September 14, 2008, Muir snowfield
9/14/08
WA Cascades West Slopes South (Mt Rainier)
8082
10
Beautiful warm day, interesting snow, desperate times for certain skiers. Lots of cracks open at 9700'+ Some areas between 8-9K have dirty suncupped snow soft enough to be fun, but carries involved now above Pebble Creek, and between 9500 and 10K is down to ice and looks like WSDOT has been too agressive with the black sand and salt, with water flowing in little icy runnels except far skiers left. Top few hundred feet can really clean the bases. I punched through one crack with one leg while booting up, and after scrambling out of that and hopping a few more decided I was there to ski down, not see who was at the hut up the icy water slide at the base of Camp Muir, so headed down from 9800 or 9900'. Never seen it that melted out and cravessed on the snowfield. Probably got 2500 VF in two segments
A few photos here
A few photos here
Looks like you got your stone-grind taken care of for the season, though. Also, looks as though Paradise Glacier patches or Coleman Pinnacle area patches will retain snow that has marginally better quality to Muir, at least until the new flakes flutter down to earth.
Great ski day yesterday!
Great ski day yesterday!
Yes to all that, Greg.
What I could see of Paradise Gl from Anvil Rock looked smoother, whiter, prettier. Of course, "the snow is always whiter on the other side." I didn't come up that way, so didn't go down it, not knowing about how intact it might be. It was great to be out.
What I could see of Paradise Gl from Anvil Rock looked smoother, whiter, prettier. Of course, "the snow is always whiter on the other side." I didn't come up that way, so didn't go down it, not knowing about how intact it might be. It was great to be out.
FYI
I was in the vicinity of the Paradise Glacier yesterday and watched two skiers make nice truns down the PG but then get stopped by bare ice about 300 ft from the base. Last week there was a small strip of snow left that avoided the ice but now it's melted out.
I watched them climb back up the Glacier rather than try and circumnavigate the ice ( my ssumption as that could have been their plan all along). The only way to get all the way down from what I could see would be to downclimb the ice for about 100' to get back onto the snow apron or move onto the rocks skier's left and downclimb them but they are pretty smooth as they where once covered by the glacier.
I was in the vicinity of the Paradise Glacier yesterday and watched two skiers make nice truns down the PG but then get stopped by bare ice about 300 ft from the base. Last week there was a small strip of snow left that avoided the ice but now it's melted out.
I watched them climb back up the Glacier rather than try and circumnavigate the ice ( my ssumption as that could have been their plan all along). The only way to get all the way down from what I could see would be to downclimb the ice for about 100' to get back onto the snow apron or move onto the rocks skier's left and downclimb them but they are pretty smooth as they where once covered by the glacier.
One of several Paradise patches just minutes from the Muir Snowfield, yesterday . . .
Smooth like buttah once it softened up (around 2:00 PM) and all the tracks are ours.
Smooth like buttah once it softened up (around 2:00 PM) and all the tracks are ours.
Nicely framed photo. Nice turns
Thanks, Chris. Good to see you and your crew in the parking lot!
author=Scotsman link=topic=10896.msg44640#msg44640 date=1221506908]
Nicely framed photo. Nice turns
Ditto.
Good job keeping it going Don!
author=Don_B link=topic=10896.msg44625#msg44625 date=1221454928">I punched through one crack with one leg while booting up, and after scrambling out of that and hopping a few more decided I was there to ski down
Here's an interesting report of another crevasse fall from the Rainier Climbing Conditions blog:
This is not the best time of year for kids. A 14 year old girl fell 20 feet down into a crevasse. She was wedged there until the climbing rangers with the help of some guides pulled her out.
author=gregL link=topic=10896.msg44645#msg44645 date=1221514183]
Thanks, Chris. Good to see you and your crew in the parking lot!
Good to meet you guys, and it was cool to know there were lots of fellows gettin' after it in September.
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