13 replies to this topic

[Igloo Ed]

Could have been Gone With The Wind today on top the knob but we found enough shelter from the wind that we had lunch in the warm sun and enjoyed the views.
We had went up late yesterday and nearly completed an igloo just to have some fun building the igloo. With the late start we left the igloo incomplete as darkness was approaching and only one of us had a head lamp.
Today we got an early start and enjoyed the packed trail we had created the day before all the way to Joyce's Pond and then broke trail up the steep route to Beautiful Lake Marv. The snow was a bit over a foot deep and heavy enough that it gave good footing on even the steepest sections of the route. Some low lying areas we filled in pretty good with snow as we got higher but with the good footing I was able to skirt the drifted in areas and walk in the shallower and softer fallen snow. I probed the snow in the deep areas and found it to be at least crotch deep, with a hard wind drift crust that wouldn't support us, resulting in some very serious postholing.
I normally don't walk in most of these areas in summer as they have small branches and pine needles on steep terrain and it is hard not to slip and leave horrendous tracks. The snow was perfect for going anywhere we wanted as long as we didn't' walk through the drifted in areas.
With another storm moving in this coming Tuesday, I believe next weekend will require snowshoes.
We stopped by Tyndal Creek in the morning and found it to be nearly frozen over:


With the trail being packed from yesterdays excursion, we made it to Zone Lake before the light was overwhelming for pictures:


It was rather windy but it was warmer today than yesterday and the sun kept us warm enough for an enjoyable day:


We stopped by the incomplete igloo to check it out and then continued on too Joyce's Pond:


After Joyce's, we went up the steep area I mentioned and found Beautiful Lake Marv to have one small open hole in the ice:

[Igloo Ed]

We then went up to the top of the West Glacial Knob to have lunch. It was so windy on top that it was nearly impossible to stand steady enough for a good picture so we had lunch and I was hoping the wind would let up. Well, we had a good lunch but the wind didn't let up.
I did get one nice picture though of Taylor Peak's summit covered with a thin blanket of cloud:


We took easier route down instead of the steep route we'd come up so it ended up being a bit of a circle route. Going down the firm snow was nearly heavenly with the soft cushion it afforded. It got a bit deep in a few places but mostly the snow was only 18 inches deep and we sank right down to the firm layer on the ground. It was work though as just the knob felt like the workout I get going up to Andrews Creek in the summer.
Whoo Hooo! Winter is here.

[Mark Zemmin]

Sweet pictures Ed and great report. The park definitely has her winter coat on now

[mwilson]

Happy winter, Ed! Great report and pics.

[NWA395]

Igloo Ed, on 30 October 2011 - 07:29 PM, said:

I did get one nice picture though of Taylor Peak's summit covered with a thin blanket of cloud:
Blanket.jpg

Ed,
That is a great photograph of Taylors... glad to see winter has landed

Edited by NWA395, 30 October 2011 - 07:58 PM.

[rcw]

A huge change of scenery in just a month and a half. Beautiful.

[John]

Awesome adventure and great pics!

[Monica]

Looks like a beautiful day in the park.
Glad you got to enjoy it!

[Scrapinator]

I would love to see Joyce's, Marv, and Zone in the winter! Great day and pics.

[Bill 007]

Ahhhh....and so it begins.

Bill

[Igloo Ed]

Mark Zemmin, on 30 October 2011 - 07:42 PM, said:

Sweet pictures Ed and great report. The park definitely has her winter coat on now

Thanks Mark, it's only going to get better!
Yep, the winter coat is here. Well, at least this coming Tues./Wed. storm is going to make sure of that.
It was fun to hike in the snow on the last weekend that it'll work. Next weekend will require snowshoes for sure. Well, off trail anyway.
I neglected to put up the Hallett view earlier, sorry. Wouldn't wanna let Aaron down:

Bill 007, on 31 October 2011 - 03:50 PM, said:

Ahhhh....and so it begins.

Bill

And a sweet beginning it is, gonna be belly deep to an elephant soon.

[JDgreen]

Igloo Ed, on 31 October 2011 - 07:08 PM, said:

And a sweet beginning it is, gonna be belly deep to an elephant soon.

Time to click in and drop in soon :-)

Edited by JDgreen, 31 October 2011 - 07:11 PM.

[Igloo Ed]

JDgreen, on 31 October 2011 - 07:11 PM, said:

Time to click in and drop in soon :-)

Thanks for the reminder, I want to work on my boots a little before I go again. Need to keep after that so I get em fit before I'm pushing up daisies.

[jflo]

Sweet!!! I love winter!!