June 26-27, 2010, Mt. Rainier via Emmons
6/26/10
WA Cascades West Slopes South (Mt Rainier)
5227
8
There's running water at Camp Schurman, which was really nice, but as I sit here trying to rehydrate there's still rocks in my nalgene...
Stayed at Schurman on Saturday night, and got up late Sunday for the summit. Tried skinning the first 1500', but it was pretty miserable and slow. Switched to booting and our progress improved dramatically.
Reached the summit about 10am, put the skis on and headed down to retrieve a dropped pole. Found another pole and helmet along the way... Apparently everyone just leaves gear up there, REI must appreciate that.
Sastrugi above about 12500' that was firm but not bad. One of group ripped his toe piece off the ski at about 13000, so his fun to grunt factor diminished considerably as two of the four of us roped up and booted down. Emily and I skied got the long straws and skied about 8500' of vert. Our first summit of the mountain, and a really fun ski. The route seemed very well filled in, and there was little to zero crevasse issues to negotiate.
Very windy above 13500, so I didn't pull the camera out...
Stayed at Schurman on Saturday night, and got up late Sunday for the summit. Tried skinning the first 1500', but it was pretty miserable and slow. Switched to booting and our progress improved dramatically.
Reached the summit about 10am, put the skis on and headed down to retrieve a dropped pole. Found another pole and helmet along the way... Apparently everyone just leaves gear up there, REI must appreciate that.
Sastrugi above about 12500' that was firm but not bad. One of group ripped his toe piece off the ski at about 13000, so his fun to grunt factor diminished considerably as two of the four of us roped up and booted down. Emily and I skied got the long straws and skied about 8500' of vert. Our first summit of the mountain, and a really fun ski. The route seemed very well filled in, and there was little to zero crevasse issues to negotiate.
Very windy above 13500, so I didn't pull the camera out...
you must be among these ... taken fm our camp on the ridge of mt ruth at sunrise sunday morn ...
Awesome!!
Congrats on the summit and an excellant year. Thanks for all your reports throughout the season.
Congrats on the summit and an excellant year. Thanks for all your reports throughout the season.
Congrats! Beautiful pics...
Any thoughts on avy danger/conditions???
Any thoughts on avy danger/conditions???
We're somewhere in that photo, probably 2nd or 3rd lowest group (guessing). We were about the last to leave camp and tried skinning which sucked. Didn't pass anyone until we started booting.
The chutes on Ruth looked really nice on the way in, and I was angling for a detour that way on the way out but no takers... Kath, did you ski the glacier basin or fryingpan side?
Was a little worried about avy conditions on the Interglacier in the hot afternoon, but we weren't worried on the Emmons-Winthrop. Generally, there were still layers in the snowpack above 12k, but the top layer was solid and bridging everything when we climbed/skied.
The chutes on Ruth looked really nice on the way in, and I was angling for a detour that way on the way out but no takers... Kath, did you ski the glacier basin or fryingpan side?
Was a little worried about avy conditions on the Interglacier in the hot afternoon, but we weren't worried on the Emmons-Winthrop. Generally, there were still layers in the snowpack above 12k, but the top layer was solid and bridging everything when we climbed/skied.
Thanks for the TR Trees. Congratulations on your first summit.
I am curious if you gained Sherman via Camp Curtis or a down climb from Steamboat Prow?
I am curious if you gained Sherman via Camp Curtis or a down climb from Steamboat Prow?
Thanks, I've tried to post more TRs this year... It's a great community we have here in the PNW/TAY.
Snowbell, the main tracks all went via Curtis. People had skied the Interglacier side of steamboat prow, but i didn't really notice many tracks (any ppl?) going that way to Schurman. There was only one crevasse beginning to open that we noticed b/n curtis and schurman, but more to come as (if) it (ever) warms up.
Snowbell, the main tracks all went via Curtis. People had skied the Interglacier side of steamboat prow, but i didn't really notice many tracks (any ppl?) going that way to Schurman. There was only one crevasse beginning to open that we noticed b/n curtis and schurman, but more to come as (if) it (ever) warms up.
Great TR, Im heading up this weekend to climb the same route. Curious, what time did you leave camp for the summit? Any suggestions?
Thanks again for the TR.
Thanks again for the TR.
We left camp at 2am and were the last party to leave. Summitted at 10am, we were slow since we tried to skin for the first 2 hours... The lower portion of the descent had about the right amount of corn, but the middle could have used another hour. Not sure how that's going to translate to this hot weekend, but skiing off the summit at 11am would have been about right for us.
Good luck, have a great climb!
Good luck, have a great climb!
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