Good places for classic nordic skiing are few and far between west of the Cascades. One of the best is the Mount Tahoma Trails near Ashford. The MTTA (Mount Tahoma Trails Assn) has done a great job creating trails and sno-parks, and even building luxurious "huts" where you can stay overnight in comfort. They groom the trails fairly frequently for a smooth ski experience. The grooming is not like Cabin Creek but it's pretty good. Unlike the groomed trails along I-90, no expensive grooming stickers are needed with your sno-park permit, and you can bring your dogs with you.
Some buddies, the intrepid dog Lex, and I visited the north trail system on Sunday. The often nasty, icy road leading to the sno-park had thawed out in the past few weeks, and now any car can make it up. Due to the heavy snow cover, parking was at the lowest of the three posible Sno-Park locations. The south trail system is closed due to a bridge washout.
The first mile of the snow-covered road climbed steeply, then the grade eased off. The next five miles to the hut was gently graded, ideal for light nordic skis. The road/trail followed a broad ridgeline with good views down to the Nisqually valley. Fresh snow and sunshine made for fine ski conditions. Along with a few other skiers, we met some snowshoe parties trudging along, not the most ideal way of traveling on this gentle road.
The Copper Creek Hut was perched on a 4200' ridge with a bit of a view of Mt Rainier. We enjoyed a lunch break here, then turned back for a fast run back to the car. It took less than an hour to ski the six mile return trip. The final descent was a bit icy and fast, a good test of one's snowplow skills.
Thanks for the TR. I've been to Snowbowl Hut, but never Copper Creek Hut. I'd like to see it sometime. In your estimation, would it be reasonable to do Copper Creek Hut in AT skis or is there too much up and down, requiring one to be in and out of skins?
Thanks for the TR. I've been to Snowbowl Hut, but never Copper Creek Hut. I'd like to see it sometime. In your estimation, would it be reasonable to do Copper Creek Hut in AT skis or is there too much up and down, requiring one to be in and out of skins?
I think you could skin up the trail, especially if you have the kind that offer some forward glide. You'll need some glide because sections of the route are almost flat (much different than that steep grind up to Snowbowl). I recall only three small descents in the 6 miles to the hut, none more than 100' vertical.
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