May 12, 2004, Chinook Pass, Pt.6567, Seymour Pk.
5/12/04
WA Cascades West Slopes South (Mt Rainier)
3209
6
Larry R. and I got a 8:30AM start at Tipsoo Lake. We skinned around the south side of Naches Peak toward Pt. 6567. When heading to 6567, do a traverse on the south side of the connecting ridge with Naches Pk., just below the ridgeline rock outcrops. This will lead right to the saddle at about 5720 ft. Traversing the north side is dooable, but will leave one a little below the saddle, in order to avoid cornices and outcrops. From the saddle we went up the northwest slope to the summit.
This slope was a fun ski off the summit on very frozen snow. It had thawed only about a half inch from the cold night and persistent cloud cover. Then we traversed (all down and across, no skins) around Dewey Lakes to the Naches Pk/Dewey Peak saddle. From here it was up the north slope of Seymour Peak to the top at 6337ft. All but the top had snow, the very summit had melted out and sported a spectacular cornice. Snow had thawed about an inch to two for great turns on the descent, back to the saddle. There's alot of terrain out there that no one seem to go to. Perhaps because the runs are a bit short. We debated a bit as to whether to write it up. Then it was a climb back out to the W shoulder of Naches Peak for the final run down the short NW bowl to our car. We saw Mattd's party's tracks often throughout the day and could see that the snow hadn't set up too well over the weekend. Lots of the terrain near the pass is pretty tracked up. Still great snow depth for the most part and if it's a cold clear night then the skiing ought to be good the next day early.
This slope was a fun ski off the summit on very frozen snow. It had thawed only about a half inch from the cold night and persistent cloud cover. Then we traversed (all down and across, no skins) around Dewey Lakes to the Naches Pk/Dewey Peak saddle. From here it was up the north slope of Seymour Peak to the top at 6337ft. All but the top had snow, the very summit had melted out and sported a spectacular cornice. Snow had thawed about an inch to two for great turns on the descent, back to the saddle. There's alot of terrain out there that no one seem to go to. Perhaps because the runs are a bit short. We debated a bit as to whether to write it up. Then it was a climb back out to the W shoulder of Naches Peak for the final run down the short NW bowl to our car. We saw Mattd's party's tracks often throughout the day and could see that the snow hadn't set up too well over the weekend. Lots of the terrain near the pass is pretty tracked up. Still great snow depth for the most part and if it's a cold clear night then the skiing ought to be good the next day early.
This was another great trip with John! A few additional thoughts. Take your camera; I shot up two rolls of film. Besides this being a very scenic area, it's great excuse for not me keeping up as John starts motoring away. :-)
South facing slopes are getting rather thin although the west face of Naches still had a fair amount of snow, fairly tracked up however.
The the earlier you can ski, the better.
Just to amuse me at least, John consented to wearing a recording pulse watch. Very interesting to see the heart rate over the first 4 1/2 hours of the tour. Now to interpret it. :-)
Larry
South facing slopes are getting rather thin although the west face of Naches still had a fair amount of snow, fairly tracked up however.
The the earlier you can ski, the better.
Just to amuse me at least, John consented to wearing a recording pulse watch. Very interesting to see the heart rate over the first 4 1/2 hours of the tour. Now to interpret it. :-)
Larry
John-Great trip! I was contemplating doing a similar, but opposite appoach to Seymour. Starting south of the hairpin turn where Dewey Creek meets 410. Hike through the woods more directly to the summit (avoiding the waterfall on hikers left) of Seymour and skiing the summit of Seymour's North aspects to Dewey lake and maybe back to Naches and skiing the False Summit chute into Naches Bowl then around through the trees below to Cayuse. This will need a little car shuttle to get back the last mile to Dewey Creek at 410. One of the main deterrents has been that the North facing slopes have been a slurpee-a-rama. At least a foot deep. Which direction did you ski off of 6567? Was there snow on the South side to Dewey Lake? Looks like you are having some fun and you are right it is a surprise that so few venture off the pass areas!
Joe, we were lucky to have skied after probably the coldest night of last week. So our northfacing slopes were quite good, frozen with less than a 2 inch thaw until mid afternoon. It seems to just need a cold enough night.
We descended down the NW slope of 6567, where I think most people ski. There is not solid snow to the top of 6567 on the SW slope above Dewey Lake. Right now an over the snow entrance to the SW slope is quite a long way down the west ridge. From the summit, the first 350 or so vertical feet have completely melted out. Kind of a sad Spring for south slopes. Naches Peak is still holding snow on all aspects.
Your trip idea sounds great. I also have wondered about a longer traverse with car shuttle from Shriner Peak trail to Chinook Pass. I think you'll like Seymour alot. Sorry, Larry, if I talk too much! Just kidding, I know you won't really mind.
We descended down the NW slope of 6567, where I think most people ski. There is not solid snow to the top of 6567 on the SW slope above Dewey Lake. Right now an over the snow entrance to the SW slope is quite a long way down the west ridge. From the summit, the first 350 or so vertical feet have completely melted out. Kind of a sad Spring for south slopes. Naches Peak is still holding snow on all aspects.
Your trip idea sounds great. I also have wondered about a longer traverse with car shuttle from Shriner Peak trail to Chinook Pass. I think you'll like Seymour alot. Sorry, Larry, if I talk too much! Just kidding, I know you won't really mind.
John, I was going to say 'motoring away over the horizon' but that didn't sound right. Funny, but one of my previous jobs involved looking for and eliminating alternate meanings, ambiguities, etc. :-)
Larry
Larry
Thanks guys for the info. Very helpful-If the Park could manage to get Cayuse open earlier the best finish to the before mentioned tour would be - tour from Seymour to the false summit on Naches. From there ski the South slope all the way down to the hairpin where Dewey Creek and 410 meet (2200 vert in .85 miles ;)) avoiding the rock cliffs skiers right. Old timers I know call that run Big Bertha. That exposure has to be hit as soon as the pass opens, but rarely does it open soon enough to ski. I have thought of Shriner Peak, but not the traverse. I get spooked about the rocks that compose Shriner potentially glide cracking since there are so many large convex shaped smooth rocks. Maybe that's just an excuse so I do not have to travel so far? ???I'll have to pull out the maps. I plan to go take a look at the pass today. I spend a fair amount of my spring skiing around the Chinook area since I live 25 mins away. Thanks again for your info-maybe we can hook up some time and chase John around while investigating some of this terrain. Thanks again for the input!
Joe
Joe
I have to clarify on my previous statement. It is where Dewey Creek and 123 connect not 410.
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