Home > Trip Reports > September 13, 2009, Muir leftovers

September 13, 2009, Muir leftovers

9/13/09
WA Cascades West Slopes South (Mt Rainier)
9724
13
Posted by telemack on 9/14/09 4:49am
     Mosetick, cmjsetalth and I left the car at about 11 AM.  Beautiful day, not too crowded.  We started skinning at about 7100' linking white patches with old dirt.  Traction was fine, with 2 carries and some tiptoe-ing on the boards to our high point.
     At about 7900' I met a ranger descending from Muir who seemed to decide just by looking at me that I was destined for a horrible injury at any minute.  He told us 4 times that we'd have to pay for a rescue, asked, "You a local?" and when I said yes, that I'd been around there quite a bit and was getting some September turns, said, "You could ski in South America for the price of a rescue".   It was kinda odd.  I skipped saying anything like, "So, if we don't get rescued, will you pay for my SA ski trip?"   ::)  We turned around at 8500' after beholding ice sprinkled with boulders, crevasses and running water. 
     As most of us know by now, the skiing is variable at best.  Skier's left edge of the snowfields held a ribbon of untracked white that we could play with.  We all broke off for short yoyos at different points while the others took photos, which got a rough total of 1600' turns.  The best open, smooth slope was just above where we left our sneakers.  The W. edge of Paradise Glacier looked better, but by the time we viewed it we could look but not touch.
     Mini-laps in close to Indian-summer weather---neat-o.  cmj and Mose appreciated my flavored vodka, although they thought I should have brought more....
     A fine day, boys; good crew and pace.  No rescue needed!
Thanks for moving the TR, Charles.  It's interesting how many more views it gets when it's in the right place!    ::)   

Great trip. I look forward to skiing with you guys again!

My spaces slideshow


Nice pics, I got the same 'customer service' on Monday getting my Sept turns, though socked in all day and no pics.

I love the "are you local" question--If you're a 'local' enjoying the park, it must mean you're only contributing small $'s and not worth better treatment.  I wondered where that same vigilance was later in the day when I passed 12+ different folks hiking up in the full on clouded white-out in jeans and sneaks at 4pm asking if this trail would take them all the way up to the glaciers, or the couple I gave my poles to and kicked deep steps for who were stranded and lost in the clouds on the small snow field over a section of the skyline trail.

Was a cool day to be out on the mountain though, having to focus on and enjoy only what was immediately around me--perfect for my late summer/fall mantra "it's now not about the turns, it's about the mountains".

Great trip guys!!  Despite the less than ideal Muir snowfield conditions, I still had a great time!!  Hopefully I will never have to see the snow field so bare again, EVER!!  Looking forward to deep powder this winter!!

Hey Guys, Nice to meet you, SplitBrdr and I were headed down as you were going up....glad the vodka worked and and it wasn't ruined by the scotch....ahhhh...skiiing in september.

Steve

Yeah, hello, Troll-io. I think there is a snap or 2 of you guys but I'm not sure if they are in Mosetick's or cmj's.  Enjoy.  Might run into you again in October....but not before....

Good Report Mac,
Since Mt Rainier is a "National Park", doesn't this make everyone "Locals"  ???
Try to make it up our way some this winter, the vibe is a lot more "customer  friendly" in the Olympics.

Gary and Jan

author=telemack link=topic=14044.msg58792#msg58792 date=1252957769]
         At about 7900' I met a ranger descending from Muir who seemed to decide just by looking at me that I was destined for a horrible injury at any minute.  He told us 4 times that we'd have to pay for a rescue, asked, "You a local?" and when I said yes, that I'd been around there quite a bit and was getting some September turns, said, "You could ski in South America for the price of a rescue".   It was kinda odd.  
     


