cascade pass/ eldorado

[geordie]

A handful of us decided to take a hike up the Eldorado approach since the Cascade River rd is open until the gate at the Eldo parking lot. The lack of snow is bizarre and amazing. We ran into a few inches of snow prior to the boulderfield. In the open, the boulders had a foot or so of snow with lots of punching through. Rumors have it that the Cascade Pass trail doesn't have much snow either. Folks in Marblemount seem to think that highway 20 will be opening soon. Can anyone confirm or deny?

[philfort]

I was up there two weeks ago. I hiked up into the basin below Cascade Pass to check out a climb - unfortunately it was a whiteout, so I couldn't see much, but there sure wasn't much snow. Probably less than 2 feet at the summer parking lot (~3600ft). All the talus was exposed - it was pretty sad looking! The only places with enough snow to ski were the patches of slide alder.

btw, when I was there, the road was _very_ icy the last mile or two before the gate (there was about 6 inches of snow on the road).

[geordie]

The road is a little icy, but not much snow. The toyota camry handled it fine. I think climbing conditions should be good except that I would expect crevasses not to be as filled in as one might like/expect.

 

[highclimb]

has anyone been climbing up in the cascade pass area lately/ any route you suggest?

Aidan

[highclimb]

do you think there is a possiblity for any climbing up there for instance eldorodo's east ridge? that really surprising the lack of snow we have had this session

Aidan

[geordie]

hey folks here's the update. The cascade river rd has snow on it beginning about mp 6 (1200') near the USFS boundary. High clearance 4x4 vehicles can make it to the gate at Eldorado lot (mp 20/21, 2300'). Beyond the gate there is now 16" of new snow.

Skiing has much improved. I haven't been up there, but this comes from a reliable source.

g

 

[highclimb]

thanks for the info

Aidan

[geordie]

Update as of 2/7. Cascade River rd plowed to Eldo gate at Mp 20/21. Beyond the gate 12" of melt-freeze crusted snow.

Go get 'em.

 

[AlpineK]

Mar 3-4,

Drove through 5" of new snow to the Eldorado parking lot. We camped in the Cascade pass parking lot and skied to the pass and down on Saturday. High winds kept us in the trees on Sunday. We skied the southwest spur of Sahali to within 500' vert of the Boston Sahali sadle. High winds and windslabs kept us from the sadle.