Gold Hill Cabin XC-1, XC-2, SS-1 and SS-2
January 14-15, 2023, Gold Hill Cabin, XC-1, XC-2, SS-1 and SS-2
Leader: Jim Langdon, 509-943-3992, no texts
Drive: About 280 miles round trip
Cost: $78; includes: $42 carpooling, $30 cabin use fee and $5 for share of
fresh food.
Depart: 7:00 AM Saturday
Sign-up: By 9 PM on Thursday, January 12th
The Gold Hill cabin is two miles and 800 feet of rise from the Chinook Pass
Highway not far from the pass. We will drive up the Chinook Pass Highway
(State Route 410) as far as the road is plowed, then we ski or snowshoe the
two miles up an unplowed Forest Service road to get to the cabin. Above it
is a valley full of enjoyable snowshoeing, ski touring or ski
mountaineering. These tours can be taken Saturday afternoon and Sunday
morning, including trips to the crest for views of Mt. Adams, Mt. St. Helens
and Mt. Mount Rainier, and the Crystal Mountain Ski Area.
We pack in the fresh food (Jim provides this), and everyone should bring a
sleeping bag, flashlight, cabin shoes, Saturday lunch, your normal daypack
and personal gear. The cabin has bunk beds upstairs and a few places on the
fold out couches downstairs so you don’t need to bring a sleeping pad.
Always bring clothing for anything from blizzards to rainy conditions.
Skiing or snowshoeing experience is not necessary, but you must have enough
skill and conditioning to make that 2 miles into the cabin and the return to
the cars. Beginning skiers should be warned that the route out is on a road
and is sometimes fast. If the snow conditions are not to your liking, you
can walk back to the cars, it takes about an hour. Sign-ups are limited to
ten (10) people.