East Peak 03/27/2013

A two day adventure to claim East Peak.  A lot of my co-workers said I should hike up to East Peak which is on the other side of the ski resort.  The ski patrols were bombing regularly so that seemed like  a good idea.  Monday I tried for East Peak but I didn't get started until noon.

The snow was iffy at best.  I really should have gotten out more early but everyday is differnt as far as consoildation, sun, tempature so I guess it's good I make mistakes and then learn from them.  This time I was trying to reach Pacific Crest Trail and I went up the gully above Gold Hill.  I would have done it in the morning but by the time I got there the snow was knee deep and it didn't change with elevation so as the slope got stepper I wasn't going anywhere.  Maybe that's an abandoned chair lift, I don't know because I never got to the top.

The same day I next tried a route that was a bit steeper but shorter close by the other gully leading me towards Crown Point.  The same thing happened only worse as I believe I was crossing a stream and waterfall that had been frozen over.  No dice, so I went back home feeling unfulfilled

My chef told me that there was a trail to East Peak from the road that led to Gold Hill community but in  my ignorance I had decided to route find and it cost me a day.  The road is the white line to the bottom right, the trail I took was right before it switched back.  It connects with the PCT which is the white line to the left going vertically.  It was a round about way of getting there but it worked.

Here is the sign from Gold Hills Road.  I've actually been up that way before but hadn't made the connection that this would lead to East Peak.

I got off to an earlier start leaving Alpine Inn before 8 AM.  I could immediately tell the deference, as I really didn't need snowshoes at this point.  The views of the ski resort were cool form this angle.

There were many side trails and off chutes but I had my trusty logs that someone put there to show my that I was on the right path.

Some of the East Peak cliffs with wet snow avalanche derby.

Another view of the ski resort where you can really see the lines.

Here's I believe Crown Point on the left and Pickhandle Point cut off to the right.

Here's where I could see that if the snow was more consolidated that I could have made up on Monday. The snow was only ankle high, and some wet snow avalanches from one or two days ago.

I decided to go to East Peak first because there was almost a white out fog.  There was a cross I believe for a ski patrol dog.  I descended soon after as I could take any pictures and now have a whole world to explore.