Unorganized planning lead me to Deer Ridge trail and a little bit of obstruction point trail (goal was Maiden peak but failed due to snowshoes breaking).
I took snowshoes but did not need them for deer ridge. It was surprisingly snowless until a bit before the camp. Road for deer ridge was clear driving in (just Potholes) and trail was in great conditions.
I didn't realize that road for the deer camp must not be used, it was so picture perfect when I arrived, it hadn't been touched since the snowfall. At the camp the snow is just ~shoe high
Because I made good timing I decided to continue on to Obstruction point with Maiden as a goal. I once again didn't need snowshoes until perhaps just pass half way to Maiden. The snow became tiresome at perhaps 1700m, and then became progressively more tiresome. All but one strap on my snowshoes ruptured, thus the "tiresome", speaking from someone that is still healing from a torn labrum...oops.
I started to wonder about avalanche possibilities around 1800m just before the 1926m point, there is one sloppy and bare section to cross (sorry, all my maps are metric). I bailed on the Maiden idea because the going became too slow so I tried for the point. I picked a terrible line and hope nobody will see my postholing disgrace. So I turned around a few meters from the top because although the snow felt it would hold me. Everything beneath me was a mystery, I am was mostly on what felt like slabby rock or buried trees and I did not like that too much.
On the way back I went up to Blue mountain and that was really nice. I've spent so long in the cascades that I forget you can see the ocean so close! Also a very cute family of deer calling camp their home.
On the way down I realized I didn't appreciate how nice the upper section of the deer ridge was. With easy terrain and perfect views of the Royal Basin edge, it was really something special. The forest was so so but the bottom where the Rhodos are is a haven :)
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