Forum Index > Trip Reports > Arrowhead Jan 3, 2018
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RichP
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RichP
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PostThu Jan 04, 2018 8:03 am 
Our group of four bipeds and one canine made the ascent of Arrowhead on this sunny and cold day. A group from The Mountaineers had come up the previous day and provided an already broken trail so the ascent was easy save for the first 500' which was an irregular crust of ice over snow. Above this conditions were good and the snow was just about perfect. Parking along US 2 is at a plowed spot large enough for 2 or 3 cars and is located about 0.3 miles east of the railroad overpass along the westbound lane. From here we crossed the highway and walked the tracks east a mile and went straight up the ridge 2000' until reaching some sun and views. The last 1000' is a delightful ridge walk with open forest until reaching the top and unobstructed views. It was too cold to lounge on the summit for lunch so we dropped 50' to find shelter from the chilly wind where we took a short break until cold hands and feet nudged us back down for a quick descent.
6.5 miles and 3200' gain.

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Bootpathguy
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PostThu Jan 04, 2018 10:15 am 
Rich, thanks for the report on snow conditions in that area. Now that you've traveled that area. What's your guess / opinion on snow depth / conditions further east on hwy 2? Hatchery Creek Thanks Brother

Experience is what'cha get, when you get what'cha don't want
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RichP
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RichP
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PostThu Jan 04, 2018 10:27 am 
Bootpathguy wrote:
What's your guess / opinion on snow depth / conditions further east on hwy 2? Hatchery Creek
I would expect similar conditions; pretty crappy snow below about 3000' and light power above that. Would expect full coverage from the get go there even though it's 1000' lower than where we were.

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Bootpathguy
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PostThu Jan 04, 2018 11:36 am 
RichP wrote:
Bootpathguy wrote:
What's your guess / opinion on snow depth / conditions further east on hwy 2? Hatchery Creek
I would expect similar conditions; pretty crappy snow below about 3000' and light power above that. Would expect full coverage from the get go there even though it's 1000' lower than where we were.
Thank you

Experience is what'cha get, when you get what'cha don't want
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puzzlr
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puzzlr
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PostThu Jan 04, 2018 4:13 pm 
These sunny January days are hard to pass up. I climbed Arrowhead only 3 years ago and don't usually repeat, but I couldn't pass up this nice day and good company.
Walking the mile along the tracks
Walking the mile along the tracks
A train came by both ways while we were on the tracks. They must come by quite often.
A train came by both ways while we were on the tracks. They must come by quite often.
Leaving the tracks at a good spot. We followed the Mountaineer's tracks from the day before all day which helped a lot.
Leaving the tracks at a good spot. We followed the Mountaineer's tracks from the day before all day which helped a lot.
Following the trench
Following the trench
Finally up on the ridge in glorious sunshine
Finally up on the ridge in glorious sunshine
Barb, Elle and Richard on top
Barb, Elle and Richard on top
Barb descending with Lizzy on her heels
Barb descending with Lizzy on her heels

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BarbE
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PostThu Jan 04, 2018 5:43 pm 
The ridge walk and the summit views are the reward for having to walk the track and the steep forested ascent. BTW- the mere 3200’ is attained in about 2 miles since the walk along the track gains or loses little elevation. A few more pics.
The Chiwakums
The Chiwakums
Rich on the summit
Rich on the summit
Bundled up on the cold summit
Bundled up on the cold summit
Summit
Summit
NW summit views
NW summit views
Ridge views
Ridge views
Above the clouds
Above the clouds
Back down into the forest
Back down into the forest
Puzzlr and Izzy amost down
Puzzlr and Izzy amost down

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RichP
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PostThu Jan 04, 2018 7:09 pm 
Jeff wrote:
Did it have a huge cornice on the summit?
No cornice but everybody else mentioned there being one when they were there before too. This was my first time up there.

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BlameTheDogz
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PostThu Jan 04, 2018 10:08 pm 
Nice trip! I had the same luck a couple years back and was able to follow a fresh Mounties trough for my only summit of Arrowhead. They also, fortunately, had navigated a decent line through the very corniced ridge. Thanks for posting!

striving to stand like mountain yet flow like water, and make the dogs happy
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Matt
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PostThu Jan 04, 2018 10:17 pm 
Looks great up there. Glad you all were able to get out before the weather goes cloudy again.

“As beacons mountains burned at evening.” J.R.R. Tolkien
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ale_capone
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PostFri Jan 05, 2018 6:25 am 
Nice! I considered arrow head, but ended up nearby. The photo of rock is great! Regarding the cornice.. If there is usually a big overhanging cornice, and it wasn't there, it likely washed away on friday.. The giant cornice overhanging the north side of lichtenberg has a fault ten feet back, along the entire ridge. It tried to peel, but has some support. People ascending that way werent too enthused to see what eas baking in the sune above their heads. (New years day) Curious if you think it would have been good ski conditions, or if you seen any tracks? Just testing my intuition. I thought it would have been mostly good up high, with some thinner pow on crust down low.

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RichP
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PostFri Jan 05, 2018 8:13 am 
Eric, We didn't notice any tracks coming up the west ridge but none of us looked down that way as far as I know. The only tracks on the summit were from the Mountaineers snowshoe group the day before. Ale, I would think the skiing would be decent above that nasty crust line which stopped abruptly around 3000-3200,' but I'm not a skier. No ski tracks seen on our trip. We took a slightly different route down the last 400' and it was terrible.

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Nancyann
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PostFri Jan 05, 2018 12:16 pm 
Enticing pics for a future sunny day trip. Blue sky, sun and snow, my favorite part of winter. cool.gif

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pula58
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PostFri Jan 05, 2018 4:55 pm 
Looks like a great day in the mountains Rich! Hope all is well with you! P.

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wildernessed
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PostSat Jan 06, 2018 9:27 am 
up.gif Nice one that ridge and summit is buried in a heavy snow season with excellent views.When we went up there it was untracked and gorgeous, while sitting on the summit a small group of snowboarders and skiers suddenly appeared from another route and eventually dropped off an edge and we're gone.

Living in the Anthropocene
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Just_Some_Hiker
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PostSat Jan 06, 2018 9:11 pm 
Arrowhead is a fun mountain. Short and steep. Also a great ski.

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