Artist Point

Report is for Seattle branch winter camping trip to Artist Point scheduled for March 12 - 13.

Due to borderline weekend weather forecast, trip leader gave participants the option of backing out. 3 cancelled and 8 said they wanted to go for it. On arrival at the trailhead winds we encountered winds that were significantly higher than predicted. Based on observed conditions we scaled back our plans and decided to try to find a protected campsite somewhere close to the ski area cat track. We scouted as high as the visitor center, but after two hours we could not find a site that was sufficiently protected. Conditions appeared to be worsening, with one participant reporting that they it was starting to take extra effort to remain standing during the strongest of the gusts. Given that some participants were uncomfortable with the idea of staying overnight on snow in such high winds, that conditions appeared to be deteriorating, that the forecast predicted continuous winds all night and even stronger winds on Sunday morning, and that some participants had only 3 season tents (which would have been fine given the original forecast), the trip leader made the decision to turn around. We arrived back at the trailhead at approximately 1pm.