Trip Report
Winter Scramble - Aurora Peak (winter)
Lots of solitude from the shore of Lake Crescent to Aurora Peak on this ~9 mile/~5000’ gain trip. Pristine views of North Fork Soleduc valley and the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
Dave Morgan
- Sat, Dec 22, 2018
- Winter Scramble - Aurora Peak
- Aurora Peak
- Scrambling
- Successful
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- Road suitable for all vehicles
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Alpine skills came into play early thanks to the government shutdown (the Storm King restrooms were locked, and nearby portapotties were padlocked). Snow started at ~1500’, but snowshoes were not needed until the saddle at 4050’. The ridge crest leading east to Aurora Peak had a surprisingly low snow cover which gave us an unexpected amount of practice negotiating fallen timber. We experienced exhilarating ~30mph gusts on the open slope just SW of the summit, with much lower winds on the remainder of the route.
A great day in the mountains with tree drip in the morning, no precipitation for most of the day, and steady rain starting at 3:30pm. We were very surprised by the low snow cover with recent reports of excessive snowfall elsewhere. Headed out from the unmarked trailhead at 9:10am, summited at 1:30pm and with a brief break for food and clothing, headed down at 2pm. Reached the cars at 4:40pm (just after sunset) for a 7.5 hour total trip time. Photos from past trips can be seen here.