Trip Report
Yakima and Naches Peaks (Ski-Mo)
Fun day tagging Yakima and taking a run at Naches.
Paul Brown
- Mon, Jun 13, 2022
- Naches, Yakima & Seymour Peaks
- Backcountry Skiing
- Successful
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- Road suitable for all vehicles
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There is still significant snow on both sides of 410, including a high bank at part of the Sourdough Gap parking area, and we were able to start skinning from the parking lot or at the roadside.
Snow coverage is excellent, and moderate temperatures and cloudy skies kept the soft snow skinning and skiing well into the afternoon. There were sun cups, runnels, and some residual wet-loose debris, all of which was soft and didn't present an obstacle for skiing. Tree wells and some glide cracks are present and widening.
Other climbers will want floatation (skis or snowshoes) and potentially traction (boot or ski crampons) depending on the temperatures.
Our team of two started from the Sourdough Gap parking area below Yakima Peak. We skinned up to the ridge connecting Yakima and Deadwood Peaks and then over to the north gulley on Yakima. From there, we booted up in soft but supportive snow, tagged the top, and took a roughly 1000' run down the gulley into the basin below.
From the basin, we skinned back up to and over the ridge between Yakima and Deadwood and then skied back down to the parking lot.
We then crossed 410 to the Naches side, put our skis back on, and skinned up to the NW ridge of Naches, where we switched to booting and continued to ascend tracking the ridge. At about 6300', we decided that the slope and runout exceeded our tolerance to continue and skied back down along our ascent route and then down to around the 5300' level in the drainage for the Rainier Fork of the American River.
