Tatoosh freshiez, November 2003
After the survival skiing/boarding we endured the previous weekend on Mount Baker's Heliotrope Ridge, we hoped for better snow conditions in the Tatoosh Range. We would not be disappointed. Agata and I were joined by Jerry and Susan, and while Andy was also with us on the drive to the trailhead, we failed to realize that dogs are not allowed within the National Park (or at least anywhere other than the parking area) and so he had to hang back and baby sit his dog for the day while the rest of us played in the snow.
From where we parked, we followed a skin track into the trees, whereupon we encountered a bomb-proof ice crust covered with dry and unconsolidated powder = no traction whatsoever. Much flailing eventually saw us to Stevens Canyon Road. The short skin from to the Pinnacle Lakes Trailhead took us no time and before we knew it, we were skining up beneath Castle Saddle. Following our up-tracks, we skied down from the saddle. Some exposed rocks near the saddle and poor visibility made for careful going. We then traversed right for a nice run down into a powder-filled bowl. Not bad for November..not bad at all!
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