The Slot Couloir at Snoqualmie Pass is one of the more famous lines in Washington State. It is easy to understand why with quick access and stunning scenery. If and when storms drop new snow in the area this is one of the first places people head towards and once March came around the stars aligned for us to do the same.
Ever since I hiked the Pacific Crest Trail through Snoqualmie Pass and seeing the Kendall Chutes I knew I wanted to ski them one day. Throughout the seasons my attention had always been focused on Crystal Mountain or Mount Rainier with little focus on Snoqualmie Pass. As my 2017 Washington Season was winding done Ben Starkey and I decided it was time to go exploring Kendall Peak and Chutes.
Lundin Peak and Red Peak are two beautiful mountains at the head of Commonwealth Basin in the Snoqualmie Backcountry. With the weather looking good for the day we decided it would be a perfect ski tour. Our time was limited to a half day trip but with such easy access it would be a perfect … Read more
The 14 Lakes Traverse was one of those trips that came together after consistently looking at maps. I needed to link together Hyas Lake to Stevens Pass and kept wondering what would be the best route for a snowboarder. Looking at previous routes that had the trip they had taken a low route following the Pacific Crest Trail. While possible, I found this way to be out of the question. If I was taking the energy I wanted to ride as much as possible. In the end this trip came together with the thought of “well if I want to ride this line I need to go there” mindset. In late March 2016 the weather window finally came together and we were on our way for a 4 day trip in Alpine Lakes Wilderness.
Heading from Mount Rainier north with section Links up the Alpine Lakes Traverse and the Poets Traverse
Over the years I have fallen in love with self supported long distant travels. There is something special about traveling long distances through the snow covered mountains. With all the silence you become in tune with your surroundings. Over a decade I’ve been piecing together a traverse through the Washington Cascades. The Crystal Mountain to Stampede Pass section was a trip I had been putting off for years. The area consisted almost entirely of tree covered peaks, clear cuts and logging roads. This is one of the only areas in the crest of the cascades that’s not in Wilderness or National Park.
The Bryant Peak Couloir is one of the better easy access lines in the Alpental Backcountry. Being south facing it is an aesthetic line that can be accessed from both the ski lifts and the backcountry. With it being mid winter we decided to head out to the Chair Peak area in hopes of finding good snow. With a question of stability on east facing slopes we decided to turn back. Since Bryant Peak was on the way to the car park we decided to take a bonus run of the Bryant Peak Couloir.
The Patrol Race was one of the original ski tours within Washington State that dates back to the 1930’s. Its history comes from the original ski resort in the Cascades called Meany Lodge and started by the Mountaineers. The route itself starts at Snoqualmie West and follows the forests nearly 20 miles to Meany Lodge. This was the first race of its kind in North America and ran until America’s involvement in WW2. Luckily it was started again in 2014 and I was in one of the groups to keep history alive.
This Trip would connect Crystal Mountain to Stampede Pass to the South and the Alpine Lakes Traverse to the North from Mount Rainier to Mount Baker.
The Alpine Lake Ski Traverse was a 70 mile high route through Alpine Lakes Wilderness. Starting at Hyas Lake trailhead we would slowly make our way Southwest until arriving at Interstate 90 through Gold Creek. This trip would connect some of the bigger peaks starting off with Mount Daniel and Hinman. Then after crossing the Middle Fork of the Snoqualmie we would make our way past Overcoat Peak and Chikamin Peak. This route would take a week of climbing and descending but in the end it was one of my favorite in the Cascades. Heading North From Mount Rainier this is After the Patrol Race and Before the 14 Lakes Traverse
With a high avalanche forecast we decided to go ski touring Kendall Stumps on Snoqualmie Pass. The reason behind this was that it was at a lower elevation and had trees to safely ski. It was also a new backcountry spot for us and we would be able to explore. It would be a great day in the snow even though most slopes were unsafe to ride with a high avalanche forecast.
After looking at the weather forecast it seemed we had a two day break in between unstable weather patterns. John and I decided to take advantage of blue skies and corn in the Snoqualmie pass area. We passed a few ideas back and forth. Both Kaleetan Peak and Granite Mountain kept coming up and in … Read more