[TR] Mount Stuart- Cascadian Couloir 4/18/2004

[mattp]

Climb: Mount Stuart-Cascadian Couloir

 

Date of Climb: 4/18/2004

 

Trip Report:

My buddy John and I skied Mount Stuart, via the Cascadian Couloir this weekend. The weather was "blustery," but the skiing quite good. Stuart is a remarkable mountain and it will be in good shape for at least another week or two.

 

The road to the trailhead was blocked by a snowpatch about three or four miles short and about a mile before the turnoff from the main road into Beverly Creek. High clearance 4x4's were going through, but we thought better of it and parked well off the edge of the road so one of these guys wouldn't plow into John's brand new car.

 

Even in telemark boots, I don't much like walking on a road. After walking what seemed like forever we were finally at the trailhead and my buddy told that I'm just a loser. It really hadn't taken very long so what was I complaining about? Not long afterward, muddy trail gave way to snowpatches and snowpatches gave way to snow, and somewhere around 3600 feet we started skinning up.

 

At the pass at the head of Beverly Creek we got our first views of Stuart and then dropped into Turnpike Creek. We opted to cut left, where the map shows open slopes should offer some downhill skiing. In fact, these were old avalanche slopes growing in with little trees; right would have been better. We tumbled on down the hill, however, and toured on down the valley to find a crossing at Ingalls Creek (snowbridge), and dry ground near a horsecamp directly below our ski run.

 

The climb up Cascadian Couloir was icy; I'm glad John had suggested crampons. After a thousand feet the "yousuckometer" said we hadn't gotten very far, but we continued on. In the sun, we were balling up but the sticky snow overlay an icy layer that would have made step-kicking quite a chore. The "youhavealongwaytogoometer" said we still hadn't gotten very far, but we continued on. Higher up, the snow grew deeper for the last few hundred feet but it looked like some climbers descending from a North side climb had triggered an avalanche, and the surface was a mess. The "you'regettingsomewhereometer" said we were doing OK.

 

 

The summit ridge was very exciting. I had neglected to bring an ice axe, and steep slopes perched over the great void said "be careful." Powder snow and graupel overlay icy snow so it took a few kicks to get a good purchase, and I had the sensation that I wasn't going to be able to do much of a self arrest with my ski pole if I fell. We made it up to the summit –just to say we did- and headed back down. By this time it was snowing and visibility had dropped to less than 50 yards.

 

I decided to pass up the top 300 feet below the false summit and opted to walk down instead of ski, but my friend John sideslipped and carefully picked his way down it. A few hundred feet down, I put on my skis and while the first few turns were a bit tricky it soon turned to GREAT SKIING! We enjoyed mostly easy conditions all the way down, and it even cleared up as we dropped below the cloud layer for the one short technical bit of hop turns in a steep part of the gully filled with avalanche debris.

 

The nine mile slog back to the car was a slog. Go figure. However, the skiing down Beverly Creek was a very enjoyable cruise on gentle, largely open slopes, in great snow.

 

Gear Notes:

crampons and ice axe advisable

 

overall, snowpack was firm enough that one could have made it without skis or snowshoes this weekend

 

Approach Notes:

Beverly Creek trailhead and other trailheads in the area are not yet accessible by car

[catbirdseat]

Nice TR, Matt.

[CascadeClimber]

You didn't happen to find a lexan Nalgene in a purple OR pouch on the ridge below the false summit, did you?

 

The skiing looked really good. Got any more pics?

 

-L

[JoshK]

 

 

Stuart is such a cool mountain.

[mattp]

I didn't get many good pictures. Sorry. I'll have to go back.

 

[cracked]

From where did you approach? I'm only familiar with the Long's pass trail.

[mattp]

My trip report started and ended in Beverly Creek. If you look at a map, I think you'll see that is the shortest approach even after the road melts.

 

Here's a picture from near the pass between Turnpike and Beverly Creeks.

 

[cracked]

My God, that's something like ten miles one way. Wow.