McCormick Peak - Spring skiing is well on its way!

What a weekend this was. Friday a couple new touring friends and I were going to make use of my snowmobile to get up the Cha-paa-qn Peak divide trailhead, when low and behold,  it broke down ~2 miles up. We continued on for a bit, when I decided to turn around while they continued on so that I could try and get my snowmobile back down. 

Getting ready, while blissfully unaware the snowmobile would soon be broken.

I suppose I was asking for this when I purchased an old 94 Yamaha for a very low price. None-the-less, 'Boss Hog' had served its purpose very well throughout the year. When getting the snowmobile down failed that day, I decided it'd be good to try again Saturday with my Basset Hound, Marshall. 

Marshall, enjoying the snow.

While Marshall and I were skinning up, a very nice father & son duo offered to tow my snowmobile back down. Hopping onto the back of the fathers' sled, I thought Marshall would eventually follow the remaining ~1 mile. Not so. Upon arriving at 'boss hog' the son came zipping up and informed me Marshall had dove off the side of the road. (He had never seen/heard a snowmobile before, and related it to a vacuum cleaner x100)

Quickly, we hooked up and started towing it back down. Much to my relief, when the son had gone back down to look for him, Marshall had already came back up onto the road, scared out of his furry little mind. Marshall wouldn't let me out of his sight for the rest of the day.

Saturday evening, I made last minute plans with Mike to try out McCormick. Which turned out to be a fantastic, yet sunburning decision. 

The road is gated till June 1st ~3 miles from the base of McCormick.
(Open to Snomobile useage Dec. 1)

Tis the season to haul all your gear!

Stages like this, can't help but wonder  if we'll actually be able to ski.

Only had to pack about 3/4 of a mile, but the snow is melting quick!
Might be the last time someone can skin the majority of the way.

This was the first time we've really encountered some real predator type tracks. In the morning the snow was firm enough hold a cub, but a full grown one pushed through, despite it's massive paws. :S

To gain perspective, my ski tips are 142mm (5.6") wide.
Can't quite make out the cub prints beside it though. 

Skin tracks & plenty of wolf tracks.

Stark Mountain to the south.

Scoping a potentially fabulous mid-winter tree skiing area. 

A gorgeous day with about 55-65 degrees all the way to the top!

By the time we were to head back, these tracks would be completely melted.

You can see the tip of Stark Mountain wayyy in the distance.

First couple sightings of Cha-paa-qn Peak.

Looking east, with Blackrock Peak to the left, and Cha-paa-qn Peak off to the right.

North-east; Blackrock Peak, and the Mission Mountains in the distance.

Me!

Mike.

What a dump Montana is right? haha.

Overall it was a very comfortable and exciting trip. The snow up top was fantastic corn, while the lower you went, the more mushy it got. With a few more weeks/days of freeze melt cycles, we'll have that great corn from top to bottom.

Thanks for looking!

-Miles Granger