I did Casaval on Sunday as a day hike, but took the west face variation. The snow was excellent and the coverage consistent in the morning. The snow around 8am was firm with a thin layer of drifting snow. Maybe a bit too hard for boot kicking all the way to the summit, and anything at and above misery hill was a bit icy still in the morning -- I would suggest putting on the crampons around 12000 when you have a chance to do so. Skiing down would be great down on either West face or AV if you are not too late into the afternoon. Especially for hikers, I would suggest getting back to the trail head before 1pm to avoid softened snow -- the snow was very slushy and the boots sank to the knees; glissading got you nowhere below Helen Lake after noon. Have fun!

Went and skied Avy Gulch solo last Fri (June 18th)... Good skiing conditions, I think the climbing conditions will improve by this weekend... still some ice fall danger above bunny flat... just veer climber's right and follow the tracks.

Plenty of snow... put my skis on at the summit... didn't take them off until I was at my car at Bunny Flat. The top 2000 ft or so... until the red banks, the skiing is absolutely horrendous... as you'll see in the pics. From there, it was velvet smooth corn.

http://telek.smugmug.com/Backcountry-Sk ... 8821_xm4NW

I'll probably head back up this Friday...

TeleK wrote:Went and skied Avy Gulch solo last Fri (June 18th)... Good skiing conditions, I think the climbing conditions will improve by this weekend... still some ice fall danger above bunny flat... just veer climber's right and follow the tracks.

Plenty of snow... put my skis on at the summit... didn't take them off until I was at my car at Bunny Flat. The top 2000 ft or so... until the red banks, the skiing is absolutely horrendous... as you'll see in the pics. From there, it was velvet smooth corn.

http://telek.smugmug.com/Backcountry-Sk ... 8821_xm4NW

I'll probably head back up this Friday...

Very nice pics from your trip. Helps to see the conditions at Bunny Flat; I don't want to do the Famous Footwear changorama from hiking to ski boots.

Sean_SF wrote:I did Casaval on Sunday as a day hike, but took the west face variation. The snow was excellent and the coverage consistent in the morning. The snow around 8am was firm with a thin layer of drifting snow. Maybe a bit too hard for boot kicking all the way to the summit, and anything at and above misery hill was a bit icy still in the morning -- I would suggest putting on the crampons around 12000 when you have a chance to do so. Skiing down would be great down on either West face or AV if you are not too late into the afternoon. Especially for hikers, I would suggest getting back to the trail head before 1pm to avoid softened snow -- the snow was very slushy and the boots sank to the knees; glissading got you nowhere below Helen Lake after noon. Have fun!

Great info Sean! We'll be going up and down WFG; pretty much expected to don crampons around Hidden Valley. Thanks!

Saturday was an absolutely beautiful day on the mountain! Too late a start to avoid the raging sun rays and soft snow on our way up WFG, but the ski down on corn was tremendous. We did not summit due to "other" circumstances and the beginnings of post-holing, but I was able to ski WF and have a great time with Tina.......that is success enuf for me.
We had snow from Bunny Flat, I wore ski boots all day, Tina in double-plastics. A few dry patches on either side of Horse Camp, which has the spring unburied at last.
Saw about 10 people going up WFG by the time we got to Hidden Valley (which took us just under 3 hours to get to), and many more coming down that afternoon. DAM if we didn't leave too late, but.......... a better plan and circumstances next year will cause us to be successful.
We stopped around 12K' on a rock cropping just over half way up WFG and took a 2 hour break, watching skiers and glissaders squish by. GEEZ it was warm! OK, it was HOT.
I enjoyed my ski down, except that 40whatever degree section that spooked me, but overall, I was giggling and smiling and digging the corn.
This was definitely the weekend to hit it!

Deb wrote:Saturday was an absolutely beautiful day on the mountain! Too late a start to avoid the raging sun rays and soft snow on our way up WFG, but the ski down on corn was tremendous. We did not summit due to "other" circumstances and the beginnings of post-holing, but I was able to ski WF and have a great time with Tina.......that is success enuf for me.
We had snow from Bunny Flat, I wore ski boots all day, Tina in double-plastics. A few dry patches on either side of Horse Camp, which has the spring unburied at last.
Saw about 10 people going up WFG by the time we got to Hidden Valley (which took us just under 3 hours to get to), and many more coming down that afternoon. DAM if we didn't leave too late, but.......... a better plan and circumstances next year will cause us to be successful.
We stopped around 12K' on a rock cropping just over half way up WFG and took a 2 hour break, watching skiers and glissaders squish by. GEEZ it was warm! OK, it was HOT.
I enjoyed my ski down, except that 40whatever degree section that spooked me, but overall, I was giggling and smiling and digging the corn.
This was definitely the weekend to hit it!

Geez, you're lucky and fortunate to get it! Summit? Ah, sure, would've been nice, maybe, but, sounds like it was awfully good. Good work.

Condition updates? Any one been up there recently? We're hoping to do Bolum from the N. Gate, with skis. It is badly suncupped? and starting at what elevation? Any info would be appreciated...

See the post on t-tips under Shasta- Lassen for recent update.