[John Morrow]

See my Thurs TR for approach. https://www.nwhikers.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=7996878 Of the three main basins on Red Mountain 5980+, the second basin between Points 5703' and Pt. 5722', I know the least.

Umm, north facing!

Nice future lines

Getting hot

Moving up

Pretty basin approach

Stuarts views

Time to ski!

Fracture on North Peak

This we hoped was a good choice, knowing today would be warm and sunny, and yesterday it rained to an unverified altitude. Meaning we might have good luck skiing one of the several slope aspects accessible from this basin. If the freezing level yesterday did not climb above 4500 to 5000 we could find shady powder on north through northeast aspects, if not and the sun shined, we could maybe find crust free wet powder on east through south aspects. We got neither! Basically, breakable rain crust extended to 5300+ feet on anything shady and south slopes were annihilated by mega bombs off trees and rock. Slopes were completely destroyed by pinwheels and chunks, beneath of which was challenging deep mank anyway! We did avoid having to make turns in breakable crust and had a wonderful look around for a few new lines and great peak views.

A few good turns

OK snow to start

Leaving the top

Right turn

Left turn

Spooned turns

Melting off rocks and rolling

Mank and chunk skiing

Before returning on a south slope of 38 degree rolls we dug a compression test at 5200 feet, SE aspect., 35 degree slope, that had seen morning sun. 24" down we found the early Feb rain crust with a layer of facets lying on it. CTH 22 but an interesting Q1 shear on the crust. Overall profile had increasing hardness snow (fist to 4 finger) to this crust. Massive tree bombs with good weight could not release a slab and we stayed on less than 35 degree slopes as a result, uncertain that our weight could reach it. From 4000 feet to 2600 feet the open clearcut was certainly surfable. Overall a great day with clear sky views! Even if the skiing was sub par. And so much terrain for the future.

Remember this without ice

Big basin

OK, save for another day

Lots and lots

And lots

Upper Cle Elum Valley

Ugh, crust, getting the heck out!