I had Monday off, and with the heat wave we had, decided it's as good time as any to try snow camping for the first time. Indian Heaven fit the bill - I wanted to pick an area with snow around for miles, so I won't have a temptation of picking a patch of dry ground.
On Sunday I drove up Wind River Rd over Oldman Pass, then right on #6507 to about 3760', where road became covered in snow. Parked ~2.5 miles from Thomas Lake trailhead - but rather than walking the road I took a shortcut to wilderness boundary, less than a mile uphill
Ended up camping on 5-7 ft of snow with the view of Lemei Rock's east face
My track
The shortcut between the roads was pretty straightforward, it follows old logging track, with only middle part where I went cross-country. Uphill from Rd. 65 was kind of slow/overgrown stretch but it was short - once I crossed into wilderness the forest really opened up. Snow made hiking easy, it was firm under trees, a bit slushy in sunny areas, but no snowshoes were needed. I wore crampons and they helped with slush.
On road 65, looking towards Thomas Lake trailhead
Slow going stretch - right before crossing wilderness boundary
Inside wilderness forest really opens up
Unnamed Lake at 4135 ft - not a destination by most hikers' criteria (brushy along the shoreline) but gives an idea of conditions at similar elevations
Lots of streams and ponds before I got above 4400' or so
Occasional holes in the snow - infrequent but enough to get you focused. How deep this one can be?
About 4-4.5 feet.
The deeper ones looked like crevasses of sorts - this one was at least 6 feet deep?
My GPS says it's a lake
Lots of eye candy in snowy woods
Resilient trees...
Thawing stream
Got to trust those snow bridges - often the only way forward (after careful probing with the poles, and a look from the side). But they were fun
Opted for another bridge here
But most of the hike was really a walk in the park. The snow was soft on top, but I wasn't sinking without snowshoes too much - more like walking on dry sand. All brush and small trees still under snow, terrain feels more open than it is in summer.
Started seeing snowmobile tracks in the vicinity of Acker Lake.
Not a discovery I was happy to make . Saw many more around Lemei Rock later on, and around Wapiki Lake. Given the rate of snowmelt, these were a few days old, at most
Followed snow machine tracks as I neared Lemei Rock. Went around its South side, was surprised to see quite a few mosquitoes but they weren't hungry yet
Got up to high point just in time to see sunset on Mt. Adams
Not a lot of color this time, but the view was awesome
Good night Lemei
My new sleeping pad (Exped Downmat UL Winter M) held well at night, I could feel just a bit cool underneath - tucked my backpack under the pad and it was okay. Air temps were more of a surprise, forecast promised something like 46F but it was just above freezing - snow makes its own weather. I wasn't cold but wasn't 100% comfortable either; will bring extra foam pad next time.
In the morning, I went up north side of Lemei a bit, to get view of this part of wilderness, and of surrounding volcanoes
St Helens, Bird and Sawtooth mountains
Sawtooth Mtn and Rainier
View of my favorite wilderness, from my second favorite wilderness
Thought about going over north shoulder of Lemei, but other side was too steep.
More snowmobile tracks down there
Went back on east side of Lemei, and while there decided to go a bit further and check Wapiki Lake viewpoint
St Helens up close
Margaret Backcountry hiding behind Bird Mtn
Still some cornices on north side of Lemei
Later on, I went by Clear Lake, hardly recognizable with so much snow
And then by Bear Lake - long snowdrift extended from the peninsula and I hiked across narrow part of the lake
Going down this way, I had to cross Rush Creek - the only crossing I worried about, so I left a lot of extra time for it just in case. Turned out, while the creek was high, there were still good snow bridges to choose from.
Random sights on the way back
Seeing 5, 6, 8 feet of snow it's hard to believe it will melt anytime soon, but these 2 shots of my car a day apart show how quickly things really change
Sunday
Monday (the road still had snow 100 yards uphill from here, but that's a lot of progress in one day)
Indian Heaven overnighter 5.13-14.2018
Re: Indian Heaven overnighter 5.13-14.2018
Romann, congrats on your first snow camp.
IH is best when there's water and snow, I've found.
Regarding fast snowmelt: I broke camp on a three-day trip high up Adams and was amused to see a pedestal of snow where my tent had been. And I wonder if people on long trips have gotten lost on the way back out because they get disoriented and confused when they see bare ground.
When you see how fast snow can melt, it's a wonder there are perrennial stagnant snowfields in oregon.
IH is best when there's water and snow, I've found.
Regarding fast snowmelt: I broke camp on a three-day trip high up Adams and was amused to see a pedestal of snow where my tent had been. And I wonder if people on long trips have gotten lost on the way back out because they get disoriented and confused when they see bare ground.
When you see how fast snow can melt, it's a wonder there are perrennial stagnant snowfields in oregon.
Re: Indian Heaven overnighter 5.13-14.2018
Thanks Chip,
Yes it's great time of year in IHW and other snowy places. In the summer, I inevitably follow trails (even if it's elk trails on crosscountry trip), or ridges, or meadows, and end up doing almost same routes time after time. Now it's new scenery all along. And snow conditions differ quite a bit from one trip to the next.
