MRNP-Anvil Rock June 19, 2008
6/15/08
WA Cascades West Slopes South (Mt Rainier)
2071
0
Left Paradise at 7:30 A.M. No wind, nice and brisk 35*.. Workers were just starting their day on the new Visitors Center. Easy skinning on a firm snow base. Followed a couple Park Rangers replacing fallen wands and marking off melted out areas of bare ground. A fox and marmot almost at the same time greeted me just before reachiing Alta Vista bench.
The trail up to Pan Point is in excellent condition. The switch back traverse is easy to negotiate. This spot I put the skis on the pack . One of the few spots that are melted out to bare ground. Slowly plodding up to Pebble Creek (2.5 hrs), I can tell my lack of conditioning is getting the better of me.
Not giving up yet, I put the skis back on and started to skin up to Muir. The wind starts picking up. I pass a wary climber on the way down, He mentions the high winds at Camp Muir. He said he had had enough and was going down. You could see a rather larger plume at Gib Rock and a huge lenticular cloud building. Fast forward 4 hours , and I am only at Anvil Rock.
A snowy type of grapel starts to fall and the lenticular starts to make a deep dive towards me. Skins come off and I am ready to retreat. The mountain has beaten me again.
6.5 hours to Anvil Rock. Slow. Out of shape.
I start to ski. The snow is soft creamy corn on a firm base.............until I get down to Pebble Creek. It gets soft , deep, hard to turn . It's a sloppy slog down to Paradise on some sticky , over the handle bars, ski adventure .
It's great to be back up in the mountains after a layoff from months in school.
Fantastic shots of lenticulars on Adams, MSH, and Rainier. The ring of fire right in our back yard. Fantastic!!!
The trail up to Pan Point is in excellent condition. The switch back traverse is easy to negotiate. This spot I put the skis on the pack . One of the few spots that are melted out to bare ground. Slowly plodding up to Pebble Creek (2.5 hrs), I can tell my lack of conditioning is getting the better of me.
Not giving up yet, I put the skis back on and started to skin up to Muir. The wind starts picking up. I pass a wary climber on the way down, He mentions the high winds at Camp Muir. He said he had had enough and was going down. You could see a rather larger plume at Gib Rock and a huge lenticular cloud building. Fast forward 4 hours , and I am only at Anvil Rock.
A snowy type of grapel starts to fall and the lenticular starts to make a deep dive towards me. Skins come off and I am ready to retreat. The mountain has beaten me again.
6.5 hours to Anvil Rock. Slow. Out of shape.
I start to ski. The snow is soft creamy corn on a firm base.............until I get down to Pebble Creek. It gets soft , deep, hard to turn . It's a sloppy slog down to Paradise on some sticky , over the handle bars, ski adventure .
It's great to be back up in the mountains after a layoff from months in school.
Fantastic shots of lenticulars on Adams, MSH, and Rainier. The ring of fire right in our back yard. Fantastic!!!
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