WEST FACE | MOUNT WASHINGTON | CASCADES (CENTRAL) | OREGON | UNITED STATES

All Locations>>UNITED STATES>>OREGON>>CASCADES (CENTRAL) >>MOUNT WASHINGTON >>WEST FACE
WEST FACE
WEST FACE
Date Created: 09/16/09
Last Updated: 09/16/09
Ranking:Good
Avalache Terrain Rating:Challenging What's This?
Hardest Difficulty:Black what's this?
Average Difficulty:Black what's this?
Skiable Vert:1300 ft
Climbing Vert:2650 ft
Top Elevation:7400 ft
Trailhead Elevation:4750 ft
Ascent Mileage:3
AVG Ascent Time:2-3 hours
Ascent Type:Bootpack, Skin, Easy Crampon/snow axe
Trees:none
Slope Aspect:West
Steepest Section:35-45 Degrees
Slope Type:Bowl, Face
Exit:Clean
First Descent:
Nearest Town:Sisters
AVG Snowfall:400
Snowpack:Maritime

Highlights

Beautiful Steep Skiing. It is a little bit of a journey to get there. Better in the spring and early summer when you know the conditions are going to be primo.

Ascent

In the winter, from Santiam Pass, Route 20, follow signs to Hoodoo Resort. From there drive past Hoodoo and park in the Sno-Park at the end of the road. Take a sled the North End of Big Lake, take a right, then a another right, on semi-obvious roads. Follow the road to a summer camp. Park at the wilderness boundary and skin slighlty southeast. The forest is thick so know where you are going. You ar trying to get to the northwest ridge. From there it will be straight forward

Descent

Ski the very obvious West Bowl.

Access/Permits

Wilderness.

Photos

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Vert Tracker

Powderjunky: June 26, 2010 Uphill: 3,800 ft. | Downhill: 3,100 ft.

Went out to ski the North Shoulder and West face. It couldn't have been more ideal summer conditions. Not much snow on the first leg of the trail. But the climbers cairn was buried and we passed it by...[view]
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All Locations>>UNITED STATES>>OREGON>>CASCADES (CENTRAL) >>MOUNT WASHINGTON >>WEST FACE
People die skiing in the backcountry every year. Avalanches, crevasses, trees, human error, weather, tree wells, rabid sasquatches, among other things can kill you in an instant. Use this guide at your own risk, we are not responsible for any wanker getting all wanked up in the wankin' backcountry. That being said, even the most experienced backcountry skier can get caught off guard. Take avalanche classes, carry a beacon, probe, shovel and avalung AND KNOW HOW TO USE THEM. Just because you buy them, doesn't mean you get magical powers of invincibility. Many people who own beacons have no clue how to operate them. More importantly than any gear you can buy, you need to know how to safely travel in avalanche terrain, minimize potential hazards, and interpret how weather affects the snowpack. This requires time and experience. Learn from others, be safe and courteous, and when in doubt go home and live to ski another day. The amount of snow needed to be dug up to rescue a buried victim, on average weighs right around an actual ton. In North America 25% of victims die from hitting trees, rocks, and other sharp unforgiving surfaces. It only takes one miscalculation to have the mountains kick your ass. Just because you see tracks or someone else skiing a line, does not mean you should ski it. Remember, individual actions affect all of us. Take care of each other out there, we are all on the same team.