These snow pedestals sometimes form naturally, like when fir branch ends up on a high snow "chair". Or rocks like this one on Mt. Hood
Yes it's great time of year in IHW and other snowy places. In the summer, I inevitably follow trails (even if it's elk trails on crosscountry trip), or ridges, or meadows, and end up doing almost same routes time after time. Now it's new scenery all along. And snow conditions differ quite a bit from one trip to the next.
These snow pedestals sometimes form naturally, like when fir branch ends up on a high snow "chair". Or rocks like this one on Mt. Hood
- retired jerry
- Posts: 14426
- Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm
Re: Indian Heaven overnighter 5.13-14.2018
sometimes rocks burrow into the snow. They must absorb sunlight, get warm, melt snow. Smaller rocks.
a lot of times walking on the snow is easier than after it melts.
a lot of times walking on the snow is easier than after it melts.
Re: Indian Heaven overnighter 5.13-14.2018
Along those lines, it's interesting to note that a heavy layer of volcanic ash will insulate snow and increase the amount that survives summer, while a light layer will absorb radiant energy and speed melting.retired jerry wrote: ↑May 19th, 2018, 12:26 pmsometimes rocks burrow into the snow. They must absorb sunlight, get warm, melt snow. Smaller rocks.
I understand there are ski resorts that tarp their slopes post season to preserve the snowpack that lasts into autumn.
And this, folks, is a splendid example of topic drift. So yeah, Indian Heaven, yay!
Oh, BTW, regarding the last pic before the road pics: Always interesting to see water on snow, not percolating through. Although judging by the edge, that area doesn't appear to offer particularly good drainage. Every once in a while I'll actually see little streams briskly running along the surface of a snowfield. Surreal sight.
- Don Nelsen
- Posts: 4382
- Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm
- Location: Vancouver, WA
Re: Indian Heaven overnighter 5.13-14.2018
Thanks for a great TR and really nice photos. Hope to get up there once the snow melts a little more.
dn
dn
"Everything works in the planning stage" - Kelly
"If you don't do it this year, you will be one year older when you do" - Warren Miller
"If you don't do it this year, you will be one year older when you do" - Warren Miller
Re: Indian Heaven overnighter 5.13-14.2018
I thought the topic was "snowmelt", so it fits in
There were quite a few streams running atop snow on this trip, but they were hard to get a picture of, in the mix of sun and shade.
This stream ran both above and below snow
Don and Jerry - I think deep snowpack works great for hiking, if it's consolidated enough. Quite a difference from one of my hikes in late October, when I sank knee-deep with the snowshoes on. Hard part right now was crossing elevation with marginal/breaking snowpack, near snow melt line - but once above certain elevation didn't have to worry about postholing or snow bridges anymore.
- retired jerry
- Posts: 14426
- Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm
Re: Indian Heaven overnighter 5.13-14.2018
Yeah, nice TR, good time to go there because no Mosquitoes (danger of thread drift in another direction )
Back to snow thread drift, conditions can vary in a short amount of time - perfect spring snow you can walk on easier than a trail, post holing, icy to the point of being almost impassable without traction device
Back to snow thread drift, conditions can vary in a short amount of time - perfect spring snow you can walk on easier than a trail, post holing, icy to the point of being almost impassable without traction device
Re: Indian Heaven overnighter 5.13-14.2018
I usually take an early season trip into IH over snow, but I aim for a time and a spot where I can camp on a melted out spot, surrounded by the snow, rather than being forced to camp on snow.
Those snow bridges and holes look pretty scary. They have been known to eat and swallow people and not let them out. If there is cold water running down there you only have so much time to get out. Snowshoes may not have been necessary generally, but they make it much safer to cross those spots, especially when traveling solo. Even better with skis. And consolidation is variable. It's good till it isn't. Then there are hidden holes, deep slush, whatever. If you catch it right, it's some of the easiest walking around.
Those snow bridges and holes look pretty scary. They have been known to eat and swallow people and not let them out. If there is cold water running down there you only have so much time to get out. Snowshoes may not have been necessary generally, but they make it much safer to cross those spots, especially when traveling solo. Even better with skis. And consolidation is variable. It's good till it isn't. Then there are hidden holes, deep slush, whatever. If you catch it right, it's some of the easiest walking around.
Re: Indian Heaven overnighter 5.13-14.2018
My snow trips usually look like this too - camping on snow was more like an experiment. I think I liked it, and would repeat with a few changes in gear. I still need more practice to keep my stuff dry, got everything wet by the time I broke camp, my spare clothes, sleeping gear, even my stove . Wouldn't be so nice if I camped second night.
I agree snow bridges are a danger, usually you can assess one before crossing, but there's some chance of walking onto hidden bridge without realizing it. Sticking to familiar terrain may help to minimize this chance. You made very good point about having little time to get out, in bad case scenario:
Have to think more about it, could be a good solution to have ice pick ready on my pack, just in case this happens. I didn't want to post this pic because it would look like I didn't take it seriously (was just trying to give it some sense of scale) but it illustrates your point about these things being a perfect trap. Don't want someone try and get in trouble, unaware of the risks.If there is cold water running down there you only have so much time to get out.
Last edited by romann on May 21st, 2018, 6:41 am, edited 2 times in total.