East Elk to West Elk Pass traverse

Trip date: Thursday Mar 16, 2023

Submitted by MaSid

Particpants:


Discussion:

Are you keen to venture beyond the grooming and explore the best meadows of the Elk Pass area and two snowfas in glorious sunshine this weekend? Now you can, with a freshly set track through the Patterson meadows, into East Elk Pass, up and over the intervening ridge, down through the easiest cut block route, through the West Elk Pass meadows and back to the grooming at blueberry junction. But you gotta be prepared, and have the right mustard. Today I used AT gear, not knowing if current snow conditions allowed for safe descending on LT gear in the cut blocks. Previously (last trip Jan 21) the snow pack in the cut block descent was barely supportive enough for AT skis.

Patterson meadows: Good travel on a barely visible old track, ankle ski pens. Good for all manner of skis, although big baskets would be handy but not critical.
East Elk: Sonny Bou and company’s track from Mar 4 was just visible in protected areas. Did some rerouting to follow the normal route in spots. Ankle to boot top ski pens. LT gear should work, along with big baskets. Should only take a few more bodies to make it OK for skinny skis. The Snowfa has been rejuvenated. Was able to use wax from the car all the way to the pass. No sign of the grizzly yet (he came through about this time last year).
Ridge ascent via the boundary cut line: With AT skis and skins the track goes straight up. Ankle to boot top ski pens. LT gear without skins would require some switch back trail breaking, but it’s only a couple hundred feet up.
Ridge top meadows: Excellent travel in open areas to both the viewpoint (south) and to the top of the newer cut block descent (north). Ankle ski pens.
Cut block descent: Can’t really be certain enough to recommend LT gear at the moment. Although with the intense sun of a few days, perhaps a nice surface crust will form. Then it’s just about timing. However, foot penetration was to the hips! Not easy digging out of that with skinny gear. Numerous settlements occurred throughout. Glad I chose the mellow safe descent instead of the steeper runs.
West Elk Pass meadows: Excellent travel on a barely visible track with ankle ski pens. A cool north wind picked up on return in the afternoon, helping to keep the snow cold. The fork ‘n meadow lunch log and the snowfa both got a rejuvenation.

-18 to start at 8 (good green wax grip uphill, slow glide), zero on return to the car at 4.

Now is the window for such trips given the excellent weather forecast and still reasonably dry snow, and a fresh track!