Report Submitted by Sara M (trip) Date: Tuesday Jan 02, 2024
Submitted: Tuesday Jan 02, 2024 at 21:29
Participants:
just me
Discussion:
I haven't been out much this season for a bunch of reasons. Cuthead was pretty high in my priority list when I finally had a free day to go skiing. The groomed Cascade fire road is in surprisingly good shape considering this season's low snowfall. The tracks are getting a bit washed out but that was just fine for me and my LT skis. The skier-set track beyond Stoney was somewhat crusty and full of animal (mostly wolf) tracks. After I passed Mr Democracy's turnaround point, the remaining 3km of trailbreaking was amazingly easy. Ski penetration was only a few centimeters through light dry snow and hoar crystals over the rain crust. I had a quick late lunch at the cabin and then made my way back. Wildlife of note: a lynx with two kittens! No pictures though :(
Total distance: 50.00 Km
groomed trail in good condition
love this spot
pretty easy trailbreaking
Cuthead cabin
6 comment(s) posted
Comments:
2024-01-02 at 22:23 - comment by Chuck
Thank you Sara M.
That photo of your "Love this Spot" brings back this memory of being encouraged to check out that exact same spot, by you know who, to photograph this kill site on the way to Cuthead Cabin...
... and of course, it is very close to Helen Read's brown bird memorial at the Elk Trap!
2024-01-02 at 23:40 - comment by Mike W
Great work Sara! Do you think the track is suitable for (expensive) narrow skin skis? i.e. won't wallow in the snow or hit the ground?
2024-01-03 at 16:58 - comment by Sara M
Mike - I think you would be ok on skinny skis. I don't think you'd hit the ground. In the last 3km there might be a couple spots where skinnier skis might break through the crust, but I don't think it would be every stride. Watch out for rocks at drainages/creeks.
2024-01-03 at 17:38 - comment by aqua toque
You touch on a valid point MikeW.
In a low snow year such as this "Dollar value of skis" would be a helpful field on the "Post a new report" form.
2024-01-03 at 22:03 - comment by Mike W
Thanks Sara. I clearly have a gaping deficiency in my quiver of skis, between my 44mm track skis and my 89mm light touring skis. I definitely need a pair of metal-edged light touring skis just wide enough to fit in the tracks. I'll nickname them my Cuthead Cabin skis!
2024-01-04 at 17:36 - comment by RainerA
That is an impressive ski distance Sara, especially with LT skis.
Just wondering how fast the skier must have been going to take down that Elk on Chuck's road kill photo?
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