looking for new touring zones

[Billy]

Has anyone toured at Park Butte, or south of 3FJ? How about Maxwell Butte? Any good lines to be had in the winter at any of these areas? How much vert?

[kurthicks]

south of tfj might be better now since it burned this summer.

[Billy]

Sounds good Wazzu.....best approach? How much vert? Thanks for any info. I'm burnt on the all the main areas, and looking for a new place.

[kurthicks]

i've never actually toured there, but i was a ranger there this past summer. it really depends on how many trees burned and have fallen. some of it was pretty thick beforehand. i'd approach from the Santiam Pass area via Square Lake and the PCT trail -- it's by Hoodoo. there could also be some stuff in the Canyon Creek Meadow area, but access is an issue (via Jack Lake RD.). either way, it could be worth exploring, but i can't guarantee anything. it has the potential to be a great snow camping weekend with some turns, IMO

[cracked]

South of 3fj there is a large hump with a bowl on the south. You pass by it when you climb 3fj in the summer. It's a great tour.

 

Maxwell Butte is also fun, though a lot of it is traversing. Inconvenient for yoyoing, but fun.

 

I'm sure you know about Tumalo. Another fun cinder cone is Black Butte. It's tough to find it with enough snow to ski, but sometimes in April you can get 2500 feet of perfect corn.

 

Those are the tours I'm familiar with. Go for it.

[iain]

How about red top mountain and those other little peaks down near odell lake? Nice area for the eugenites I might say. Maybe Fejas has some insight. I was only there once but it was fun exploring. There is also plenty of options out at Diamond Peak, though you may be familar with that already.

 

Park Butte seems like an awful lot of approach work this time of year for what it is, though it sur looks to have some good lines on it. Would be fun to make a few days of it and ski some of Jefferson Park G. too.

[gapertimmy]

tam mcarthur

and if have access to a sled (to get to the wilderness boundaries) the husband looks like it would be a dope ski.

[steepconcrete]

Santiam Pass is good for a lot of real short yo-yo's. Potato Hill to the road, E-SE side Hayrick Butte if you want a lot of little 3-4 turn chutes to a open face... I like the area cause it has stuff to kinda scare and entertain you, but without the consequence of size, and no approach what so ever.

 

Black Butte has enuf snow to ski right now...

 

Will. pAss area check out the west face of Judd Mtn. 3500'of gnarly vert just ouside of Oakridge.

 

Timmay mentions the Husband, what about Sphinx Butte? It looks sweet also.

 

If yo have a sled, Paulina.

 

Toombstone Pass has some possibilities.

[gapertimmy]

yeah the whole PCT region to the North of elk lake, mirror lakes vicinity, there is tons of little hills around there, but without a sled the approach just doesn't seem worth it.

 

I'd love to get back over there during a good weather period, or later this spring and do some exploring.

[gapertimmy]

but with a new mInI iPod, you can crank tunes and slog, and you don't have to worry about crazy ass californian drivers.

 

anytime you want to go to 3FJ lemme know... i'm guessing the skiing only got better since all those pesky trees got burned by dubya

[steepconcrete]

if someone has a sled you can get closer from the northeast on USFS roads, and the lines are way better.

 

I have attached this pic before but could not find it...

Edited January 15, 2004 by steepconcrete

[jlag]

sounds to me like Timmy needs to buy a sled for all of us Central Cascaders. He's got a fat job and a truck to haul it. And everyone knows how cool Timmy would look on a brand new Polaris RMK 800.

[gapertimmy]

RIP IT UP LOL

 

Now that there son, that there is some rekreatin!

[Billy]

Yea- that east side of 3FJ looks killer, too bad its a ways in there. I was just hoping for a place that doesn't have that much of an approach, as I don't have a sled. Soda Peak is the best thing that I've found around for winter turns and the north side is about 900 ft vertical. I think Paulina would be pretty doable w/o a sled, just have to put yer skin track in the bowl and forget about the road. Unless you can hitch a ride with a sled.

 

Black Butte might have enough coverage now, but the snow sucks ass at the moment.