Monday, June 25, 2012

Solstice Stupidity 2012: Hood to Coast!

We got STUPID Saturday with our fourth-annual Solstice Stupidity adventure. (2011, 2010, 2009)

Tyler, Jeffrey, Nick, Jonathan, Rachel, Brad and I met at 3:30 a.m. at our house in Tigard, quickly loaded up two cars and left for Timberline Lodge. The clock in the car as we headed out:
The sky was lightening as we geared up for our trek up to the top of the Palmer Glacier.

Brad, Jeffrey and Nick planned to skin up in their back-country skis. I don't have that set up, so Brad offered to carry my down-hill skis and boots so I could hike up and ski down. That pack was heavy! What a great guy :)
Tyler also doesn't have back-country skis, but he had to carry his own gear:
Jonathan and Rachel opted to hike up and glissade down.
It was fairly socked in and started snowing lightly while we got ready.

The "view" toward the summit:
The lodge:
Ready to go for Solstice Stupidity Leg #1:
It was warm and not too windy but snowing harder the higher we got.

At the top, 8,500':
I dropped the camera in the snow. Oops!
Looking up at the summit:
 South toward the lodge:
We skied (or glissaded) down on several inches of fresh powder over crust. It was awesome! 

Unfortunately, the flat light made seeing the contours nearly impossible, so Brad and I made our way over to the groomers. It was still good skiing :)

After a brief sit down in the day lodge, we loaded up and drove to Hood River for breakfast at Bette's Place.

Camera still foggy: 
Tyler's sausage:
Good refueling... plus a drier in the bathroom!
Then a short walk for lattes:
Staying awake so far!
Next up: hiking Wahkeena Falls. Stay tuned! :)

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