West Three Fingered Jack

March 27, 1982

We left Eugene in light rain which finally stopped about Blue River. We parked at the Santiam Pass snowpark and just as we started, the snow really started to fall. We found four inches of new snow, so we set our own trail as we went generally north along the Santiam Trail to the west slopes of Three Fingered Jack. Our group was very strong and we were in the bowl-like area we had set off for before noon.

We took an early lunch break, watching larger and larger snow flakes and clumps of flakes drifting down. The group (all new to one another and only one Obsidian) visited over the wide variety of foods (from thermoses of soup to homemade gorp) and recharged our batteries.

For the next hour or so we took turns finding good areas for more and more challenging downhill runs. During this time the clouds blew away toward Maxwell Butte, although the sun never burned through and we didn’t see Jack. Tired, we started out, but we skied up and down every hill we could find and skied every bowl, even practicing some tree running with quasi-telemark technique. Strong skiing group!

The clouds blew in again, more snow, then some hail and more snow. Our track in had about ½ inch snow accumulated. Mixed snow, sleet, then blue skies and then more snow. Back at the trailhead, we got into dry gear and started home. We finally saw Jack as we rounded Hogg Rock after a pie stop on the way home. Skiers were Jan Gallenstein, Kathleen Hogan, Lee Lashway, Connie Spangler, and Mark Perrin, leader.

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