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Mesahchie Mark A Lerxst
Joined: 10 May 2005 Posts: 700 | TRs | Pics Location: In Wonderland |
After mulling over a short list of options, dicey and I decided to stay close to home and make a run at South Bessemer Mountain. South Bessemer, 5028', is the smaller sibling of Bessemer Mountain (5166') and a neighbor of Green, Teneriffe, Si and Quartz. An old logging road leads to the top, but given the recent snowfall and general winter conditions, it would take an effort to reach this summit.
We started off at 8:20 AM on the Bessemer Trail (900'), which is really a gated road approximately two miles past the first bridge on the Middle Fork. Our plan: hike to the snowline, then skin our way up from there. That's right, we were going to ski this puppy!
After a mile, we intersected the CCC Trail, and turned right. Following the only maintained road (the spurs are overgrown with vegetation from disuse), we passed a mining operation at 1.8 miles. I know because there is a sign that says "MP 1.8". Slowly but surely, the snow deepened the higher we climbed. We followed a set of steps in the snow that transformed into a snowshoe trough. At about 2300', the snow was deep enough to begin trekking. Deploy the skis!
At first, it was pretty easy going - just stay in the snowshoe track, where the trail was already nicely compacted, and trek on. This plan worked to about 3500', then the snowshoe tracks ended abruptly. Heh. Time to break trail for real! At this elevation was the snow thick, wet Cascade concrete, producing a noticable drag on skins. Snow was building atop the skis, and sticking to the skins. Just great.
Snow conditions improved slightly as we gained elevation, but it was still a slog. At around 4000', we came to a long, east-running traverse that cuts straight across a fairly steep slope. One can tell where the road "should" be , but the deep snow completely fills the roadway, making it barely discernable from the rest of the slope. Better safe than sorry, dicey and I donned avi beacons at this point, mostly to safeguard against any trouble from above.
The traverse brought us to 4500' as the road switched back again to head to the northwest. Soon afterward, any telltale signs of the road disappeared as the grade diminished substancially and the landscape was covered in a thick layer of white. Dicey checked her map and pointed out the ridge we needed to take to the summit. Up to this point, our weather had been overcast but calm. Now, we were getting some sun breaks. The overall effect was to create very flat light, which made it difficult to denote subtle differences in the snow, despite my wearing polarized sunglasses.
Finally, at 1:00 PM, we crossed a steep, windscoured slope and arrived at the summit. In mid-winter conditions, the summit resembled a mini-ridgeline, replete with cornices off the west side. Dicey and I only spent a few minutes on top to snap pics and take in our surroundings, then it was time to leave. Snow flurries hastened our departure.
Now for the important part: the ski down! Actually, the best skiing was a small gully close to the top, which passed by in a matter of seconds. The rest was a quick trail ride down the logging road. If you've ever skied a long cat track at a resort, you know the feeling. We finally gave up the skis at about 2400', after I had a close encounter with a rock. A stiff-legged hike out in ski boots ensued. We made it back to the car a little after 3:30 PM, which meant it took us a full two hours less to descend than ascend. That's why we took the skis! Emboldened, we went straight to the NBB&G to recoup lost calories. Good times!
Here are a couple pics. Lighting sucked, what can I say. Enjoy!
Summit is Near Pratt River Drainage Looking Back Garfield Sunbeam Dicey Summit Bessemer Major
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Grizzy Yellow Cedar Hugger
Joined: 16 Jul 2006 Posts: 1936 | TRs | Pics Location: Switchbacks |
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Grizzy
Yellow Cedar Hugger
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Mon Feb 26, 2007 9:43 am
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Nice TR! I love your "Pratt River Drainage" shot, that is such a Northwest (northWET) looking vista, nice job!
All the birds have flown up and gone;
A lonely cloud floats leisurely by.
We never tire of looking at each other -
Only the mountain and I. ~Li Po~
All the birds have flown up and gone;
A lonely cloud floats leisurely by.
We never tire of looking at each other -
Only the mountain and I. ~Li Po~
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ActionBetty Im a dirty hippie!
Joined: 06 Jul 2003 Posts: 4807 | TRs | Pics Location: kennewick, wa |
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ActionBetty
Im a dirty hippie!
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Mon Feb 26, 2007 11:01 am
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I love the Dicey summit picture.. the frozen tree is an added bonus.
"If you're not living good, you gotta travel wide"...Bob Marley
"If you're not living good, you gotta travel wide"...Bob Marley
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dicey custom title
Joined: 11 May 2004 Posts: 2870 | TRs | Pics Location: giving cornices a wider berth |
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dicey
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Mon Feb 26, 2007 11:23 am
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jimmymac Zip Lock Bagger
Joined: 14 Nov 2003 Posts: 3705 | TRs | Pics Location: Lake Wittenmyer, WA |
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jimmymac
Zip Lock Bagger
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Mon Feb 26, 2007 11:38 am
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Mesahchie Mark wrote: | At first, it was pretty easy going - just stay in the snowshoe track, where the trail was already nicely compacted, and trek on. This plan worked to about 3500', then the snowshoe tracks ended abruptly. Heh. |
Sorry about that. Actually, it was about 3,050'.
