Snowking Mtn in Winter

[JoshK]

Anybody tried to tour up Snowking Mtn in the winter time? It would definitely add some miles skiing up the South Cascade River Road, but the approach is entirely through forest (lots of old growth at that) and the route from Cyclone Lake to the summit is on a ridge.

 

I think this could be a very fun (gorgeous area) and relatively safe, albeit difficult and long, wintertime tour.

 

Anybody done it?

[plexus]

Some friends did it as an overnighter in April. They wallowed, especially through the STEEP trail through old-growth. I did it in summer as an overnighter (not a single person in this beautiful place), and by far the toughest part was the trail. They said they would do it as a 1-day affair when covered with snow.

 

If you can get up the forest, should be real doable. There is one point on the ridge it gets blocky and kinda narrow (about 2 miles from Cyclone Lake), might have some cornice issues there.

[JoshK]

Yeah, I did it as a 1-day earlier this year...very late September. I was htinking the steep early part of the trail would be, by far, the most difficult. It is sort of a long rolling ramble after that. As you said, if you can get up through that first couple of miles in the steep stuff I think it would be a very cool place to be in the winter.

[To_The_Top]

I bet if you did theridge to the left (south) end of the lake (after following the Kindy ridge) it would be suck for skiing at that section, as it gets windblown, and a lot of boulders, maybe just below there seemed to be shelfs. Maybe better to go the other way around the lake, if avi conditions were ok.

A great scenic area.

Edited January 26, 2004 by To_The_Top