Elaho Valley never disappoints when it comes to long approaches and big objectives. Our plan was to ski Blanca Peak, a striking summit tucked deep in the Elaho region. The reality check came in the form of distance, time, and the classic “why-is-this-so-far” feeling.
We parked at the Branch E300 junction, where we began skinning. The logging road was snowy but manageable, and we covered about 8.6 km just to reach the start of the proper trailhead zone.
From there, we pushed up another 5 km, gaining elevation and weaving through rolling terrain before realizing Blanca wasn’t going to happen. With limited daylight and the summit still a good haul away, we shifted our objective to the East shoulder, which still offered decent terrain and surprisingly good snow.
The turns were worth the effort, soft, playful, and untouched. The views opened up to some dramatic backdrops of Elaho’s rugged terrain. The East shoulder offered a rewarding descent, and let’s be honest, it’s always better to ski something rather than nothing after a long approach.
The return was uneventful, other than the usual slow grind back along the logging road. We made it out before dark, tired but satisfied.
No comments:
Post a Comment