Snoqualmie Mountain (Crooked Coulior/South Face), March 2003
I had to work late on Friday and I didn't want to wake up too early Saturday morning. Paul also welcomed the prospect of a few extra hours of sleep. So back up to Snoqualmie Pass we went. Our objective - a tour up to Snoqualmie Mountain's East Snow Dome, with a ski/board descent down the Crooked Couloir.
We parked at the lower Alpental parking lot, crossed the street, and began skinning clumsily up towards Cave Ridge. The snow conditions down low were such that it was easier to boot it up rather than use our skis. Paul kicked steps through the surface crust while I cautiously followed his tracks with my boarding boots on. After lots of sweating and slipping (for me), we finally reached the ridge crest. Stopping briefly for a snack in the basin below Snoqualmie's South Face, we looked forward to finally have our skis back on our feet for the remaining ascent to the East Snow Dome (referred to hereafter as ESD). Snow conditions on the ridge once again forced us to take our skis off. Paul and I would carry our skis for the remainder of our climb to the ESD summit. So much for an easy tour. This was grunt work! (more...)
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