High pressure and warm temps settled in over Washington on May 3, so Aaron and I bolted from Seattle for the North Cascades to get the led out with some big ski tours. We camped Friday night at Klipchuck and started early Saturday with the Birthday Tour. Icy on the north faces, and slushy on the south as we headed into Madison Avenue at about noon. We skinned out and skied back to the hairpin, then headed up Kangaroo Coulour, the skinny line to the right of the highest peak in the photo above. It's about 3000' from the low point to the top. The top had already slid and shedded the snow that had fallen earlier in the week, so we weren't overly concerned about avalanches. The skinning was pretty good, although a bit slippery if you were following. We boot packed the steepest part, then Aaron put his skins back on and I kept booting it. What a mistake - I ended up sinking to my crotch at one point and wanting to just bail - due as much to sheer exhaustion from the long day as to the shitty feeling of being buried to your waist in slush. I manned up though and made the top. Good skiing in the first third, then a bit soft, then too soft at the botton.
This is the view as you head south toward the first col in the Birthday Tour. That's South and North Early Winter Spires in the center of the photo.
We hooked up with Jonathan (L) on Sunday for a modified day, skiing the line to the right of South Early Winter Spire back to the hairpin.
View from the top of Kangaroo Couloir.
Me at the top of Kangaroo Couloir - you can make out the hairpin in the center of the photo.
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