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Fletcher Member
Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Posts: 1870 | TRs | Pics Location: kirkland |
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Fletcher
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Tue Feb 11, 2020 10:13 am
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Jake A and I wanted to get out for an overnighter during the phenomenal weather this week. We figured we could get fairly close to McLeod using groomed roads and snow mobile tracks which turned out to be true. We drove out on Saturday evening and got started just before dawn on Sunday towing our heavy packs on plastic sleds. This was our first time trying this and we really struggled starting out. The sleds wouldnt stop flipping over on the icy tracked out road. This really delayed our progress until we got a few miles in and the road surface was more consistent.
starting out first views of the Gardners Gardners again
We skinned Goat Creek Road for several miles, then took a left up FR 500 and a right up FR 510 a few miles later. We eventually gained the divide between Long and Roundup Creeks. It was hard work hauling our heavy winter loads back there, and with our extensive delays earlier that morning we didnt make it as far as we'd hoped on day 1. We ended up setting up camp at about 5700 ft with nice views!
nearing camp with McLeod in the distance sunset cheers
The next morning, we were skinning towards McLeod at dawn. It was a gorgeous morning in the North Cascades.
moon set Silver Star alpenglow on North Gardner with Goat Peak Sawtooths Goat Peak again
Easy progress was made utilizing snowmobilers tracks from the day before but we eventually had to break our own trail up through 2018's burn to crest the ridge between McLeod and Midday Peak. The air was crystal clear and the ever expanding views had us STOKED.
burned snags Tower and Golden Horn
A little bit further up the ridge, conditions warranted ski crampons until we reached a steep step at 7600 ft. We threw our skis on our packs and cramponed up through here. The wind was gusting hard and snow conditions were really variable, adding some spice to our morning. To save time, we cramponed from here to the summit, arriving around 11am to epic views. We laughed at the fact that during the summer, it would probably take us an hour to get to this summit from the car.
skinning up the ridge Mount Baker the steep step Jake climbing the steep step with blowing snow summit McLeod summitshot February in the Pasayten sea of peaks Redoubt and Spickard Robinson Baker again Azurite and Ballard (i think) Buckner with Eldorado and the Inspiration Peaks
We couldn't hang out up there long, as the School House Brewery was pretty far away. We dropped directly off the summit into Roundup Creek Basin for some of the best skiing I have ever had in my life. It was amazing.
awesome skiing in Roundup Creek Basin looking back
The good skiing was short-lived though and gave way to horrible skiing in knee to waist deep mashed potatoes in the forest below. Eventually, we were relieved to pop out of the woods back to FR 531 with a short skin back to camp. We had camp broken down and were heading out before 3pm.
sh##ty travel conditions in the forest below McLeod last look back
The ski out to the car was mostly downhill and we were able to cruise. We got back to the car at exactly 5pm. Sometimes I have a trip that is so good that it reaffirms that I'm living the life that I want to live. This was one of those trips
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Stefan Member
Joined: 17 Dec 2001 Posts: 5085 | TRs | Pics
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Stefan
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Tue Feb 11, 2020 11:12 am
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Nancyann Member
Joined: 28 Jul 2013 Posts: 2314 | TRs | Pics Location: Sultan Basin |
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Nancyann
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Tue Feb 11, 2020 12:30 pm
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Fletcher wrote: “Sometimes I have a trip that is so good that it reaffirms that I am living the life that I want to live. This was one of those trips.”
This is what it’s all about! Your hard work and determination really paid off, making all your efforts worthwhile. Thanks for sharing it with us!
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RichP Member
Joined: 13 Jul 2006 Posts: 5628 | TRs | Pics Location: here |
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RichP
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Tue Feb 11, 2020 5:22 pm
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Reading your report from 8 degrees south of the equator. Looks lovely!
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Fletcher Member
Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Posts: 1870 | TRs | Pics Location: kirkland |
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Fletcher
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Thu Feb 13, 2020 3:28 pm
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Thanks for the comments! Im bumping this for the video addition.
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iron Member
Joined: 10 Aug 2008 Posts: 6391 | TRs | Pics Location: southeast kootenays |
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iron
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Thu Feb 13, 2020 3:31 pm
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nice perspective of redoubt and spickard!
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Brushbuffalo Member
Joined: 17 Sep 2015 Posts: 1887 | TRs | Pics Location: there earlier, here now, somewhere later... Bellingham in between |
Wow! What a viewpoint! You photographed well over a dozen of the T100 from there, without even itemizing the Sawtooths and Pasayten shots.
Isn't it true...sometimes glorious skiing is followed by dreadful yuck. Sounds like you will remember the glorious and forget the yuck.
Fletcher wrote: | The sleds wouldnt stop flipping over on the icy tracked out road. |
Often attaching paired PVC pipe sections 5-6' long, either crossed or parallel and fastened to your hip belt will keep the sled from flipping. Also being semi- rigid the PVC mostly eliminates a loaded sled from racing you on downhills, compared to using pull ropes.
However, on a long trip everyone will hate their evil sled, especially when traversing across steep slopes.
Cool that you dragged the beasts mostly on road, which lessens the misery.
Passing rocks and trees like they were standing still
Passing rocks and trees like they were standing still
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Gimpilator infinity/21M
Joined: 12 Oct 2006 Posts: 1684 | TRs | Pics Location: Edmonds, WA |
Reading your report from Uganda. Looks like a great trip gentlemen. Thanks for the story and photos.
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