[GeoTom]

2-leggers: Ingunn & JK, Go Jo & Zeusdaddy, Moosefish, GeoTom Tail waggers: Zeus, Athena Angry Reindog: Jasper Access: Highway 2 > Stevens Pass north parking lot Trails/Route: Access road towards Skyline Lake, then we went off-trail Mileage: ~4.5 total Elevation Gain: ~2,500 total The (short) story Last year on December 23rd, Jasper and I went to the same area in search of summits and views. On our way down we ran into Ingunn and JK at Skyline Lake. I ended up returning to the rock gaden with them and having a cold second lunch. They decided to keep their tradition* of snowshoeing to Skyline Lake alive this year, and invited a few more people along. We met up at the Stevens Pass north parking lot and started out on the well packed road towards Skyline Lake. Along the way we cut a few switchbacks (on the snow of course) to make our own tracks and prepare for the expected untracked goodness past the lake.

Imposter yellow dog

Dani and Kristine were over there somewhere

Santa and her elves ascend the snowshoe track

The Canine Auxiliary waits for Jo

Milestone reached

We arrived at Skyline Lake to find it frozen over. I guess my New Year's 2010 resolution of swimming in more mountain lakes** will have to be delayed until 2011. We walked around the northern shore and soon made our way up to the rock garden below the highpoint of Skyline (aka Heather) Ridge. For a couple minutes it appeared that the gray skies might yield to partial clearing, but it never quite materialized.

Entering the rock garden

Views from the rock garden

Passing through

We thought about trying to gain the highpoint of the ridge, but we turned back slightly short due to the poor snow conditions and the slick rocks at the top. Instead, we decided to head for Sky Mountain.

Skyline Ridge (aka Heather Ridge) highpoint

We backtracked a few minutes before finding a good spot to descend into the basin to the north of Skyline Ridge. We only had to descend a couple hundred feet before starting the traverse through the lower portion of the snow covered boulder field. Our navigator (me ) started to ascend a little too soon, but soon realized the error of his ways and found the correct gully that lead to the saddle between Skyline Ridge and Sky Mountain. Moosefish took over trailbreaking duties and soon we found ourselves standing near a cornice at the summit of Sky Mountain.

Team Yellow Dog

Jasper waits for the others

Someone has the dogs' attention

A few photos were snapped and a decent group shot was even taken (not by me of course). The winds had picked up a little so we retreated to the relative comfort below and had our lunches and played with the dogs for a while. We had thought about adding Tye Peak to the itinerary, but with poor visibility and the winds decided to call it a day and head back.

How can you take him seriously with one antler drooping?

God Jul

Bright spot in the clouds

All 24 legs made it back to the parking lot intact. The same photos and a few more on my flickr page. Hopefully the others will post theirs. *Now that they have done it for 2 consecutive years it is officially a tradition. **I did swim in Blanca and Mason Lakes in July, and dipped my toes in a few others.

[More Cowbell]

Looks fun and fluffy. Angry Reindog looks like he needs to switch to light egg nog.

[Ingunn]

I've been too busy eating cookiez to get my photos up, but I'll reserve this space for when I do. In the meantime, happy holidays from our favorite white and black dog!

Jasper the Evil Reindog

He's a good boy at heart. Mostly.

ETA: Finally got my pics up. We were hoping for a repeat of our Skyline Ridge trip a couple of weeks ago...

...but the weather wasn't quite as cooperative this time. Oh well, the great company, entertaining dogs (even you, Jasper), snowball fights and a new peak (for me) made this a most excellent outing. Thanks to the guys for navigating and breaking trail while I was wheezing along on autopilot in the back!

Our favorite rock garden

Skyline skier

Blue skies??

Paparazz(J)o

To the light!

*huff puff*

Scawt

SnoJo

Mukmuk in the summit tree

Santa squishy

They like balls

Santa's been hit!

Revenge

Right in the noggin

It's impossible to miss when the targets are that big.

Now I know where Jasper gets his mean streak.

Sasquatch and friend

[zeusdaddy]

It was a great start to the holiday festivus, thanks everyone! Here are a few of my pics (more at flickr):

Good Santa, Bad Santa

Climbing

Snowshoe parade

Plowing through powder

Break time

Josie having fun

Through the rock garden

"I say we go straight up there"

Congrats John!

Our blue sky for today

Descent

Climbing to Sky

[Go Jo]

Good thing the summit shot is the only one I've had time to get up on the web

Happy Festivus!

I'll add more pics post holidays, there were some fun captures of Santas and their four legged elves.

[Magellan]

Sweet! What is the Julaften part?

[Matt Lemke]

Looks like this place is becoming quite popular recently...

[EastKing]

Looks like Josh and I have inspired some interest in the place. Sky Mountain and Tye Peak are great winter destinations and they are so easy to get to and park at. Many hikers have not been to these two summits and gettting to them in summer is twice the effort due to the bushwhacking. Will all the closed trailheads and this trailhead being right off of Route 2, I expect this area to be even busier in the upcoming days. Nice TR and photos!

[Matt Lemke]

[Sadie's Driver]

[bobbi]

great tradition

[Matt]

Looks like fun. "Jasper the Evil Reindog" is hilarious.

[the Zachster]

Fun trip you guys! But I seriously think poor Jasper is taking a bad rap here. Evil is such a strong word. We've all had photos taken of ourselves that are, shall we say, less than flattering. I'm sure most of the time he was smiling and playing nicely with everyone. Right? Right??? Cedar and Timber are eager to hike with him someday. At least once...

[Sadie's Driver]

[the Zachster]

Poor Gus is such a sensitive soul! Nothing sensitive about Cedar though! Could be some exciting entertainment for the humans!