Blue sky day to start with 20cm. of fresh new snow. Three of us started on AT gear with skins and two on touring gear with wax shortly after 10:00am. The plan was to ski to the base of the Giant Steps and then return.
At Fairview Junction heading in
Fortunately, the trail was broken from the Moraine Lake parking lot to the bridge at the Annette Lake junction, so this relieved some of the anxiety of having to break trail the full distance.
Not far from where we entered the creek drainage
On this section we met one skier returning from the 1st bridge and passed two skiers who had no destination in mind. These were to be the only people we saw all day.
Mt. Temple in the background
At the junction we noticed an old track filled in from the recent snowfall. This proved to be very useful as the route which occasionally crisscrossed the creek using solid bridges proved to be well chosen.
Paradise Valley drainage
It ended shortly after the large avalanche slope which crosses the creek about half way up the valley. Somewhat after this we found ourselves on the old summer trail, but eventually abandoned it to drop to the creek. We wanted to be near the creek so we could see the start of the north drainage from the Giant Steps.
Fortunately, our timing for this was nearly perfect as we were just near the start of this drainage. This drainage proved to be even more open than the south branch drainage. We were able to get a good view of the "steps" from a distance so this relieved any doubts about being in the correct drainage.
In the north drainage heading towards the Giant Steps
At the base of the Giant Steps it seemed that some wanted to climb up to the top.
Jane at the base of the Giant Steps
It was a fairly steep ascent through trees with one of the skiers on waxed skis switching to skins partway up. The other skier with waxed skis may it up without skins due to the snow caked on the bottom of their skis.
Starting the climb up the Giant Steps
At the top there was a stop for photos and a second lunch.
Group at the top of the Giant Steps
The panorama looking up the drainage going to the Giant Steps
We were able to find the summer side trail going back to the main Paradise Valley trail until it crossed a gully, where we lost it on the other side. None of us had been up here in years in the summer and of course no other ski tracks so were unable to know the route. We headed in the direction of the main summer trail through reasonably open trees and meadows. The summer trail was reached possibly 50 meters above the upper bridge.
At the bridge crossing on the Paradise Valley trail
Having been at this point two years ago we knew the route back to join our "up" track. Some nice powder skiing down to this with possibly a few turns by the AT gear skiers. Once we joined our up track it was a nice ski and glide to the first bridge. Shortly after the first bridge we encountered post holes from hikers who had tried to come up the ski track. This made the skiing more challenging to keep the skis tips out of the holes. You had to wonder who and why they had come so far from the Moraine Lake sinking into crotch deep snow so often. People with hangovers, idiots or trying to prove some kind of physical stamina? Anyway we all made it safely to Moraine Lake Road where it was an easy ski back to the car. We arrived just shortly after 6:00pm
A rather unique trip as most of the people ski to the top of the Giant Steps from the bridge at the main trai although with the decommissioning of the summer trail it appears to be far fewer people now go up their than in the 80's and 90's. Chuck from Skier Roger's blog has a report of skiing to the base of the Giants Steps much the same as we did, I believe, last year. I suspect very few if any people have skied up the north drainage and then climbed up beside the Giant Steps then further completing the loop back to the south drainage and out.
It seemed all were satisfied with the trip though a number of us were walking "funny" after taking the skis and boots off. Thanks to all who joined me and for all the trail breaking done and good company on this longish tour. Thanks to Jane and Evan for the photos.
