West elk pass (spring touring)
Trip date: Wednesday Nov 23, 2022
Submitted by MaSid
Particpants:
Discussion:
Sunny, calm and mild conditions made for great meadow touring today. -3 at elk pass pkg to start at 9, -1 on return at 3. A dusting of new at the trailhead, increasing to about a half inch at blueberry junction made for nice smooth skiing in and out of track. Pleasantly surprised to discover a broken ski track to the BC border (any type of ski will work). 2 ft of snow at the border. Boot top+ trail breaking past couch HQ to hydroline (LT gear). Gators and large pole baskets came in handy past the border. Returned the same way, so should be a nice track for next day or two. Trees were getting drippy around 1 PM in the solar heat. Excellent conditions and great snow made it a real treat to be back there again. Dodged up to middle elk pass and down hydroline for the quick turn into Patterson meadows (why not). Boot top+ again, until intersecting with a prior ski trail about half way through. Drippy trees and bombs deposited some ice on groomed trails, but not so bad. It was a pleasure finally running into bob this season lower down. Took the big hill back. Good descending control with the bit of fresh and good grooming. No hazards other than some tree debris. Didn’t hit fox creek at all, or east elk pass (usually needs more snow to get through the drainage corridor). No couch construction today, just compaction.