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Trip Report    

Winter Scramble - 5,050 Pass from Dosewallips Road

Party of 6 Turned around due to Avalanche concerns at 4600 feet.

  • Road suitable for all vehicles
  • POT holes on last mile of Road, Parking area full with some vehicles along road.  Most probably camping for the weekend along the road or at the old NPS campground. A few downed trees on the trail. Hit consistent snow around 3000 ft.

Fun day good work out with light rain, that turned to snow showers above 2500 ft.  7:30am start  Back to the TH at 4pm.Snow shoes on at 3600 ft. Off at 3k. MIcro spikes used to 2500 ft. on decent.

Observed a loose wet avalanche 150 ft away to climbers Left at 4600 ft. Slow moving , lasted about 3 minutes  1xR1/D1, loose wet,  natural , est. 1ft deep x 10 ft. wide. Ran on  light crust 1ft under fresh heavy snow. Ran for  300 ft, stopped at denser timber, on a 30'slope. Started with snow coming off cliff band above.

Party had discussion about conditions, decided to proceed up thru denser tree coverage. 3 members crossed the 3 ft avy path 100 ft below the start point. The thin icy layer on the snow surface  was no longer present. Pinwheels up to 2 ft in diameter where easily triggered. The  1 ft of loose wet surface snow poorly bonded to the thin crust below, easily fractured with snowshoe.  Group made the decision to turn around.

Enjoyed  each other company and the steep decent went by quickly. Trilliums in bloom at the TH