[TR] Lichtenberg Mtn - SW and N Faces 3/22/2014

[AlpineK]

Trip: Lichtenberg Mtn - SW and N Faces

 

Date: 3/22/2014

 

Trip Report:

Skiing Lichtenberg from Yodelin in February helped me dial in a summit route and give hints on a variety of descents from the summit. After convincing Cman and JH skiing new lines was better than repeating standard trusted routes we played a game of Frogger on HWY-2 and started skiing.

 

Thanks to other skiers trail breaking wasn't required till we reached the base of the slope on the SW side of Lichtenberg. From there a hard but breakable crust made setting new tracks relatively easy

 

Above Tree Line on the SW Face

[img:center]http://cascadeclimbers.com/plab/data/3064/medium/1-W-DSC01056.jpg[/img]

 

View from the summit were great

 

Daniels, Hinman and Rainier

[img:center]http://cascadeclimbers.com/plab/data/3064/medium/6-W-DSC01061.jpg[/img]

 

Stuart

[img:center]http://cascadeclimbers.com/plab/data/3064/medium/7-W-DSC01062.jpg[/img]

 

We weren't quite sure where we'd end up, but skiing on the north side looked good. After finding gaps in the summit cornice we found nice spring powder

[img:center]http://cascadeclimbers.com/plab/data/3064/medium/14-W-DSC01069.jpg[/img]

 

After our run from the summit we did some hunting and found a nice chute dropping down to a flat area

[img:center]http://cascadeclimbers.com/plab/data/3064/medium/19-W-DSC01074.jpg[/img]

 

Looking back from the flats

[img:center]http://cascadeclimbers.com/plab/data/3064/medium/23-W-DSC01078.jpg[/img]

 

From the flats we decided to traverse towards Lichtenwasser Lake till we found a good line headed back to the top. A traverse past old avy debris brought us to a nice angled uptrack

[img:center]http://cascadeclimbers.com/plab/data/3064/medium/25-W-DSC01080.jpg[/img]

 

After all that powder skiing the uptrack required real trail breaking. After a few lead swaps we found ourselves back on the summit ridge. Clouds were starting to move in from the west

[img:center]http://cascadeclimbers.com/plab/data/3064/medium/26-W-DSC01081.jpg[/img]

 

Skiing off the summit started with hard breakable crust. With elevation loss the crust softened and turning was relatively easy.

[img:center]http://cascadeclimbers.com/plab/data/3064/medium/27-W-DSC01082.jpg[/img]

 

Looking back from the base of the SW Face

[img:center]http://cascadeclimbers.com/plab/data/3064/medium/28-W-DSC01083.jpg[/img]

 

From there a combination of sliding and skinning brought us back to the highway and a new game of Frogger.

 

Route map

[img:center]http://cascadeclimbers.com/plab/data/3064/medium/3-22-2014_Lichtenberg_Route_1475_1279_-1.jpg[/img]

The red line marks ascents and the blue descents

 

Gear Notes:

Bring snow sliding gear

 

Approach Notes:

Follow roads past cabins then follow or make a track west of Nason Creek. Once past tree line slopes on climbers right provide a lower angle ascent route

Edited March 24, 2014 by Feck

[alecapone]

Nice one kurt!

 

I've done that route dozens of times.. guess it's my arrowhead, which i have yet to climb. Maybe we can trade for a while?

 

I prefer going in and out the east side of nason from the east road. Takes out the water crossing, and is easier to exit on skis without reskinning or booting. Go to end of road, and up and right of last house respecting private property, then drop to the creek and handrail it til you get to the clearings... low is the way to go.

 

P.s. the last photo you posted. The face above you(west face of south peak), slid pretty big a week prior to your trip. Curious if the carnage was evident? There where some pretty big trees getting broke off.

[alecapone]

P.s.s.

 

The north line you skiied is called hidden couloir.

[AlpineK]

The area is new to us, so it added an element of exploration even if it's been skied a few times.

 

On my February trip we did see evidence of recent slides down the main drainage chute on the west side.