Feb 14, 2009, St Helens
2/14/09
WA Cascades West Slopes South (Mt Rainier)
2031
0
Left Seattle at 3am and met up with the Portland crowd in Woodland at 5:30.
Sno-park at Marble mt was open and it was an easy skin up through the trees. Above treeline we worked are way up and east (climbers right). Visibility varied in the morning, and we could never see the summit or top 1000' of the mt. At about 11:30 the clouds really came in and we were blindly traveling into the abyss... vertigo was setting in and we were always relieved when we would stumble upon a rock for reference! By 2pm we were at 7500-ft and had had enough of the abyss. Also, above 7000' the snowpack was changing to a cohesive wind slab over the ice layer (3-12" deep). Below 7000' on all aspects this new snow had not been cohesive.
So we ripped off the skins, had some triscuits and jerky and prepared to figure out which way was down! As we were putting our skis on the sun broke just enough to give us a decent view down and we took advantage, quickly dropping in. The snow was VERY wind affected above 7000', and each turn would bring 12" of fluff or 0" of ice. From 7k to 5k, the skiing was superb. Best run of the year so far for us. 12" deep and relatively light, no sun/warm crust in most places. Below 5k the top crust set in, but skiing was still very enjoyable.
All in all we were pumped to get out on the mountain and grab a over 5000-ft descent.
Sno-park at Marble mt was open and it was an easy skin up through the trees. Above treeline we worked are way up and east (climbers right). Visibility varied in the morning, and we could never see the summit or top 1000' of the mt. At about 11:30 the clouds really came in and we were blindly traveling into the abyss... vertigo was setting in and we were always relieved when we would stumble upon a rock for reference! By 2pm we were at 7500-ft and had had enough of the abyss. Also, above 7000' the snowpack was changing to a cohesive wind slab over the ice layer (3-12" deep). Below 7000' on all aspects this new snow had not been cohesive.
So we ripped off the skins, had some triscuits and jerky and prepared to figure out which way was down! As we were putting our skis on the sun broke just enough to give us a decent view down and we took advantage, quickly dropping in. The snow was VERY wind affected above 7000', and each turn would bring 12" of fluff or 0" of ice. From 7k to 5k, the skiing was superb. Best run of the year so far for us. 12" deep and relatively light, no sun/warm crust in most places. Below 5k the top crust set in, but skiing was still very enjoyable.
All in all we were pumped to get out on the mountain and grab a over 5000-ft descent.
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