A Gold Star for Silver Star
In early 2018, just after completing my AIARE 1 course I bought the “Backcountry Ski & Snowboard Washington” book and began leafing through the pages and dog-earring tours that looked like fun and adventurous objectives. One tour that immediately stood out to me was Silver Star. It looked wildly scenic and it seemed fun to be able to ski a prominent peak of Washington Pass, but I knew it would take awhile for me to gain the skills and practice necessary to successfully ski it. Plus the timing and conditions would need to align. It was a tall order, but this past weekend everything fell into place and Alex, our friend Sander, and I skied 1,500’+ of spring powder from the Silver Star Col!
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Photo Diary: Southeast Alaska Whales and Fjords
Over Labor Day weekend Alex and I ventured to the moody coast of southeast Alaska and enjoyed a long weekend cruising through the waters of Auke Bay and the Tracy Arm in search of whales and glaciers. Much to our delight, we found plenty of both.
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Cascades Crown Jewel: Skiing Glacier Peak/Dakobed
At 10,545’, Glacier Peak/Dakobed is the fifth tallest peak in Washington. It’s also the most remote of the state’s five major volcanos. While all of the other volcanos can be seen from major highways and cities, Glacier Peak is the recluse of the group, cradled deep within the Central Cascades. Summiting the volcano requires a 34 mile round-trip hike with 10,000+’ of gain and is usually done in two to three days. This is a volcano Alex and I have been wanting to ski since we first started ski mountaineering a couple years ago, but its remoteness and reputation as a rugged peak kept us away until this year.
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Skiing Ruth Mountain 2.0
This past weekend I finally got to properly ski a mountain that I have been dreaming of skiing for over two years. Ruth Mountain. If you’ve been around here for awhile you’ll know that technically I already have skied Ruth Mountain in May 2021, but unfortunately, it was in a whiteout so it was more survival skiing than anything. Since that trip I have been dreaming of returning in better conditions, but I’ve also been a little apprehensive since our first trip to the mountain really pushed Alex and I out of our comfort zones and pushed our limits physically.
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It's a Party: Skiing the Birthday Tour
On May 10, Highway 20 opened for the season and along with it a slew of ski touring possibilities near Washington Pass became more accessible. There’s a small window each year after the road opens when the snow line still allows for spring ski tours that don’t require carrying skis on one’s back so I wanted to get out there as soon as I could and take advantage of that window.
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Ski Touring from the Alpine Lakes High Camp
Located just nine miles from Highway 2 but seemingly a world away, the Alpine Lakes High Camp are an excellent basecamp for backcountry trips year-round. The huts are rustic and off-the-grid, but are still cozy and welcoming enough for large groups and families. I’ve been wanting to stay in one of these huts since I learned about them years ago, but choosing which season to visit was a tough decision.
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Inspired in the North Cascades: Completing the Inspiration Traverse
Over Labor Day weekend of 2022, Alex and I experienced the highlight of our summer. We went on a guided mountaineering expedition with Pro Guiding and completed the Inspiration Traverse in the North Cascades. The route connects the Eldorado Trailhead on Cascade River Road with the Thunder Creek Trailhead off Highway 20. It traverses six glaciers, presents opportunities to summit multiple peaks along the way, and offers an intimate look at some of the most rugged and beautiful terrain in Washington.
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Photo Diary: Fall in Washington
I know, I know. It’s nearly Spring 2023 and I’m finally getting around to uploading some photos from trips I went on in September and October. In my defense, work happened to get extra busy at the same time a summer’s worth of backcountry trips left me physically exhausted and mentally drained so I went on a little hiatus. But, I’m back and ready to fully throw myself back into the backcountry while I endlessly search for that perfect balance of going on soul-filling trips without completely depleting myself.
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