[kitya]

Well, for a short hike that was a disaster I had Easter Peak in my plans forever since raising3hikers mentioned it to me after Cookie and I went to Lennox (https://www.nwhikers.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=8023844) back in 2017. It was in my backburner forever. Since Lennox, Cookie and I also scrambled Temple and Cleveland (https://www.nwhikers.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=8031485), Bing (https://www.nwhikers.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=8031084) and Palmer (https://www.nwhikers.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=8028921), but I must say Easter Peak somehow kicked me the most. Maybe I'm getting old. Maybe this is because I didn't sleep the night before. But it is also definitely because very difficult snow conditions. To my surprise the area currently has more snow than on any of my previous trips. In fact Miller Creek road is still covered in snow despite low elevation. Thankfully someone plowed the first few miles of it until the little turn around that becomes the parking spot for snowmobilers. I parked next to two trucks with snowmobile trailers (but no people) and put snowshoes right away upon exiting the car, that was nice. I like cascade concrete for snowshoes. But I also like deep winter powder. First one is easy to walk with traction. Second one feels like swimming. But even early in the morning snow felt like cascade silly putty. It was super soft, super wet and super sticky. Every step was a struggle, the snowshoe was just sinking in and hard to get out from the heavy snow. Every step snow was sliding under me. It is like the whole area is rapidly melting. Nwac avy forecast was low under the tree line and moderate above, but it felt nothing like low. Snow rollers and loose wet avalanches were everywhere. Sometimes even on very benign looking slopes my snowshoe step released down blocks of snow the size of car. It was like I couldn't step anywhere without triggering at least a small loose wet slide. Nothing fell stable, so I tried to stick to the trees. Trees - well they tree bombed me and Cookie non-stop. And to make things worse twice I could hear giant natural avalanches from nearby slopes, they sounded like someone exploded a bomb! Finally, after lots of struggles we reached the final ridge. I was right next to the summit, less than 100 feet away. Unfortunately this last step is super steep. I took of my snowshoes and took out the ice axe. Well, the ice axe immediately sunk all the way into soft snow like a dead whale, shaft and all. That was not super helpful. As I kicked my very first step, it released a block of snow that slid down under me and quickly grown into a larger avalanche that broke some tree branches down below. Also, the snow broke one of my black diamond poles in half Crap. That looked like a good sign to give up. Serves me right! I went a week before Easter and only almost got to the Easter peak. I should have gone on Easter and it would have worked. Wrong timing. Cookie's Easter toys and the view of Lennox was nice though.

Speaking of timing, coming down I decided it would be a smart idea to try and find new way down to the road, because my way up was unpleasantly steep and involved lots of veggie belays. I tried keeping on the ridge and to the west of it, instead of east side we took on the way up. Well, it got dark. There are lots of giant blowdowns. We got cliffed out twice and had to backtrack. Finally, we got right next to the road. The next problem turned out to be that the road was cut into the slope and has steep rocky cliffs right above it. Traversing over exposed cliffs on soft sliding snow at night was painful. Finally I gave up and just jumped the last 10 feet of rock from a tree down to the snowy road. Thankfully snow was soft enough to make it possible. Next I dragged the poor Cookie down and caught her in the air. She doesn't like jumping. On a happier note we saw a couple of very fresh cougar tracks in the snow.

[Roly Poly]

Your trips are all very inspiring. I hope you don’t mind me asking but do you prefer solo trips? Every time I read one I think you are incredibly experienced and knowledgeable and and the places you go are so beautiful and I wonder if the solitude is a big part of your trip selection?

[kitya]

[Type E]

And another one I didn’t finish;) Eric

[KascadeFlat]

Welcome back to posting trip reports! I missed your almost weekly updates on cool tucked away outings. Sorry to hear about the snow conditions. Spring is a harsh mistress in the NW but I'm glad that you and Cookie got some time in the woods regardless and got out unharmed. I definitely would have turned around at the first "car sized avalanche".

[Anne Elk]

Very nice photos once again, Kitya. Love seeing Cookie in her element. Do you ever put booties on her? Seems like it could be rough on her puppy pads. I think this is your best shot of the set; love the lighting and composition - a calendar shot, for sure!

[kitya]

[puzzlr]

[kitya]