The North Bowl of Yamsay Mountain

Yamsay Mountain in the Oregon Cascades

Yamsay Mountain is a relatively unknown ski tour in Eastern Oregon with great backcountry. Though it can be a long approach the skiing is quite good. It has steep lines and mellow lines so lots of great options. Here is the trip report below.

Ski touring on Yamsay Mountain

We can’t always get what we want and the forecast for Tuesday was cloudy and the possibility of rain so we decided to head to Mt Yamsay a broad shield volcano east of the Cascade crest. As we were driving from Klamath falls we could see that McLoughlin and Mt Scott were engulfed in clouds yet East of the crest was still sunshine.

The mountain hosts Cross country skiing during the winter and is relatively flat other then the North face which was carved out by Glaciers long ago.

Our route to the summit of Yamsay Mountain
Our route to the summit of Yamsay Mountain

After digging out the car for an hour we decided we shouldn’t push our luck anymore and this was our starting point

Leaving our car at the base of Yamsay Mountain
Leaving our car at the base
Amar skinning up the road at all cost
Amar skinning up the road at all cost
I chose to bootpack up the road
I chose to bootpack up the road
Finally making our way to a solid snowpack
Finally making our way to a solid snowpack
On the summit with the foundation for a old lookout tower
On the summit with the foundation for a old lookout tower
Amar skinning to the summit Ridge
Amar skinning to the summit Ridge
Amar looking into the North bowl with Klamath Marsh in the valley
Amar looking into the North bowl with Klamath Marsh in the valley

Skiing down Yamsay Mountain

The North Bowl of Yamsay Mountain
The North Bowl of Yamsay Mountain
Amar droping off the sumit of Yamsay Mountain
Amar droping off the summit
Then I snowboarded down a different line into the north bowl of Yamsay Mountain
Then I snowboarded down a different line into the north bowl
Looking back up at our lines
Looking back up at our lines
Amar skiing down to the lower elevated bowl
Amar skiing down to the lower elevated bowl
Looking up at all the possibilities on Yamsay Mountain
Looking up at all the possibilities
This chute reminded me of Gunnbarrel at Crystal Mountain
This chute reminded me of Gunnbarrel at Crystal Mountain
Looking back at the summit and some technical terrain
Looking back at the summit and some technical terrain
Skinning up the now bulletproof snow
Skinning up the now bulletproof snow
We followed the low angle slopes down a gully
We followed the low angle slopes down a gully
And I managed to fall into the creek
And I managed to fall into the creek
Once we reached 6’500 feet we did a long traverse back to the car
Once we reached 6’500 feet we did a long traverse back to the car

You could lap that North bowl there are some gnarly lines to be had.

If you enjoyed this post make sure to check out my other trips on the Cascade Volcanoes in the link below.

Snowboarding 25 Separate Volcanoes in a single season