Last weekend we snowshoed up to High Hut. High Hut is a part of the Mount Tahoma Ski Association hut to hut groomed ski system. You might notice the operative word here is ski and not snowshoe.
While it is permitted to snowshoe, the volunteers ask you stay to the right of the groomed area so skiers can use the cords to gracefully glide on. This is where the terms “yard sales” and “biting it” come into play.
The elevation gain is rather steep 2300′ within 4.7 miles and ends at the 5,200 ft level where you can see a picturesque view of Mt. Rainier in the background. It truly is worth the struggle to the top.
I almost always bring my GoPro with me. It is better than lugging my nice full frame Nikon DSLR. I can usually capture enough footage, that I can freeze and clip into still shots as well. Every once in a while I get in the way of myself however like in this example.
It’s a good thing my friends Carrie and Valerie were with me this day, because Carrie rescued the GoPro in a snow pile and when I took a major tumble, they both just got on adjacent sides and pulled me up off the ground. I am almost embarrassed to admit that I am such a bad snowshoer.
By the time I made it home, I decided that I was going to go get touring skis. So I ended up purchasing, with the help of another friend, this combo
There is a bit of a learning curve here however. The boots are touring boots and just above the heel you can unlock the top to get hiking mode. The bindings are called “shift” bindings, they also unlock at the foot so your heel can come loose for sliding up the hill with these other things called “skins” that you attach while going up and take off while going down. The skis are crazy too. They are wider and shorter for better, now this is what you have been waiting for “control”. It’s all about control Lisa.
I think I’ve educated myself enough on the why and how, now I just need to get practicing. Hopefully away from other people.
If you want to watch the video of the High Hut trip you can find it here.
A Year of Wonderland 