Home > Trip Reports > August 10, 2008, MRNP Paradise Glacier

August 10, 2008, MRNP Paradise Glacier

8/10/08
WA Cascades West Slopes South (Mt Rainier)
6206
6
Posted by Don_B on 8/10/08 1:44pm
Cool, foggy trip, never cleared at our elevations.  sorry no pix.

Snow at and around lower Paradise Glacier was dirty, with small suncups and some runnels, just soft enough to be easily carvable.  A bit sticky on the flats.
Saw no humans or fresh tracks above Skyline Trail and Van Trump Memorial, but they might have been there. Could not see much.  Saw 3 skiers on a little slope back near Paradise Road
We did see a ptarmigan in summer color, lots of ruby breasted finches with their punk haircuts, and some kind of empty rookery with rocks and snow all covered with guano near the foot of the Williwakas Glacier.
Wildflowers are in full glory. Lots of visitors but lot and road parking available.

We booted it where snow was thin, to keep mngmt satisfied.  (3.9 psi for my weight and boot with up to 6" deep print) instead of ski (0.7 psi for my weight on one ski with up to 1/2 inch print) ???
Don,

Did you get higher up on the Paradise? I'm curious if the conditions are good from Anvil Rock down - thanks for the beta!

Did not get higher. We spent too much time getting to lower Paradise wondering why we were crossing more creeks, finding ourselves at the Williwaka first, and there was no way to see the upper glacier. It's just a guess, but I would guess it is not much different most of the way up to Anvil Rock but could be some cracks. Probably best (and nicer) to approach from the Paradise, not the Muir Snowfield, to see what you are getting into.

Scott,

On Sunday, 8/10, the conditions from Van Trump Monument up the "Edge" just east of the rockband separating Paradise Glacier from Muir snowfield up to approximately 8400' had small suncups with just a little butter on top for generally excellent skiing conditions with a few caveats:

Optimal climbing route from Van Trump Monument to just below McClure has several rockband crossings with challenging route finding under low visibility conditions.

Lower Paradise rolloff at ~7400' is essentially a "no fall zone".  Take care on climb and don't ski too low before bailing west to the rockbands.

Large crevasses at ~7800 adjacent to rockband have not yet opened, but are likely getting thinly bridged.

Open crevasse just east of rockband at ~8000.

Thanks much, Marco. 

Super, thanks for the beta.
Any hunch/guess/speculation on what conditions will be like by August 21?
We had been planning on just heading to up to around 7800' as per this earlier TR:
http://www.turns-all-year.com/skiing_snowboarding/trip_reports/index.php?topic=10760.0
(protocol would be roped for the ascent, then unroped for the descent, with each person still wearing harness of course and having full crevasse rescue kit, and we'd just do Muir instead if vis was questionable)

Hi Jonathan- Snow Bell and I skied the Paradise Glacier on Friday. I would echo what was said above. We ascended via the Muir snowfield and dropped in a little bit below the bergschrund below Anvil Rock, and were rewarded with over 2000 ft. of vert- it is DEFINITELY worth the trip! I had the good fortune of going with an experienced "guide" who knew his way around. The crevasses are still definitely avoidable, but you need to watch out coming over the rollers- stop and look carefully. Suncupping is getting a little more prominent, but the surface is still soft. I'll try and post a couple of picture links later (they are on my other computer).

David

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august-10-2008-mrnp-paradise-glacier
Don_B
2008-08-10 20:44:18