Sue and I have been wanting to get out for another snow cave trip. Alan and John came along this time. Even better John showed up a great spot that is often used by folks in the area for digging out a snow cave. I can see why since it is a beautiful spot! John has done this many times and only came up for the day and boogied out that evening. We were happy that Alan was able to join us on this trip.

	Zimmerman Lake parking lot, departed about 1pm.	Final packing of the gear, applying sunscreen which doomed us to clouds and light snow.	Partway up.	John Tillema joined us to give us the benefit of his vast snow caving experience.	John, Bob, Alan.

	Looking north from the same sign.	Sue and Alan.	Bob, Sue, Alan.	Zimmerman Lake looking east.	John and Alan.

	Zimmerman Lake looking south-east.	It's about 20 feet from where we are to the bottom of the gully.	Incredible spot for building a snow cave with the steep slope.	Sue and Alan	Sue and Alan

	Sue stepping off the ledge. It is hard with the pack.	Sue has her balance.	Alan contemplates the route down.	Getting down the steep slope to the bottom was a challenge.	Sue requested that Bob boil water for oatmeal for lunch, Alan and Sue start digging.

	Yumm hot oatmeal - apple cinnamon! The streaks are falling snow.	John taught us the trick of using a tarp to haul away snow.	Dig Alan Dig!	Sue started on the first platform to the left and found an old tunnel!	This could save us a lot of time, we thought!

	Turns out NOT - the tunnel walls were rock hard ice and took forever to enlarge this into a sleeping platform.	I do NOT want to know.	Digging the right sleeping platform.	Using the tarp saved gobs of time and effort.	Fill the tarp, drag it out and downhill, empty it, and drag it back inside to refill.

	Another small hole on the right side!	But it petered out to nothing.	Note black and gold 6-foot probe pole on right - invaluable for discovering snow depth.	Alan digs left, Sue digs right.	Bob and John drag out snow on tarps from the cave we are digging.

	Plastic Lexan shovel versus metal - the straight thin metal is better for slicing into hard snow, the thicker curved plastic is better for scooping loose snow and shaping. Both have telescoping handles and are unbreakable.	Sue has a pretty good spot created on the right side.	The left side was rock hard and Bob and Alan tag-teamed working on it.	Only boots visible now.	Sue is drinking hot water. She had just poked Bob to boil some up for her.

	Alan talks us into a ski/snowshoe around Zimmerman Lake, which is gorgeous in the setting sun.	Bob cooks dinner - steamed veggies, chicken nuggets, corn tortillas. The Svea 123 camp stove sits on a hot pad so that it doesn't sink into the snow.	Yummy! Though the corn tortillas did not hold together well. Flour tortillas tend to do better.	Eating fancy! Fresh veggies steaming in the double-boiler. Chicken nuggets are in the bottom pan. The Svea 123 is roaring away pleasantly.	Alan brought chili and a cool rice dish.

	Nice "armchair" sitting platform carved out of the snow.	Hot food, yumm!	Chicken nuggets were in the shape of dinosaurs :-)	Inside the cave on the right sleeping platform, just tall enough to sit up in. Next time I want a few more inches in height.	Sue entering the cave.

	The gear is all inside now.	Alan's side, notice nice "fridge" slot for a bottle.	Several tarps are needed underneath to keep the snow off your sleeping bag.	Bob and Sue settle in. Bob's socks are already off and barefoot.	On top left, cyalume stick acts as a night light. Headlamps are still needed but the cyalume stick is nice when all the headlamps are off.

	Sue starts to change out of the web gear and into dry.	Next morning (Sunday), bright sunshine, spread everything out to dry.	Alan and Bob. Snow cave is mostly empty now, we pack everything back up, eat lunch.	Notice height of Bob compared to height of snowbank above, and taking the photo I'm another 5 feet lower.	Can't have too many tarps.

	Notice Alan's skis up top with ski poles crossed - left them there overnight in case someone skied up the trail to the overlook, they'd think twice about jumping off.	Alan is already packed and decided to do a quick ski trip to the south-east edge of the lake.	Bob and Sue are still waking up and letting clothes dry in the bright sun. It's about noon.	Gutsy birds asking for a handout.	Banana wasn't going to survive the hike out, they enjoyed it.

	Alan hiked up to the top and will ski up the lake headwaters while Sue and Bob pack up	Coming back down the slope is tricky.			Final packing up to head out.

	Heading back to the parking lot.		Another skier on the trail, Ted from Olympia, Washington. Notice bulge in ski where the screw holes are.	Ski de-laminated under the front binding and the binding's screws popped out.	Ted had to hike out carrying his skis.

	Back at the car, Alan still has the extra car key.	Packing up the car.	Across the road and west, one skier cuts fresh tracks while a helicopter flies over.	Diamond Peaks.

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