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Past Activity

Three Fingered Jack

  • Start date: 02/02/2019

  • Start time: 12:00 AM

  • End date: 02/02/2019

  • End time: 11:59 PM

Description:

We will drive to Santiam Sno-park and ski to the NNW following established ski tracks near the route of the Pacific Crest Trail. Our turnaround point will be on the west slopes of Three-Fingered Jack, and there will be opportunities for exhilarating downhill turns, either telemark or alpine touring. Recent fires have opened up much of this terrain and made route finding easier. However, this trip is weather dependent as high winds or precipitation can make skiing difficult. Alternative trips might begin from Potato Hill sno-park.

  • Event Leader: Gordon Sayre

  • Event Leader Phone: 541-515-9450

  • Event Leader Email: gsayre@uoregon.edu

  • Assistant Leader: John Hartman

  • Event category: Trips

  • Area Type: Mountain

  • Departure Location: South Eugene High School, 19th & Patterson

  • Rating: Difficult

  • Roundtrip total drive miles: 180

  • Season: 2019

  • Permits Required:

  • Event Status: Passed

  • Supplies and Equipment Required: This trip is intended for experienced back-country skiers with sturdy boots and metal-edged skis, who are prepared for steep descents on narrow trails. That said, this terrain is more moderate than the recent trips to Maiden Peak or Redtop Mountain. Climbing skins are recommended, and all should carry warm layers of clothing, extra gloves, mittens and socks, lunch and ten essentials. Avalanche beacons not required.

  • participant prerequisites:

  • Conditions:

  • Total Distance: 8

  • Member Fees: 1

  • Elevation Gain: 2000

  • Non-Member Fees: 5

  • Committee: Trips

  • Junior member fees: —

Trip Report

The forecasts for this weekend said that snow level would be 5000 or 5500 feet, and it had already rained a lot during the last days of January, so we considered post-poning the trip, but the three of us agreed to try skiing after all. Gordon drove from SEHS to Santiam Pass, and we were the second car to arrive in the snow-park, following a load of sledders. It was foggy as we set off northward along a network of snowshoe and ski tracks through the burn. Visibility was very limited and John's GPS navigation reassured us we were on route. After a stop for lunch we reached the ridge above the PCT and found some large cornices, and a small tree with six feet of snowpack somehow balanced on top of it. Around 6000 feet the slush resembled corn snow, and some snowshoe trails helped make our climb a little easier. We never put on the skins. The descent went more quickly than I expected, with a few nice tele turns, and the clouds began to clear, but not enough for long views of the Sisters. We made a brief detour to see the old Santiam Lodge, boarded up and decaying, it has somehow survived the fires that have swept through the area since 2000. A quick drive home and we were back in town by 5 pm.