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- May 31, 2015
- Messages
- 3,286
18-December-2015
Whenever I hear about Y Mountain, I can't help but think it's kind of lame. The first bit up to the Y is generally crowded and not worth it. The views from the top of the mountain are nice, but it's not really a spectacular walk to the top. Prior to this trip I had been to the top once in 2014, and it was a fun hike. It was fairly strenuous, so I decided I'd be fine not doing it again. But of course, I ate my words.
We got lots of snow recently, my final exams ended, and I was dying to get out somewhere for a dayhike. I had never snowshoed before, so I decided to rent a pair and head out to do the Slate/Slide Canyon Loop (this plan changed halfway through the hike). I checked the avalanche forecast every day, and the stars aligned for me on Friday as the avalanche risk dropped.
The worst part of this hike is definitely the walk up to the Y. 11 switchbacks and most are fairly steep. Just a pretty boring stretch, but the views are pretty good if you ignore all the fences and powerlines nearby. There were 2 other people walking the Y trail as I went up. Not a lot of visitors when it's all slippery and snowy.
I'm happy that the clouds receded after an hour or so.
I got up to the Y and headed up the Slide Canyon trail. I put on my snowshoes anticipating more snow, but there wasn't really much. Yet. I passed a couple who was strapping their snowshoes on just a ways up the trail. They said the snow was a lot deeper from then on. They were right. I didn't see anyone else after passing them.
It was around here that I finally started to appreciate the snowshoes. For a while, I assumed that a human had broken the trail, but when I looked closely, there were no human footprints (or snowshoe prints) in the snow. I guess the wildlife up there just tends to follow the general direction of the trail to get where they need to go. It was convenient for me, as I didn't have to break trail until I was farther up.
The tree branches hung down pretty low in places. I loved seeing how much snow had stuck to them.
The trail started thinning out when I got to Bear Flat. I camped here back in June. It would be fun to do in the Winter too.
I headed up further and got to the turnoff for the route to the summit of Y Mountain. It looked like a deer or two had headed up that way. The trail that continued on to connect with Slate Canyon had not been broken. I felt adventurous for a little bit and decided to try for the loop. I changed my mind after about 25 steps. Breaking trail was a lot harder than I thought (especially after gaining 2300-2400 vertical feet in less than 3 miles). So I decided that I wouldn't risk self destruction and I'd go for the summit of Y mountain instead of completing the rest of the loop.
Aspens near the fork in the trail.
Where I decided to turn around. I'm guessing the depression in the snow is the course of the trail.
Well, the route to the summit wasn't broken very well either. I went for it anyway.
Looking back. More low tree branches.
Nice views now that the sun had come out.
Big props to the deer who ran up this way and left a path.
Looking back toward the connection with Slate Canyon.
Around here, I broke off from the deer prints and headed to the East summit. I cursed my snowshoes and the very powdery snow as my feet sunk down about 18-24" with each step. I had gone into this thinking that it would be easy, but I was a bit too confident in my physical ability. It took me a long time to cover the fairly short distance to the top.
Almost to the top. Really clear skies.
Finally at the top. Nice views to the East.
The lens got foggy here. Time to head back before my toes got too cold.
On the way back to Slide Canyon.
Back to Bear Flat.
I guess I learned here that snowshoeing a large elevation change over a short distance is rather difficult, but I had a great time. The trail is much prettier when there's lots of snow on the ground.
Whenever I hear about Y Mountain, I can't help but think it's kind of lame. The first bit up to the Y is generally crowded and not worth it. The views from the top of the mountain are nice, but it's not really a spectacular walk to the top. Prior to this trip I had been to the top once in 2014, and it was a fun hike. It was fairly strenuous, so I decided I'd be fine not doing it again. But of course, I ate my words.
We got lots of snow recently, my final exams ended, and I was dying to get out somewhere for a dayhike. I had never snowshoed before, so I decided to rent a pair and head out to do the Slate/Slide Canyon Loop (this plan changed halfway through the hike). I checked the avalanche forecast every day, and the stars aligned for me on Friday as the avalanche risk dropped.
The worst part of this hike is definitely the walk up to the Y. 11 switchbacks and most are fairly steep. Just a pretty boring stretch, but the views are pretty good if you ignore all the fences and powerlines nearby. There were 2 other people walking the Y trail as I went up. Not a lot of visitors when it's all slippery and snowy.
I'm happy that the clouds receded after an hour or so.
I got up to the Y and headed up the Slide Canyon trail. I put on my snowshoes anticipating more snow, but there wasn't really much. Yet. I passed a couple who was strapping their snowshoes on just a ways up the trail. They said the snow was a lot deeper from then on. They were right. I didn't see anyone else after passing them.
It was around here that I finally started to appreciate the snowshoes. For a while, I assumed that a human had broken the trail, but when I looked closely, there were no human footprints (or snowshoe prints) in the snow. I guess the wildlife up there just tends to follow the general direction of the trail to get where they need to go. It was convenient for me, as I didn't have to break trail until I was farther up.
The tree branches hung down pretty low in places. I loved seeing how much snow had stuck to them.
The trail started thinning out when I got to Bear Flat. I camped here back in June. It would be fun to do in the Winter too.
I headed up further and got to the turnoff for the route to the summit of Y Mountain. It looked like a deer or two had headed up that way. The trail that continued on to connect with Slate Canyon had not been broken. I felt adventurous for a little bit and decided to try for the loop. I changed my mind after about 25 steps. Breaking trail was a lot harder than I thought (especially after gaining 2300-2400 vertical feet in less than 3 miles). So I decided that I wouldn't risk self destruction and I'd go for the summit of Y mountain instead of completing the rest of the loop.
Aspens near the fork in the trail.
Where I decided to turn around. I'm guessing the depression in the snow is the course of the trail.
Well, the route to the summit wasn't broken very well either. I went for it anyway.
Looking back. More low tree branches.
Nice views now that the sun had come out.
Big props to the deer who ran up this way and left a path.
Looking back toward the connection with Slate Canyon.
Around here, I broke off from the deer prints and headed to the East summit. I cursed my snowshoes and the very powdery snow as my feet sunk down about 18-24" with each step. I had gone into this thinking that it would be easy, but I was a bit too confident in my physical ability. It took me a long time to cover the fairly short distance to the top.Almost to the top. Really clear skies.
Finally at the top. Nice views to the East.
The lens got foggy here. Time to head back before my toes got too cold.
On the way back to Slide Canyon.
Back to Bear Flat.
I guess I learned here that snowshoeing a large elevation change over a short distance is rather difficult, but I had a great time. The trail is much prettier when there's lots of snow on the ground.
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