What can I say? I sensed that my date had had enough of the soft stuff. It was time to cheerfully suggest a retreat and live to hike another day.
Jimmymac, making a trench to "almost" Viewpoint 3300. Mrs Jimmymac, still having fun, restaurant bound. With the low ceiling, taking in views meant looking a little closer.
"Profound serenity is the product of unfaltering Trust and heightened vulnerability."
"Profound serenity is the product of unfaltering Trust and heightened vulnerability."
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dicey custom title
Joined: 11 May 2004 Posts: 2870 | TRs | Pics Location: giving cornices a wider berth |
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dicey
custom title
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Mon Feb 26, 2007 11:47 am
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So it was YOU!!
I enjoyed your trip report and pictures from a month ago. See here
We didn't have quite the sunny weather you did, but oh well.
Thanks for putting in the track as far as you did. Breaking trail after that was exhausting!
So you were up there on Saturday?
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jimmymac Zip Lock Bagger
Joined: 14 Nov 2003 Posts: 3705 | TRs | Pics Location: Lake Wittenmyer, WA |
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jimmymac
Zip Lock Bagger
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Mon Feb 26, 2007 12:02 pm
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Yep.
The road cut where you folks turned on your beacons would have turned us around, so our plan was to go as far as the switchback/landing at 3300'. Even that goal became inconsequential, cuz of the vast white fuzz off to the east that never lifted.
As odd as it may sound, a couple of folks carrying skis and riding mountain bikes would seem perfectly logical to me now that I've been there a couple times.
"Profound serenity is the product of unfaltering Trust and heightened vulnerability."
"Profound serenity is the product of unfaltering Trust and heightened vulnerability."
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dicey custom title
Joined: 11 May 2004 Posts: 2870 | TRs | Pics Location: giving cornices a wider berth |
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dicey
custom title
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Mon Feb 26, 2007 12:09 pm
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Now that you mention it, we did see some mountain bike tracks on our descent, but didn't run into anyone all day. I even mentioned to Mark on the way up that maybe we should have brought bikes.
The thought of flying downhill on a bike with skis attached to one's pack sounds pretty dangerous/potentially painful though....
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Tazz Member
Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 7902 | TRs | Pics
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Tazz
Member
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Mon Feb 26, 2007 12:57 pm
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Great report Mark! Sorry I could not make it. Looks like I would have been wallowing and flailing around in the snow anyways. Plus you two would have had to wait for me at the car due to the speedy decent on your skis.
Good stuff!
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Randy Cube Rat
Joined: 18 Dec 2001 Posts: 2910 | TRs | Pics Location: Near the Siamangs |
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Randy
Cube Rat
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Mon Feb 26, 2007 3:37 pm
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Looks fun. That snow looks pretty deep, I think I would have collapsed after a few hundred yards!
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jimmymac Zip Lock Bagger
Joined: 14 Nov 2003 Posts: 3705 | TRs | Pics Location: Lake Wittenmyer, WA |
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jimmymac
Zip Lock Bagger
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Mon Feb 26, 2007 5:28 pm
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"Profound serenity is the product of unfaltering Trust and heightened vulnerability."
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Mesahchie Mark A Lerxst
Joined: 10 May 2005 Posts: 700 | TRs | Pics Location: In Wonderland |
Thanks for the comments, everyone!
BTW - I have a question: Anybody know where the name "Bessemer" came from? I'd like to know...
I may post a couple more pics tonight...
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Conrad Meadow bagger
Joined: 25 Aug 2006 Posts: 2298 | TRs | Pics Location: Moscow, ID |
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Conrad
Meadow bagger
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Mon Feb 26, 2007 6:19 pm
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I've biked with skis. I didn't strap them to my pack; I strapped them to the bike, horizontal and pointing forward, next to (on both sides of) the "men's bike" horizontal brace bar. Can't remember if I used cinch straps, bungee cords, or just big rubber bands.
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dicey custom title
Joined: 11 May 2004 Posts: 2870 | TRs | Pics Location: giving cornices a wider berth |
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dicey
custom title
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Mon Feb 26, 2007 9:19 pm
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Now that sounds like a real workable solution!
Thanks for the idea
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Sabahsboy Member
Joined: 18 Jul 2006 Posts: 2484 | TRs | Pics Location: SW Sno County |
Mark and Dicey, only Pratt view and "Looking Back" fail the test of your choice. The Garfield view and summit pix are dandy of the first 6 photos.
Just read the Dirty Harry summit TR and drooled; now I am a mess. I must give this a try....great views and beautiful snow. Now, where are those gaters?
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