[dacker]

One month to the day from the last TR from this location, here is another one, but with a different twist. Cast of characters:

Carol (silly_traveler)

Taehee

Rick (Dacker)

We had a real bluebird day for our outing, but we encountered some unexpectedly sketchy snow conditions: about 6 - 8 inches of sluffy powder on top of an icy layer that made the footing very treacherous and slowed us down to where we knew we weren't going to make our turnaround time.

Carol kicks up a rooster tail of snow

This looks like flat terrain in the photo, but if you can spot the top of Carol's tan baseball cap at lower center, she is standing upright.

Scenery

Clothing adjustment

Cornice

Snag

Summit block from just below our high point

Icicles

Scenery

Carol arrives at high point

Rick arrives at high point

We got to a point on the ridge at 5200' where it steepens for its final push to the summit and saw that the way ahead, far from the smooth snow slope Carol remembered from her previous visit, was a convoluted obstacle course of cornices just begging for someone to trigger a slide:

The corniced summit ridge

Cornice close-up

Digging out lunch at high point

So, as it was close to our turnaround time anyway, we ate a very late lunch and headed back down. Good thing we didn't wait longer as the descent from the ridge to the RR tracks was slow and scary. We took off our snowshoes and got out our ice axes before we left the ridge. Everyone had to self-arrest at least once and we were constantly setting off small loose powder slides as we descended. But we all got down in one piece and declared the trip an unqualified success--even without a summit--since the weather and scenery were so great, and we all made it down safely.

[the Zachster]

What a great day to be out in the mountains! Thanks for the report and pics. Arrowhead is still on my "to do" list. How late in the season do you think it might go?

[yukon222]

Nice shots! Loose snow on top of icy layer isn't fun; glad to hear you guys made it up and back. Sure looks like the weather was a nice consolation price in lieu of the summit. I still need to get up there too.

[Matt]

What is this "turn-around time" of which you speak? I'm not sure most of us here are aware of this concept.

[wildernessed]

Bomber views , I was thinking of you guys and your effort from across the Columbia River . I have a shot of Big C, Snowgrass, and Jim Hill from the distance. Those narrower ridges and there drifts /ribs can be tricky. You need floatation and yet you also need some purchase. With to much fresh snow something has to give with limited time.

[dacker]

[Matt]

Yeah, actually I know what it is. I was just joking about how rare it is for a group to actually follow through on a turn-around-time, rather than just keep going as though they had never heard of such a thing.

[yukon222]

I usually have a turnaround time, but it is flexible. I like to set it so I know I could make it back down the trail even with horrible conditions or injury. If at the turnaround time, weather has remained good and no problems, I may stretch the "official" turnaround time to the "real" turnaround time which I always follow. Kind of like setting your alarm clock to go off 30 minutes prior to when you have to get up!

[silly_traveler]

Thanks for writing the TR Rick It was very nice to get out with you two again, it's been a while! I'll post some photos later on tonight

[cartman]

[dacker]

Duh! If I had thought about it for a second before launching into a long-winded explanation, I would have realized that was a tongue-in-cheek comment. Now I've gone and started a whole new topic about "do you observe turnaround times."

[TrailPair]

Your snow conditions sounded terrible...nothing like we had last year. Good to hear you all made it down safely!

[Magellan]

Turn around times: Out of food, out of ooomph, or out of up.

[bobbi]

ice ax self-arresting? looked like a fun day despite the snow conditions. glad you honored your turn around time! super pictures!

[silly_traveler]

A few photos to share