Traveled up Rescue Creek along the summer trail to observe avalanche activity from the 12/17-19 storm cycle and assess the Persistent Slab problem. We exited the timber in the lower basin of Rescue Creek and noticed only a couple paths had slid during the 12/17-19 storm cycle. None of the paths visible reached the creek bottom and stopped in the upper portion of the runouts.
Traveled up the Rescue Creek summer trail off old highway 2. Trail breaking was horrendous and challenging. Continued cold and stormy weather hasn't allowed for the snowpack to settle and provide for easier traveling; at times, we sank down to our knees while skinning. We attempted to climb and gain the ridgeline separating Rescue from Wahoo Creek but due to difficult trail breaking and lots of vegetation, we only made it approx. 600 vertical feet above the summer trail. We elected to turn around and descend our skin track due to the length of time and effort skinning uphill.
