First time Cardigan advice

[brakeformoose]

Cardigan is one of those places I have been planning on skiing for a few years now and this year I have decided to make it a priority. Right now it looks like Thursday will be the day so I am looking for any good advice that a Cardigan veteran might know. I've read the section on it in Goodmans book and now am trying to decide what the best plan of action is.

So I guess my main question is what is the best route for skinning up? I am thinking of going up Dukes then hiking over to bag the summit and then ski down the Alexandria. However I am open to any better recommendations people may have.

Also, I plan on doing this solo but anyone looking for a Thursday tour is welcome to join.

[boardman]

Any way you do it is fun. I've gone up the Alexandria (actually, the hiking trail to the left of it, forget the name - I'm a boarder, so I snowshoed up) and down, and done the same on the Duke's. Never did the crossover. Both are great rides down. From what I've seen, you won't be skinning much from the one to the other on Firescrew Ridge, because it's mostly rock (but I could be wrong). Alexandria is a little steeper descent, but I not as long, IIRC. Laps on the Firescrew snowfields, when they're in, can be very good. Enjoy, and bring back pics!!

[Seeker]

If you plan to cross over, consider crampons for certain sections. The summit gets quite wind scoured and quite slick in places. Firescrew snowfields are great when they are in!

I also have hiked up the Clark (I think) and skied down Alexandria. If it's broken out, the Alleyway from the bottom of Alexandria is a great way to get over to Dukes without having to go all the way down and all the way back up Dukes. Rider.Steve did it on his splitter and seemed fine despite the fact that it is a traverse.

[PWDR8S]

Being a dyed in the wool Cardigan fan :p , maybe I can extoll some tidbits of wisdom....

If you choose to do the Alexandria trail, the best approach is starting out on the Holt trail by the lodge and then take the Clark trail at grand junction from there on up... this way you don't mark up the Alexandria up. On that side of the mountain you can also do the Kimball Ski Trail and a short Bailey brook Ski Trail. The latter being very mellow. :cool:

On the other side... (not the back side but more like the other ridge across the face toward the North) the Duke Trail which is best accessed via the Manning trail. This gets a little dicey when it gets steep further up. You can skin up the edges of any of these without much hassle. If you have a good 1/2 hr extra in your plans you can pass the top of Duke which essentially stops at where the exposed rock dome is on Firescrew. From there you have to hike up and over and then up more to reach Cardigan Summit and then down to the start of the Alexandria Trail. It does get very windy up top and little snow sticks around up there but the trails are a lot of fun. :D

There are a number of touring ski trails lower down which I really enjoy when vertical is not my goal. There's a couple formerly marked trails that have been neglected like The Whitney Way Out Ski Trail that I've been busy improving when I can. :cool:


Bundle up because we're about to get hit with a deep freeze later in the week!

Enjoy!

[brakeformoose]

Thanks for the advice. It looks like I won't get over there this week so hopefully next Tuesday I will finally be able to ski it.

[Seeker]

There's a couple formerly marked trails that have been neglected like The Whitney Way Out Ski Trail that I've been busy improving when I can. :cool:


Why thank you sir! :D