Turnagain Ho

Subzero temperatures at the Bertha Creek pull-out about an hour before sunrise had us moving quickly to get on our way up Spokane Creek to Lipps.  The well worn lower trail to Lipps is a little painful just below the power line, and the upper trail has seen a lot of traffic.  Turnagain hoar frost has grown through much of the snowpack resting on the Thanksgiving Rain Crust and has become a nice soft, sugary, and fun-riding top layer.

Lipps Lap

Although plenty of powder seekers have enjoyed her flanks over this dry spell, Eruk, Lucy, DP, Kyle and yours truly found the untracked experience on Lipps.  After lapping the fall line for a couple of Lipps laps, we felt the allure of exploring up valley and decided to tour up toward the Spokane Creek headwaters.  The exploration was a success revealing more Spokane moraine topography than  expected.  We added Spokane Glacier Bowl to the gotta-go-there list.

Click to enlarge

If I understood DP, the peak west of Spokane Gl is named "Grandaddy";  peak 4173 south of Spokane Gl is another one perhaps they call Grandaddy.  Can a Turnagain place name expert please let us know the consensus Grandaddy location?

Uptrack under Grandaddy's South Side

Sunny skies on 18-Dec-2010 with temperatures in the high teens at 2500 to 3500 ft el, and subzero below 1000 ft el.  Eruk and I both lost skins just above the road, but made the first climb with the help of some tape.  Stowing skins next to my base layer during the first run left them rejuvenated, and they stuck for the subsequent three ascents (in 10 to 20F warmer temperatures).  Variable winds occasionally sprayed plumes off the 4000 ft el ridgelines and freeze-dried us as we transitioned around 3500 ft el.