backcountry
Fall became winter in three glorious days of Ullr’s blessings nuking the landscape with blankets of white. Early season powder was upon us, and with it the decision of picking the right terrain. Our plan was to get out early, polish off a good tour, and ski sick pow. Quality… Read the rest
Rain. Surprise. With fall starting, the forecast for the Pacific NW was not alarming in the least. However, an also rapidly decreasing freezing level piqued my interest. Maybe, just maybe there would be some of the good stuff. Like a kid sneaking pumpkin pie early at Thanksgiving dinner, the idea… Read the rest
My idea of what a mining town might have been like is probably skewed severely by the many westerns I used to watch with my grandpa while growing up. However, the possibility of seeing the remains of the city that was once the center of Washington’s gold rush was extremely… Read the rest
The temperature was finally beginning to drop to a normal level and the forecast was looking good. It was time to head out to another beautiful area in the northern area of Mt. Rainier National Park, only this time the focus was getting in July ski turns. Kyle had returned… Read the rest
The Sunrise area of Mt. Rainier National Park, at 6,400 ft., is the highest point one can drive to within the park boundaries. Its location at the northeast corner of the park offers views that many visitors claim are unsurpassed by any other area of the park. From here, one… Read the rest
Alpine starts aren’t always necessary, but usually become the norm for a summit bid day. Especially amongst climbers. Skiers sometimes have the luxury of waiting a while since their round trip time is usually cut in half by the descent. However, there were a lot of areas on the upper… Read the rest
- Morning light begins to bask Adams and St. Helens.
Early mornings are not always necessary in the backcountry and sometimes prove difficult to pull off. We still left early, and although it was no alpine start, the sunrise we digested that morning was the breakfast entree that served all three
Standing on the Wonderland trail between Mowich Lake and Longmire in Mt. Rainier National Park I fell in love. The millions of visitors every year do not get to see this part of the mountain. The west side of Rainier although easily visible at a distance, is one of the… Read the rest
Known to indigenous peoples as Koma Kulshan, Mt. Baker is the second most glaciated mountain in the Cascades (besides Rainier) and its collective snow and ice volume is greater than that of all the other Cascadian volcanoes. The Mt. Baker Ski Area averages 650 inches of annual snowfall and holds… Read the rest
