Trip Summary:
Stephanie Innis and I headed up Hadley Peak for an August ski on one of my Friday's off. We were able to ski nearly 2000 vertical feet of some of the better summer corn, let alone August corn, that I've skied.
The morning snow was quite firm and required crampons for the ascent. The top 200ft up to the shoulder just to the climber's right of the summit were steep enough to require front pointing. But after spending a lazy lunch hour on the summit, the snow softened enough for a few inches of corn to sprout up on top of the suncupped glacier. There were a few crevasses on the Hadley glacier that were starting to show. But none of them were large enough to swallow a person unless one purposely dived in, and they made for good jumping.
The approach trail along Cougar Divide had fabulous views. However, the August bloom of killer mosquitoes kept us from enjoying a liesurely approach. Instead, the attacking mosquitoes drove me to hike madly. I later put on my ski pants and jacket to keep from being eaten alive; one layer of polypro did not stop these mosquitoes.
Details:
Hadley Peak, ~7500 feet
Skiing from 7400 to 5500 probably through September
Approach along Cougar Divide, roughly 2hrs from trailhead to snow
Photos:
Hadley Peak, Mt. Baker's North Ridge in background
Pleasant Meadows or Mosquito Hell!
Steph climbing the lower slopes of Hadley
Bill F. hiking up the lower Hadley Glacier (small crevasse in background)
Steph front-pointing up steep snow to ridge.
Steph skiing down (Mt. Shuksan in background, summit 'schrund visible)
Steph ripping the Hadley corn.