com/plab/data/3071/medium/22-W-DSC03127.jpg[/img] From Melakwa Pass skiing included nice corn and a climb to Bryant Col featuring occasional and random pinwheels Looking down from Bryant Col [img:center]http://cascadeclimbers.com/plab/data/3071/medium/32-W-DSC03137.jpg[/img] The couloir descent involved skiing though piles of avy debris in the narrows. Thick and warm powder below was much nicer. Approach Notes: With cool temperatures at the start of the tour you could set a track without punching through the top layers. As things warmed later in the day punching through was guaranteed.

They look dumb for either skiers or snowboarders. Basically lame skis and snowboards in one package. On the other hand they might be a good way to go for ice climb approaches.

If it's blocked that may hurt the R's come election time.

Trump becoming president and then being impeached would surpass those four choices.

I first started reading posts on CC in the 70s [img:center]http://images.starpulse.com/news/bloggers/747815/blog_images/a-clockwork-orange-2.jpg[/img]

All I see is Facebook Like, Tweet, G+1, and +Share. That's what I get for using Add Blocker.

Arriving at work at 10 AM is the main problem if you work in Seattle. There is skiing around Stevens Pass but drive time back to Seattle is longer even with limited traffic problems. There's skiing north of Steven's Pass and both sides of HYW-2 from Yodelin. The old Yodelin ski area might be your best bet.

I have resources that need burning, so Chrome works for me.

I've got a pair with 6 days use. Hopefully that doesn't happen.

Here's all you need to know about American politics right now [video:youtube]watch?v=WpKiP_gmDS8

Norse Gods are not welcome in the Pacific Northwest

Heard this on the radio. So sad to not hear about the online controversy/debate on the radio.

I'm voting with Oly. Norse gods should pack their bags and go back to Norway.