Up on the Benson, my first time up there since the fire. The east side of it is unchanged.
Camp Smokey (RIP).
Going up Chinidere.
The snow was dry with a wind-rime surface, very pretty.
Summit.
E got this shot of me coming up after taking the previous pic.
We had a couple of brief moments of sunlight, but otherwise it was thick clouds and no views today.
We continued down to the Tomlike junction. Elisabeth had evening Xmas plans, so we parted ways at the junction and she ran all the way down to the TH while I continued to Tomlike.
I hadn't been up there in years. The little talus step was tricky with the thin snow covering and small, unstable blocks.
Right below the summit ridge. The wind had blown powder drifts onto the middle of the ridge, which made for easy walking, but it was cold and windy and everything was plastered and visibility was low.
As usual, great views south to Mt. Hood from the summit ridge!
All of my pics from the actual summit itself are various abstract studies in "white."
I retraced my steps (going down the talus step was even worse than going up it) and then did the long slog down Herman Creek for the second time in a week and a half. I played the headlamp game as long as I could but finally gave in and turned it on at 5:15 about .7 mi away from the Nick Eaton junction, and got back to the car at 6pm on the nose. A glorious and magical day outdoors!
