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- May 16, 2013
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Birthday Tour For A Birthday Gift
Ben Toronto had been given one day of ski guiding from his wife for his birthday. What a memorable way to spend a birthday, and how appropriate that this trip be called the Birthday Tour! In the middle of an epic corn cycle with another sunny day forecasted he decided to cash in on his gift.
We drove up the North Cascades highway arriving at Blue Lake trailhead at around 9am. We made fast progress passing several parties traveling below the mighty west faces of the Liberty Bell group skinning up a feature called Liberty Bowl. Just a short distance above the top of Spire Gully we looked at the seasonal gigantic cornice hanging along Blue Lake Col. The cornice, which takes up the vast majority of the ridge line that makes up Blue Lake Col, was as big as ever and looked like a central Seattle duplex overhanging at least 15 – 20 feet precariously perched on the ridge. The left side proved much easier and safer passage so after a few steep switch backs of skinning above Spire Gully, we put our skis on our packs and booted up the final climb to the Col enjoying a fantastic 360 degree view of the Cascades.
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FP1000499.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=e9c48ffc371a7d426e540ac7ec9f1645 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FP1000499.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=c79bce228a6d71f5248167d0538ecc51 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FP1000499.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=8a5ca362d5564ee530bfe96856ce4d9b 700w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FP1000499.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=ac0507bfb3006176641de5b8b94e9840 768w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FP1000499.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=06b3c4a0b79fc9266e9cb373e7c2ffe9 768w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FP1000499.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=deb9591a5fd78a22eaef7892d2151550 768w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FP1000499.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=7a6ddd50656ba225462d1ba34ef9c291 768w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FP1000499.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=5800ac6f8383c316e1453afffb06c250 768w)
Ben botting up Blue Lake Col with South Early Winter Spire and the Liberty Group
in the background. Ian Nicholson photo
From the top of Blue Lake Peak Col we skied the Birthday tours signature run, a nearly 2000 descent down Madison Ave. Besides Madison Ave’s consistent pitch and wide open turns it features incredible views of most of the major peaks of the North Cascades the entire time. After skiing down, we put skis back on and worked our way back up to Poster Peak Col.
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FP1000522.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=ba18ea8bb3979f11177098b562292e94 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FP1000522.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=63bf86b33a04f9304b1fdeabe1b309ac 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FP1000522.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=166316c662fb286b360ce67bf2d5de77 700w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FP1000522.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=5516a73471eda28775b2a4c3fab1ae80 800w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FP1000522.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=3c792e0570829a86ca9548b00a12f612 1000w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FP1000522.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=57696d464019a4838da9ba05ebeecadd 1024w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FP1000522.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=5521d824c0608ffaa28ca1db2718f803 1024w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FP1000522.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=ca9b63b85a0d211caf52142533307453 1024w)
Ben dropping knees down the amazing first descent named “Madison Ave.” Ian Nicholson photo
At this point a few welcome clouds rolled in to help give us some relief from the heat. Poster Peak bears its name because it was used in an advertisement. It looks big and burly in the winter with steep snow fluting and spines abound. Most folks thought it was in Alaska or some other far away range, but in reality its only a few hours away from the hairpin turn on Highway 20.
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FP1000550.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=7e78260d39dc3ec5e951e2673e9c5ca7 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FP1000550.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=e6c511761e139c62e0948ef8598eae4c 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FP1000550.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=3644f27fb2eb62b8151dff53ad634a63 700w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FP1000550.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=55b7aea3a918a266063ae709db76e481 800w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FP1000550.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=708a6edb28507c5822f5ad6e91c93bf3 1000w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FP1000550.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=7bbefcf2d739880161d637ae092b8dc1 1024w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FP1000550.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=2ebc286bd4de3a1f96c8f721f81d30fe 1024w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FP1000550.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=596f8e45f3264f4d77983935d1463b91 1024w)
Ben skiing up towards Poster Peak Col. Ian Nicholson photo
After skiing up to Poster Peak Col, we stopped and ate lunch now enjoying a completely different set of views. The entrance to Poster Peak Bowl is a little steep but was in excellent conditions, being soft and forgiving. Ben dropped in first enjoying dynamic turns with Big Kangaroo looming above us. The skiing was so good in upper Poster Peak Bowl we took two laps skiing excellent corn paralleling the modern classic ridge climb Blue’s Buttress.
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FP1000562.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=79b5533061809702cd91b75ebeaef95e 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FP1000562.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=559402c2108fa26b4184ef472b800144 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FP1000562.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=314ea0a7049cab6cbf72fa6118e2f893 700w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FP1000562.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=24ebecac5d49a4f65d59233738f0c9e5 768w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FP1000562.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=6d38c3ce9308c7507834103ead05a0db 768w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FP1000562.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=6ea88d8ed8b105b2b1583d68b15a6832 768w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FP1000562.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=7cf5d8293d35a1b4ff978a0b41817120 768w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FP1000562.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=d0f5e1d0d9d077544b344171614db3a7 768w)
Ben dropping into Poster Peak Bowl with a steep and fun entrance. Ian Nicholson photo
After our second lap, we savored the turns leading back down to the hairpin turn. When we arrived back at the highway, someone informed us a landslide had occurred only minutes before our arrival. It blocked one whole lane with rock and ice. I quickly hitchhiked the 2 miles back to our car and picked Ben up, not wanting to get trapped on the eastside of the slide while they cleaned it up.
Thanks, Ben, for sharing some great skiing with me for your birthday!
~ MM Guide Ian Nicholson