TR: Glacier Peak Solo Weekend
After a seriously debaucherous holiday weekend rafting the Wenatchee and Skykomish Rivers, I was eager to hit the reset button via a long weekend trip in the mountains. A solo trip out to Glacier Peak seemed to be a logical choice given the distance and the fact I'd never been out that way. The approach to White Pass is long, unless you enjoy hiking through lush, old growth forest:
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-G...ier+Peak-2.jpg
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-O...ier+Peak-3.jpg
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-F...ier+Peak-4.jpg
It poured rain hiking up the switchbacks to White Pass:
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--...ier+Peak-7.jpg
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-U...ier+Peak-8.jpg
But the weather forecast held, and the predicted sun was out in full force Saturday morning. Sloan Peak:
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-O...ier+Peak-9.jpg
First view of Glacier Peak, still a long ways to go!
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-U...er+Peak-12.jpg
Scenics from the approach:
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-h...er+Peak-13.jpg
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-2...er+Peak-16.jpg
Ski lines:
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-d...er+Peak-20.jpg
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-p...er+Peak-21.jpg
Summit shots:
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-l...er+Peak-22.jpg
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-9...er+Peak-23.jpg
Time to ski! Figured I'd go check out the Scimitar Glacier:
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-d...er+Peak-26.jpg
It was a little late in the season to make skiing the Scimitar make sense:
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-g...er+Peak-27.jpg
Damn near had a close encounter with some glacial ice:
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-l...er+Peak-28.jpg
I ended up skiing a mellow west facing line in nearly perfect corn until it flattened out. Skinning was easy in the soft afternoon snow, and I was able to skin all the way back to the summit. Looking down the Cool Glacier:
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-8...er+Peak-29.jpg
The Cool Glacier Headwall/Couloir was a little thin, so I opted for a chute skiers right for my second line of the day. Great skiing on slightly over ripe corn:
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-R...er+Peak-31.jpg
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-t...er+Peak-34.jpg
I decided to spend my second night perched atop Disappointment Peak; a helluva place to camp in fair weather:
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-k...er+Peak-37.jpg
The evening was incredibly pleasant, with a sunset and view that spanned every major peak between Glacier and Rainier:
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-e...er+Peak-36.jpg
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-D...er+Peak-38.jpg
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-u...er+Peak-43.jpg
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-P...er+Peak-46.jpg
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-N...er+Peak-47.jpg
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-R...er+Peak-50.jpg
7 hours later, sunrise on the Cool Glacier:
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-J...er+Peak-52.jpg
Tagged the summit a third time Sunday morning. Rainier to the South:
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-H...er+Peak-53.jpg
Baker to the North:
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-6...er+Peak-54.jpg
Skied a fun line down to the Cool Glacier:
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-j...er+Peak-55.jpg
Parting shots:
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Z...er+Peak-56.jpg
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-c...er+Peak-58.jpg
Old growth gate:
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-J...er+Peak-59.jpg
The hike back down the Sauk wasn't too painful, especially once back in the old growth where tall trees and rush water made for a great ending to an awesome long weekend.
