Redcloud Peak
Redcloud’s gentle south ridge.
Peak#22: Sunday, April 3, 2016.
Elevation: 14,034′
Ski Route: Traverse to Redcloud from Sunshine on the South Ridge, Descent of NE Face and Silver Creek Gulch.
Roundtrip Mileage and Vertical: 22mi / 10,200′ (Includes Redcloud and Handies all in the same day).
Ski Partners: Roger Carter and Anna Migl
Start Time: 515am (Mill Creek then Sunshine first)
Reached Summit: 1030am
End Time: 12noon at Silver Creek/Grizzly Gulch after Skiing Sunshine too, then headed next to Handies.
Leaving Sunshine behind.
After leaving Sunshine behind, it was a very easy skin up to the top of Redcloud. While transitioning in the saddle between the two peaks Anna lost her skin bag in the wind! Oops! It blew out onto the cornice to our east. Roger and I cautioned her NOT to go out and get it. Got to be more careful next time! We moved on.
Summit #22!
We reached the top around 1030 and pulled skins. The wind was steady at about 20mph. From the top of Redcloud it was a long way down and west towards Handies but we figured it would be really fun skiing the northeast face of Redcloud to then circle back down and west down the Silver Creek drainage to the summer trailhead along the closed and snowed in Cinnamon pass road.
My turns on the face, a shallow gully with reasonable snow.
We descended. Roger and I found a really fun shallow chute on the northeast side and skied it.
Roger making turns.
Looking back up the NE face after skiing it.
This led into the standard trail valley and then we all cruised down a deep valley passing several avalanche chutes and reaching the Grizzly Gulch/ Silver Creek Trailhead by Noon.
Heading down toward Handies in the distance.
The day was flawless and we took a short lunch break at the bathrooms at the trailhead.
Summer trailhead buried.
So far so good, two peaks down and one to go for the day. (Story Continues on the Handies Peak Page).
Lunch Break before tackling Handies.
