Cinco de Mayo seemed a good date to try El Kalama Ski Trail. Steve Bachhuber and I wanted to scout the trail for problems that could be corrected this summer. So although it was a wet day in Portland we drove to the Cougar Sno Park where we found about 18 inches of snow. Snow depth increased rapidly and by the time we were on the trail at FS 830 snow depth was six feet and probably got up to 8 feet. Skiing was excellent, snow is clean, slightly soft, but very fast. We were able to identify several areas where the trail changed directions without adeaquate signs and we will return in Julio for some well needed trail work. This trail right now offers outstanding opportunity for spring skiing and I will be leading a tour up there as soon as the sun appears.
Seven skiers, armed with a sense of optimism, headed into the Crazy Hills, hoping to find a path to the top of Big Skookum. Success achieved, but finding a way down proved challenging. True to the promise of a "Crazy Hills Experience", a feeling of being slightly lost enveloped the group. Alls well that ends well is a good saying under any circumstance, and soon we were climbing Hidden Valley Pass and headed back to the barn. All participating skiers are now members of the Royal Order of the Skookum. Congratulations.
There is plenty of snow in the Crazy Hills and at Lone Butte sno park in general. Many more weeks of spring skiing await, now just wish for sunshine.
6 intrepid skiers set out from Cougar sno-park at 2,200' on Mt. St. Helens sunday morning under thickening cloudy skies. We climbed the Kalama ski trail north and west toward Red Rock Pass. The snow was soft, wet and heavy mashed potato snow, that was not too difficult to break and set track, but relatively slow. Route finding along the Kalama trail is difficult beyond the climber's bivouac road because the blue diamonds are missing or broken- a repair project for next summer. As we neared Red Rock, we turned up Right Canyon and climbed to 3,800' among light falling snow. Our descent was through forest opened by a 1980 mudflow just east of the canyon, where some slopes were open enough to carve a few turns. We returned along our set track on the Kalama trail, and the snow turned to rain during the last mile of our trip. Overall we climbed 1,600' and covered about 9 miles round trip.
Eight skiers ventured forth to ski the Pete Gulch trail on Sunday. Upper Wind River road has been plowed in a very expert fashion by Skamania County, just a few patches of wet snow remaining. Snowpack condtions were as peculiar as I have seen. Two inches of hard rain crust over 18 inches of sugar snow, very light airy snow that collapsed with a faint pole plant. The crust was firm enough most of the time that we did not break through, but avoiding pole plants was the secret. We skied about 10.5 miles round trip. Temperature was 40 degrees, no wind, trail conditions were mixed with much compaction under trees on the lower trail but increasingly good condtions as we climbed. We surprised one elk two miles up the trail and had to wait for it to clear out before proceeding, and on the way back to Carson enjoyed watching a herd of almost 40 elk grazing in a meadow.
Mar 2, 2011 by Portland Chapter Oregon Nordic Club
Thirteen skiers decided groomed trails would be more fun than breaking trail in very deep and not so light snow. Snow showers came down much of the day and at times very heavy. Temperature was near freezing. Skiers were Judd, Karl, Pam, Stephany, Eileen, Mary, Ben, Linda, Barbara, Howard, Bob, Kathy, and Terry. Trip leader was Terry Owen. Photos by Bob Breivogel and Terry Owen.
Six people skied together at Mt St Helens from the Marble Mtn Snow Park. At least a foot of heavy new snow greeted us at the Snow Park. We skied toward Marble Mtn only to discover that the bridge no longer exist so we returned to the Marble loop and made our way to back to Road 83, which had been tracked by two snowmobiles (the only ones we saw or heard Wed) and skied up to June Lake, which was lovely - trees sheathed in heavy snow everywhere. There was probably about one and a half feet of new snow at June Lake.
With continued snow there should be plenty of snow for some great skiing now on Mt St Helens.
Seventeen ONC skiers skied the Pete Gulch trail up to FS 65. Trail conditions were very good, about 4 inches of new snow over rain crust. Weather was sun breaks and snow showers. Great skiing day overall and the new Overlook trail is a welcome addition to the McClellan Meadows trail system.
We skied Hard Time loop today out of McClellan Meadows Sno Park. 11.5 miles, 4 hours. The loop has been groomed, although a set track is shallow because of the hard rain crust. There is 2-3 inches of new snow on top, very fast, nice conditions. Temp 28-30, sun breaks and snow showers. We saw about 15 skiers, two snow shoers, four dogs. Wind River Highway is packed snow and ice, very manageable with AWD. Unfortunately Pete Gulch is probably not skiable right now without at least 6 inches of new snow tonight so the tour on January 9 will be something diffrerent.
Eight ONC skiers found excellent ski conditions at the Upper Wind River area today. Temperature on arrival at the sno park was 18 degrees, when we left at 4:30 it was 22 degrees. There was about 4-6 inches of new snow on top of pretty firm rain crust. The north section of the Hard Time loop has not been trampled down much at all, and past Cut Off Junction we broke trail until we reached the Termination Ridge Cut Off Road. Really fine skiing conditions, excellent views of Mt. St. Helens, Rainier, Adams and Hood plus the Goat Rocks. Twelve miles total ski tour.
Number of snowmobiles: 0
Number of other skiers: 2
Number of dogs 1
Traffic-nothing worth mentioning. Road 30 was packed snow and ice. We saw about fifty elk in a herd just outside Carson on the return.
Ten skiers entered the Crazy Hills with some trepidation and with good reason. An area with such locations such as Loco Pass, Big Skookum, and the Crazy Hillscommands respect. We were greeted with fresh friendly snow and stellar blue skies. Snow depth at Lone Butte Sno Park was maybe eighteen inches but at the 3500 foot level it was more than three feet with prominent tree wells on the beaver marsh trail which were explored in depth by some of our group. With the return of winter I hope to lead two more tours into this area in the next month.
