May 26, 2008, Crystal, Threeway and Silver Basin
5/26/08
WA Cascades West Slopes South (Mt Rainier)
2304
0
Night-before plan was Paradise but I had hopes that Rainier rainshadow would keep things nicer longer at Crystal. Not sure that was true, particularly since there was a lot of East-West air movement.
Skinned up Quicksilver, still cover from within 50ft of lodge on that run. (Broadway really starting to melt out from crossing streams, BTW.)
Ants emerging from the snowpack, right in middle of Quicksilver run
On way up went past Gunbarrel above the lake, and it looked in good shape so took a quick detour lap on it, then continued to basin below Threeway. The "billygoat" trail from col to ridge was now melted out, and really only one viable ski line existed on Threeway - one of the three main gullies. Skinned as high as practical but booted last 250vf where slope probably 40 degrees. Kicked through to rocks occasionally so that ski line on its way out too. Underlayer reasonably firm but top layer slow and slidy. This led to slow careful turns on narrow part to make sure didn't wash out or catch a sluff until things opened up.
View South towards Chinook from Threeway summit, note darkening skies
Original goal was Quartet by continuing to King then further. But incoming weather nixed that. Thunder peals heard in distance became closer and more insistent, and topping out on ridges seemed more and more like a bad idea. When I could start seeing the flashes despite the insta whiteout all around, time to get outta there. Hail-like precip now began for duration of descent, and lightning/thunder pretty much once every 60 sec. Silver Basin skied well, but soft snow on the approach road was now a great hindrance in trying to get off the stormy mountain, and I expended a great amount of energy skating. Went down Boondoggle, still good, partially in desire to keep good distance from any big metal things with miles of cable hanging on them for as long as I could. Rain and thunder continued while I degeared in parking lot and rain continued well down 410. Wonder if everybody throughout the Central Cascades caught the same 3:30PM wave of thundershowers (including my original destination of Paradise.)
General coverage: Silver Basin and Threeway area good. King: the steeper chutes are out, probably only Appliances and vicinity still continuous on north, but still OK on Silver Basin side. Queen: lift side mostly OK but Powder Bowl from top looks discontinuous unless there's a ribbon hiding in a gully somewhere. REX lines: Lucky Shot & Iceberg mostly OK, Sunnyside not so much (you can see that on the camera, tho looks like they stopped updating last Saturday ...) Never got far enough to see into Green Valley.
Skinned up Quicksilver, still cover from within 50ft of lodge on that run. (Broadway really starting to melt out from crossing streams, BTW.)
Ants emerging from the snowpack, right in middle of Quicksilver run
On way up went past Gunbarrel above the lake, and it looked in good shape so took a quick detour lap on it, then continued to basin below Threeway. The "billygoat" trail from col to ridge was now melted out, and really only one viable ski line existed on Threeway - one of the three main gullies. Skinned as high as practical but booted last 250vf where slope probably 40 degrees. Kicked through to rocks occasionally so that ski line on its way out too. Underlayer reasonably firm but top layer slow and slidy. This led to slow careful turns on narrow part to make sure didn't wash out or catch a sluff until things opened up.
View South towards Chinook from Threeway summit, note darkening skies
Original goal was Quartet by continuing to King then further. But incoming weather nixed that. Thunder peals heard in distance became closer and more insistent, and topping out on ridges seemed more and more like a bad idea. When I could start seeing the flashes despite the insta whiteout all around, time to get outta there. Hail-like precip now began for duration of descent, and lightning/thunder pretty much once every 60 sec. Silver Basin skied well, but soft snow on the approach road was now a great hindrance in trying to get off the stormy mountain, and I expended a great amount of energy skating. Went down Boondoggle, still good, partially in desire to keep good distance from any big metal things with miles of cable hanging on them for as long as I could. Rain and thunder continued while I degeared in parking lot and rain continued well down 410. Wonder if everybody throughout the Central Cascades caught the same 3:30PM wave of thundershowers (including my original destination of Paradise.)
General coverage: Silver Basin and Threeway area good. King: the steeper chutes are out, probably only Appliances and vicinity still continuous on north, but still OK on Silver Basin side. Queen: lift side mostly OK but Powder Bowl from top looks discontinuous unless there's a ribbon hiding in a gully somewhere. REX lines: Lucky Shot & Iceberg mostly OK, Sunnyside not so much (you can see that on the camera, tho looks like they stopped updating last Saturday ...) Never got far enough to see into Green Valley.
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