We were three skiers who skinned up the Worm Flows route (also known as the 'Winter Route') of Loowit. We started our trip at 7:30AM from the Marble Mountain Sno-Park. The lot was not crowded as a permit is now required to reach the crater. A strong fog persisted for the first three miles of our trip and we started with minimal layers as the humidity was super high. The weather report was not very promising as high winds and snow were predicted near the summit so we hoped to get as far up as possible to see what we could achieve.
The sun started to peak through the clouds at around 5,200 feet. Along with the sun came some stronger winds so we took a quick break to layer up. The snow became icy at around 6,200 feet so we put on our ski crampons to have better traction. The wind got stronger as we got closer to the summit and the surface showed signs of rime ice. As we persisted through the rough conditions, the clouds started clearing out and we finally saw better views around us. The last 500 feet were rough as winds picked up to 25 miles per hour but we persevered and reached the crater rim at around 1:20PM. We were greeted with views of Tahoma and Pahto in the distance and Loowit's epic crater.
The sun helped soften the snow on our descent but the first 1,000 feet from the summit caused our skis to chatter a lot. We then got some sweet corn snow for the rest of our descent which was so much fun. We saw evidence of wet loose avalanches closer to the bottom near the trees and I managed to get my ski stuck for a little bit in a steep spot. Luckily I was able to get free with the help of my trusty shovel and we enjoyed the last two and a half miles in the trees. We were back at the car around 3:30PM and celebrated our success with beers and guacamole.
My main takeaways:
- Depending on conditions, ski crampons can be super helpful for keeping the skis on the entire way up!
- Timing really matters. Make sure you consider how long it will take to reach the summit and when you'll ski down. Conditions change a lot throughout the day.
- Keep an eye out for slope angles when conditions heat up. There are a lot of steep slopes with large cornices and opportunities for avalanches.
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