I have gone back and forth between posting a scathing play by play of our interaction with Ranger Dick or just simply letting it go or making a call to the NPS Head Ranger. This is really bugging me so I just need to get it out there with as little sarcasm as possible. Saturday was a beautiful day and we were thoroughly enjoying our leisurely hike up towards Muir. Lisa and Andrew cut out early after reaching 7700' or so, both were doing the Headwaters century ride on Sunday so the first patch was enough to satisfy the need for September turns. Paul and I decided to stay out longer and made our way to Muir.
After a long break we were just about to gather up our gear when Paul was approached by a guy and the following exchange took place:
Ranger: How you doin?
Paul: Uh great.
Ranger:I'm a ranger here.
Paul:oh, hi
Ranger:You heading to the summit?
Paul:uh no just a day hike to Muir. How about you?
Ranger:No I work here at Muir,You got a line picked out?
Paul: uh no not really, just the same route we came up.
Ranger:You been here before?
Paul:uh yeah, every September and October for the last 5 years.
Ranger:Do you feel comfortable skiing in these conditions?
Paul:Yep we did it last month, about the same.
Ranger:Ever been injured?
Paul:uh no, not really.
Ranger:You a TAY member?
Paul:uh I occasionally post

WHAT? REALLY? This guy was questioning Paul in a way that was not very friendly, it was with an accusatory tone. (at this point I walked away pretending to go to the outhouse so as to not say something snide)
...eventually 2 RMI guides hijacked the conversation and turned it towards "adventures of a trust funder" blah blah blah, so Paul was dismissed. Otherwise I am sure we would have gotten the fiscal ramifications lecture as you did.

Here is the thing, Paul is the NICEST, most polite, non-negative, non-judgmental guy there is and this conversation continued to bug both he and I for the rest of this beautiful day on the Mountain, a National Park, paid for by us! The feeling we came away with is that we were criminals, like we had done something wrong, or like we had to pass some sort of a litmus test. Like Telemack said, it was odd, really odd. All I can say is what a jerk. There I feel better.
Did we really look inexperienced? Perhaps Ranger Dick needs some schooling in how to judge experience levels in his employers (he is after all, a public servant) I KNOW government employees, especially feds spend more time in "training" than actually working, maybe he could take a course in public interaction.
What a prick.


Notice the question about TAY. Some of them don't like TAY as some people use this site to complain about them( I am one of the guilty). They are anti-skier and pro-climber and don't mind helping to sustain the ecological mess that is Muir or the RMI mule trains.

Although it is very PNW to accept their rudeness and move on, this sort of behaviour needs to be reported because like you , I have had some days spoilt by some Rangers inappropriate attitude.

" National Parks: America's greatest idea" ADD " that has been corrupted and messed up by a group of bureaucrats who's only aim is the survival of that bureaucracy at the expense of common sense, waste of money and treating the people that own the park as visitors that have to be endured and treated like idiots rather than welcomed as individuals.
End of Rant.


Think I'll go up there soon just to try and meet this Ranger and provoke him.

author=Scotsman link=topic=14044.msg59128#msg59128 date=1254356484]
Think I'll go up there soon just to try and meet this Ranger and provoke him.

funny cause Paul commented later, "that guy was lucky I'm not the Scotsman"!

author=Scotsman link=topic=14044.msg59128#msg59128 date=1254356484]
Think I'll go up there soon just to try and meet this Ranger and provoke him.


That's my boy!





Go get em Scottie :)

The ranger is Phillipe, part of Camp Muir Team 1, "The Telluride (Colo.) Ski Resort ski patroller is in his second summer on Mount Rainier".

http://www.thenewstribune.com/adventure/story/793344.html

“My goal,” Lofgren said, “is to professionalize even further the direction Mike (Gauthier) was taking the program and get the absolutely best mountaineers and rescuers on the hill.”

I have great respect for the work Mike Gauthier has done to build the climbing program and rangers on Mt. Rainier, and wish my best to Stefan Lofgren as his successor to continue that work.  If I'm ever in need of help on the mountain, these are the guys.

Having said that, there is no place for the disrespectful and rude behavior we encountered at Muir that day.  Professionalism is more than being the best mountaineer and rescuer.

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september-13-2009-muir-leftovers
telemack
2009-09-14 11:49:29