Skiing Ruth Mountain

I first saw Ruth Mountain in the summer of 2019 while Alex and I were hiking the Copper Ridge Loop. We were on the early stretches of the trail, making our way toward Hannegan Pass when a beautiful mountain face, its upper slopes still draped in snow in late summer, came into view. In my planning process for that hike I had been so fixated on the camp spots and other high points that I had entirely overlooked Ruth Mountain, but it was impossible to overlook on the trail, it dominated our views. As we got closer I said to Alex, “I’m pretty sure you can ski off that. We should do that!” 1.5 years later and we did just that!

Backcountry Ski Trips, North Cascades, Winter Trips, Washington, MountaineeringSonja SaxeJune 2, 2021Comment

Royal Skiing in the Olympics

It feels like spring ski season in the PNW! After a winter that required me to postpone or cancel ski trip after ski trip due to storms or dangerous avalanche conditions, winter has finally seemed to have relinquished its hold to spring.

A few months ago, our friend Nate invited Alex and me to go on a spring trip with him into the Olympics for a snowy ascent of Mount Deception or a circumnavigation of Mount Deception, whichever seemed like the better option when we got there. We both eagerly agreed to the trip and looked forward to for the remainder of the season.

Olympic, Backcountry Ski TripsSonja SaxeApril 18, 2021Comment

A Fortress of Glaciers: The Mt. Baker Orbit

In late 2019 Alex and I signed up for a ski mountaineering course on Mt. Baker with Pro Guiding Service. After a few seasons of backcountry touring we were feeling limited by our lack of glacier travel and mountaineering skills. We had taken our AIARE 1 course and could travel and route find in the wintry backcountry, but we could not traverse onto the slopes of some of the more remote mountains in Washington because they were surrounded and covered by glaciers.

Backcountry Ski Trips, North Cascades, MountaineeringSonja SaxeApril 12, 2021Comment

Winter Ski Tour to Hidden Lake Lookout

The Hidden Lake lookout in the North Cascades has been on my radar for years. I’ve always wanted to visit in the summer but the road is rugged—far too rugged for our Sedan—and the lookout is popular, which means you would be hard pressed to find any solitude there on summer weekends. However, in the winter the entire landscape transforms the tough summer hike into a grueling ski tour. The crowds diminish and the chances of getting the lookout to yourself increase (or so we hoped).

North Cascades, Winter Trips, Washington, Backcountry Ski TripsSonja SaxeMarch 29, 2020 Comments

Photo Diary: Ski Touring in the Mt. Baker Backcountry

Earlier this month Alex and I went on a dreamy backcountry ski tour with some friends in the Mt. Baker backcountry. The forecast for the day looked overcast and dreary, and we expected to be in the clouds for most of the day and possibly even snowed on. However, instead what we experienced was a winter wonderland. The clouds were light and airy and transformed the harsh sunlight into a soft golden glow on pillowy snow. We spent the entire day skiing laps in the Artist Point area, stopping often along the way just to stand in awe of the scenery surrounding us.

North Cascades, Washington, Backcountry Ski Trips, Winter TripsSonja SaxeMarch 24, 2020 Comment

Volcano Dreams: Mt. Adams Summit

Alex and I spent the first weekend of June climbing Mt. Adams and skiing from its summit with our good friend Nate. While it is possible to climb Mt. Adams in one day, we opted to take two days. The extra time would allow us to enjoy a sunset, sunrise, and a starry night from the Lunch Counter campsite.

Mt. Adams, Backcountry Ski Trips, WashingtonSonja SaxeJune 16, 2019 Comments

A Winter Wonderland: Mount St. Helens Summit

I’m not a peak bagger, I don’t suffer from summit fever, and I have no burning desire to stand on top of the highest mountains. I actually prefer looking at mountains from below, staring up at their lofty peaks, being overwhelmed by their impossibly massive walls, and admiring their powerful presence. But, sometimes I make an exception and that is exactly what happened a few weeks ago when Alex and I set out with a group of friends with the goal of summiting Mount St. Helens and skiing off the summit.

Mount St. Helens, Backcountry Ski Trips, Winter Trips, WashingtonSonja SaxeFebruary 5, 2019Comment

Crater Lake Circumnavigation Attempt

In May of 2016 Alex and I visited Crater Lake for the first time. We hadn't done much research so we were surprised to find most of the park still buried in snow and the entire length of the rim road was not yet open so we were confined to the Rim Village and a few miles of road along the West Rim. We visited over Memorial Day weekend and it seemed thousands of others had the same idea as us as the park was filled to the brim with visitors.

Crater Lake, Backcountry Ski Trips, Winter Trips, OregonSonja SaxeApril 4, 2018 Comments