For weeks I've been carefully watching the weather and the snow levels in the mountains. There's a special road I know that is usually clear of snow in the month of May. When it is clear (enough) it provides short, but tough access into the snow-bound Cascades.
During the summer months this area is pretty easy to access and sees its fair share of visitors. In snow, it's virtually deserted. And while other trailheads are packed we saw exactly zero people on this trip.
Early season adventures aren't without their perils. We had to stop short of the actual trailhead due to snow. Getting back to a place we could park meant backing up a ways and a 20-point turn on a narrow dirt road. The creek crossings were a little sportier and the ice on the lakes is a little thinner while still tempting. Steep gullies are icy and falls could be bad.
But the rewards are incredible. The hills are covered with snow and the tarns are ringed in electric blue melt water. The marmots are just waking up and cranky. And the glissades are a blast.
I carried snowshoes for this trip and used them in a few short sections, but generally they aren't needed. Crampons and an axe would have been useful on the steep gully, but the snow was just soft enough to kick good steps.
Since this was several weeks ago the road has now fully melted out and the perils are perhaps a little less perilous. There's even fewer excuses to not get out and explore the high lands than before.
If you missed it this year, be sure to make plans for next. It's harder than adventuring in summer, but it's absolutely worth it.
