Joined: 09 Jun 2004 Posts: 1390 | TRs | Pics Location: Livin' on a prayer
Mon Jan 19, 2009 2:18 am Skyline Lake at Steven's Pass 01/17/09
With the lowlands shrouded in fog for the last few days I was excited to spend some time in the mountains, up above the ongoing inversion.
True to the forecast (how often does that happen?), we found cloudless blue skies at Steven's Pass all day long. Even more surprising is that this is the third time I've been here... and all three times have been picture perfect.
D2K and I met up in Monroe at the leisurely start time of 8:30am and enjoyed an uneventful ride up the mountain. Passed one slick section near a bridge and saw a disabled Chevy Colorado truck that didn't quite survive the short icy stretch.
Easily found parking (which we heard was a problem later in the day... word of warning to those of you looking to do a late-day ascent).
After only a few hundred feet of elevation gain we were above the thin fog that kept trying to blow through the pass. The continuing fog has given the tree tops a nice white dusting, but only the trees that are in the fog. It was a unique sight. You can see the white tree tops in the pic.
We took the direct route up the ridge while almost everyone else stuck to the road route. Circled around the lake and headed toward the lower peak. Found a quiet spot that was somewhat protected from the light winds to enjoy lunch and the scenery.
There seemed to be a pretty well established route up to the obvious peak, but we left that for the more adventurous visitors.
From our lunch spot we could gaze across to distant slopes with huge fracture lines from recent slides and also a slope which has clearly been pummelled by winds.
Met a few snowboarders who inquired about how to find the slopes they were looking for. We weren't sure but gave them a couple of suggestions and pointed to what we knew was where... and wished them a safe boarding experience.
The snow was well consolidated, but softened in the afternoon. Didn't seem very conducive to a good skiing or snowboarding ride, IMO.
On the descent, we took the short detour to the final communication tower and then headed toward the vehicle, with a couple nice butt glissades on the descent.
Returned to civilization (and fog) with a Starbucks run in Monroe, a quick touristy tour of Snohomish, a hair cut in Kirkland and then a nwhiker.net social extravaganza at Pegasus.
All in all... it was a fantastic day from start to finish.
-------------- Sedro-Woolley: Where butter is a spice and gravy is a beverage.
"Ill habits gather unseen degrees, as brooks make rivers, rivers run to seas." ~John Dryden
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Joined: 02 Mar 2003 Posts: 8568 | TRs | Pics Location: Going to Tukwila
Mon Jan 19, 2009 2:22 am
Nice! So *this* is what I was missing. Thanks for the TR, Elvis!
-------------- "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke
"Ignorance is natural. Stupidity takes commitment." -Solomon Short
Nice photos - I was gawking at those fracture lines, they made me a little nervous. We were up on Saturday as well, we were aiming for the peak but there wasn't enough snow for us to get up the last sketchy part so we soaked up the sun in the little saddle below the summit instead.
It was an amazing day, and it was so cool to drive out of the fog right in front of Baring - that was quite a few after seeing nothing all morning!
Oh - and it was nice meeting you (well, briefly) at the social!
The big rocks look like they could be houses. The avalanche scar is magnificent. I also notice the runnels which indicate that there has been some meltwater drainage through the snowpack.
Joined: 04 Jun 2008 Posts: 246 | TRs | Pics Location: Gig Harbor, WA
Mon Jan 19, 2009 8:37 pm
we went snowboarding at stevens on sunday, and conditions in general in or out of bounds was not condusive to snowboarding, especially the irrregular ice and hard pack anywhere away from the icy groomed runs... those fracture lines are definitely erie. the far right one looks like the huge fracture line that you could see a little ways to the left of big cheif bowl from the parking area by the brooks chair. nice pictures!
Joined: 09 Jun 2004 Posts: 1390 | TRs | Pics Location: Livin' on a prayer
Mon Jan 19, 2009 9:11 pm
the Zachster wrote:
Any avy concerns along the way?
The route to Skyline Lake is typically**safe from avalanches.
**Insert the usual lengthy disclaimers here describing that avalanches can occur anywhere that the snowpack is unstable and/or sloped, including this route. Avalanches CAN happen here... but they usually don't.
Peltoms:
As we were ascending I was describing the summit area to my buddy as being comprised of boulders the size of a VW Bus (and full of potential deep holes hidden by snow), but upon our arrival I retracted my statement and changed the VW Bus analogy to a Mobile Home.
Rooinator:
It probably is the same fracture line that you saw. In the full size version (fracture line 2 close up pic) you can see a zig-zag that connects with the fracture. It looked to me like someone was probably ascending (or descending) and caused the snowpack to fail. Alternatively, it could just be an extension of the fracture that didn't completely fail.
Everyone else: Thanks for the comments and it was great to meet a lot of you at the social.
Is there a better website anywhere with such a high caliber of awesome individuals? I think not.
Happy Trails!
-------------- Sedro-Woolley: Where butter is a spice and gravy is a beverage.
"Ill habits gather unseen degrees, as brooks make rivers, rivers run to seas." ~John Dryden
My Trip List
We were aiming for the top of the rocky part (known to some as Skyline Peak and others as Sky Mountain - if the last name is wrong it's all GeoTom's fault), but there was less snow than we had expected and I had neither the skillz nor the balls to summit.
Instead we spent a wonderful hour and a half on the saddle below the summit, eating lunch, watching skiers, stealing snuggles from dogs and enjoying the sun and excellent views.
There were a lot of skiers around, and the half icy/half mushy snow made for some amusing (for us) tumbles.
Great shots - I need to go check out that peak in the summer and see what the rocks really look like. On the other hand, it might make me nervous about the winter trips!
Joined: 21 Oct 2002 Posts: 1744 | TRs | Pics Location: Tukwila International Boulevard
Tue Jan 20, 2009 9:34 am
Quote:
We were aiming for the top of the rocky part (known to some as Skyline Peak and others as Sky Mountain - if the last name is wrong it's all GeoTom's fault), but there was less snow than we had expected and I had neither the skillz nor the balls to summit.
Sky Mtn is the 5482 bump which is 3/5ths of a mile WNW of Skyline Lake. It's the HP of that general area but it is a gentle sloped knob unlike the more challenging but lower rocky area that you were at. I believe you were at Point 5440+ with all of those cool rock blocks. Not sure if that rocky peak has an unofficial name.
We slowshoed over to Sky Mtn on Sunday. From the saddle NW of the lake it is probably easiest to do a descending traverse 200' off the N side and go down and then around a steep rocky area and then back up a gully. Then across a bit and up the ridge to Sky. We had tried traversing around 5440+ to the S on the ascent but that traverse was on steeper less pleasant terrain than the way we came back via the N so I'd recommend the latter.
-------------- See I've Already Waited Too Long
And All My Hope Is Gone
--The Smiths
Reached the lake on first, post-op outing back in September. It is far more pretty than I expected. I went to the lake on snow several times in 1970's but recalled nothing. So, thank you for the photo essay! Terrific!
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Thanks for the TR, Elvis!
We were up on Saturday as well, we were aiming for the peak but there wasn't enough snow for us to get up the last sketchy part so we soaked up the sun in the little saddle below the summit instead.
