J
Jay Meyer
Guest
A nice quick up and back trip on skis (most of the way), with gorgeous views from the top! The road is plowed all the way to the uppermost parking lot. There is a well-packed snowshoe trail to the summit, with occasional ski tracks on the sides. On Saturday 2/16 there was a lot of snow (I'm guessing at least 3', maybe 4' near the summit) so I spent a lot of time whacking hanging spruce limbs which are right at face level. But I'm sure the snowpack has diminished significantly now due to Monday's warm rainy weather.
I made it all the way up on skis; tried it without skins at first but put them on after about 20 minutes where the trail veers east/left below the flat rocky saddle. Coming down I made an attempt to ski from the top but there was just no way; the snowshoe trail was too steep and narrow, and the woods too dense to go off trail through glades. I put them back on at the saddle for a quick and fun descent back to the parking lot.
Saw a dog on the summit as I was enjoying the views from the SE ledge/viewpoint; heard voices and saw fresh snowshoe tracks but they must have just tagged the tower and headed back down. Saw another couple on snowshoes as I descended.
NICE! 2.5 hrs. round trip.
I made it all the way up on skis; tried it without skins at first but put them on after about 20 minutes where the trail veers east/left below the flat rocky saddle. Coming down I made an attempt to ski from the top but there was just no way; the snowshoe trail was too steep and narrow, and the woods too dense to go off trail through glades. I put them back on at the saddle for a quick and fun descent back to the parking lot.
Saw a dog on the summit as I was enjoying the views from the SE ledge/viewpoint; heard voices and saw fresh snowshoe tracks but they must have just tagged the tower and headed back down. Saw another couple on snowshoes as I descended.
NICE! 2.5 hrs. round trip.
