Tomlike - 2/22/20
Posted: February 22nd, 2020, 8:45 pm
Out-n-back on the HC trail to Tomlike. When you start climbing out of the HC drainage, at the little flat landing around 3500 ft, we turned and went straight up the snow slope to the saddle below the summit, about 700 ft EG in .3 mi and a killer shortcut. I last did this with Brad in 2014, but apparently that was in April and the slope was mostly talus vs steep snow. We had neither crampons nor axes but were able to kick good steps in going up, and the snow was super sticky so it seemed unlikely you would slide very far even if you fell - in other words, the runout was big but it felt pretty safe. It got windier up on the ridge and it was an easy walk up to the top (except for that part where you go through the stunted pine forest - usually that is a little tunnel, but given the 2-3 ft of snow, it was more like crawling at times - we bypassed it on the return). Going back down the snow slope was fantastic - the snow had softened a bit more and we were able to basically run and heel plunge all the way down, going from the ridge to the trail below in about 5 minutes!
Bottom of snow slope (much steeper than it looks) - there were 3 separate sections of this slope before getting up to the ridge, which you can't see yet.
On the summit ridge, great snow.
Looking back at the summit ridge and Hood hidden in clouds.
View of Tanner Butte.
Another great day outside.
#pnw #bestlife #bitingflies #favoriteyellowcap #neverdispleased
Bottom of snow slope (much steeper than it looks) - there were 3 separate sections of this slope before getting up to the ridge, which you can't see yet.
On the summit ridge, great snow.
Looking back at the summit ridge and Hood hidden in clouds.
View of Tanner Butte.
Another great day outside.
#pnw #bestlife #bitingflies #favoriteyellowcap #neverdispleased