July 5 - Whitman Crest, Mt Rainier

Grabbed an available day to get the July turns in. Trail shoes to the hairpin above Frying Pan Creek, then booted up chutes to Meany Crest (with a couple of talus crossings). Skinned up the Frying Pan to the crest at 9,323', about 4 hours 30 min from car. Alternate blasts of Turkish bath heat and cool, rainy wind. Decided the visibility was too poor to carry out original plan of descending the Whitman and Ohanepecosh glaciers to Indian Bar (not to mention adding 3 hours to an already long day trip). The top 2,500' of skiing was great, smooth corn on a solid base. Skied down the "Goat Cirque" headwall for steep turns, then contoured back to Summerland. Inelegant turns down suncupped snow and debris brought me back to the hairpin and the hike out. Back at the car in about 7 hours total, with almost 4,000' of skiing, most of which was excellent.