Home > Trip Reports > March 27, 2010, MRNP, Tatoosh Range

March 27, 2010, MRNP, Tatoosh Range

3/27/10
WA Cascades West Slopes South (Mt Rainier)
2587
6
Posted by lefttern on 3/28/10 8:08am
Our group of five started our day off from the Narada Falls parking lot at 8:30 a.m.ish with the goal of skiing the Tatoosh. Beautiful warm day with only a few clouds in the sky. Snow quality was beginning to improve remarkably as we left Reflection Lakes and followed the newly-laid skin tracks towards Castle Peak.  On the ascent we took note of a pair of ski tracks leading to a 25-foot crown on N-NW aspect slopes that failed to completely propagate.

Upon reaching Castle Peak, we decided to drop down and ski the SW aspect while we still had time as it was already beginning to warm up. We discussed skiing down to the bottom and then possible skinning up to Foss Peak as the south aspect was looking pretty decent. We skied about 1000 feet until the snow started getting too heavy and decided it wasn't worth going any further. Saw a couple of skiers taking our intended line on the south face of Foss but closer to the trees. However, we were already noticing more and more roller balls from solar warming and decided going that route was a missed opportunity.

Decisions! Decisions! We skinned back up through the trees to Foss Peak to check out our options. The snow under the heavily-corniced ridgeline between Foss and Castle was surprisingly untracked. Although inviting, we took into consideration the scoured appearance of the south face and the decided that it was probably going to be really wind-loaded. Without having a rope to test-cut a cornice or even access the slope to dig a snow pit, we had no way of knowing if it was safe to ski. Add that to the previously noted crown on a similarly aspected slope, we decided to head back to Castle and made a couple of sweet laps. The snow quality was much better than the south side. We left just in time as it was started cool down and snow was getting both crusty and tracked out.

Awesome day followed by a burger and beer!

Anyone missing a blue bandanna? We found one on Castle.

I was watching a couple boot up underneath the cornice you mention on the N side of Foss, and I noticed what was probably the slide you saw, similar aspect as the booter, but lower (and to west, near up track to Castle).  I was entertained as well as concerned.

Here's a pic from Paradise.

Yep, that's the one!  Thanks for the picture!

We were the group that was up there as well, we did ski the NW face of Foss and it was fine, we did a cut and nothing happened, down below the pow pow was fantastic!

Hey MREID:  Beautiful shot, what lense did ya use?

Canon 70-200--heavily cropped from 7D

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march-27-2010-mrnp-tatoosh-range
lefttern
2010-03-28 15:08:16