Home > Trip Reports > Unicorn-emphasis on corn, MRNP, June 14, 2008

Unicorn-emphasis on corn, MRNP, June 14, 2008

6/15/08
WA Cascades West Slopes South (Mt Rainier)
5456
4
Posted by Keith_Henson on 6/14/08 11:34pm
As Friday was my last day of work I felt it important to set the tone for my retirement. Yesterday morning I parked at the Bench Lake trail head of the Stevens Canyon Road at around 9:00 and by 9:30 was booting toward the 6500 Unicorn Saddle.

Snow all the way there. Easy walking on firm snow with occasional tracks until Snow Lake. There the tracks ended and the sun beating down on the slopes approaching the steep headwall to the upper basin made for very slushy snow and required serious step kicking.

On the way up I noticed another skier heading up and benefiting greatly from the steps I had put in.The upper basin was firmer but still still required kicking steps and even some post holing. After going about a fourth of the way toward the saddle I stopped at a convenient rock for a repast and to wait for the approaching skier to allow him to kick some steps for awhile. That made the steep climb up much easier.

At the top of the saddle I headed up the ridge toward Unicorn for a couple hundred yards and threw on my skis while admiring the views of the volcanoes to the south. The other skier had gone further up and so I had the pleasure of skiing the untracked basin. It was a serious kick making the right turn off the ridge, through a narrow slot, and then looking at the huge, untracked basin.

The corn was deep, more than 6 inches, and was exquisite. Especially pleasing was the wonderful sound the corn made as i made turns down the virgin slopes. The skiing on the headwall to Snow Lake was difficult because the snow was so deep and slushy but steep enough to make it happen.

I traversed the basin above Snow Lake on skis in snow that was wet, deep, and like concrete. But I was able to ski all the way to the car--the snow getting better as I got closer to the road as it was not as sun exposed..

click here for more pictures.
Now that it how to start your first day of retirement!
Congratulations on both retirement and getting some nice corn.

Nice, I hope my first day of retirement is that nice !
Maybe we ought to start a retired guys lodge with huts at Ashford and Greenwater.

Keith, thanks for the boot pack up both cols.  Jill and I were touring Unicorn on Monday.  Congrats on surviving to enjoy your retirement.  I retired 7 years ago at age 54 and wish I stopped sooner.  Midweek skiing is wonderful.  ;D


    I don't know if you'll see this but  there is a Unicorn Pk in Yosemite up at Tuolumne Mdws.  You could ski and climb if you like in the beginning of June

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unicorn-emphasis-on-corn-mrnp-june-14-2008
Keith_Henson
2008-06-15 06:34:20