Home > Trip Reports > July 17-18, 2010, Emmons Glacier Route

July 17-18, 2010, Emmons Glacier Route

7/17/10
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Posted by telemack on 7/19/10 7:19am
     We skied the Emmons after a night at Camp Schurman.  Low-ish freezing levels (12,500'?) made for fatiguing turns with some exposure.  We were about the last to leave camp at 6:45 and 7:15, rationalizing that it would give the best corn, but the temps never got there.  I skinned part way , but I'd carry like the rest of the crew next time.  Altasnob and I roped the ascent from 11,000 or so to the end of the shrund, while Snowbell and TBill carried their rope but never broke it out.
     I climbed it in '96 sans boards, and the glacier was very different.  This time there were fewer crevasses and much smaller, but we had to do the long traverse right around the bergshrund. 
     "Snow" below the crest was a post-modern mess of collapsible mini-penitentes, then the descent was consistently firm and challenging, such as rock-hard sastrugi, frozen golf- and baseballs, and even touches of glacier ice.  The traverse around 13k took concentration and effort.  Crossing the openings was casual, but skiing above other crevasses was "interesting".  by the time we had some soft snow I was so tired I had to stop every few turns.  The Inter Glacier was icing on the cake, 2" of soft spread in the shade.  I'd recommend warmer temps if you want smooth turns, but it was a super-rewarding day with a fun, strong crew---see dumb poem below. 
     And a quick note to all the elders who have inspired me on TAY as well as all the eager young whippersnappers:  I've been a rock climbing fanatic for 40 years, and injuries have gradually impacted my training until I am slowly losing ground.  I still climb three days a week, mostly in the gym.  BUT glisse mountaineering has opened new doors for me, and everywhere I look there are hills I haven't slid down yet. 
So remember:  you don't have to be VERY good at something to find fulfillment, you just have to be PRETTY good for a long time and you'll get up and down some amazing places!

I said to my family, "See ya later!"
And we went off to ski the Emmons Glacier.
Joe Bell was the man who got the trip going;
His ultralight geekiness meant no slowing.   ::)
Altasnob Jay was guy number two:
A solid ski partner through and through.   :)
TAY gave us a fourth, whose name was Trevor:
Who'd have known a snowboarder could climb forever!    ;)
And I am a greybeard called Telemack,
Who freeheeled Tahoma and made it back.
So slide down those mountains!  Single or wed
It's hard---but much harder after you're dead.   8)


Nice job gents!

Chris

author=telemack link=topic=17193.msg72372#msg72372 date=1279577954]
     And a quick note to all the elders who have inspired me on TAY as well as all the eager young whippersnappers.


So remember:  you don't have to be VERY good at something to find fulfillment, you just have to be PRETTY good for a long time and you'll get up and down some amazing places!



What Mack? There are guys older than you who post here?  ::)

Good solid advice, something I've been working on for years, but my ego and zest for adrenaline surges thinks that I'm 28 still and that gets me in trouble.  ;)
I like Dirty Harry's saying, "A man's gotta know his limit!"

Nice job on the trip. Pictures?

author=Joedabaker link=topic=17193.msg72375#msg72375 date=1279581877]
"A man's gotta know his limit!"
Nice job on the trip. Pictures?

I left the camera at home to save weight and fiddling.  The young bucks should be posting theirs soon. 

Joe's camera ought to be getting pretty heavy with all the pictures he has taken over the last couple weeks.

author=telemack link=topic=17193.msg72372#msg72372 date=1279577954]
   
 And a quick note to all the elders who have inspired me on TAY as well as all the eager young whippersnappers:  I've been a rock climbing fanatic for 40 years, and injuries have gradually impacted my training until I am slowly losing ground.  I still climb three days a week, mostly in the gym.  BUT glisse mountaineering has opened new doors for me, and everywhere I look there are hills I haven't slid down yet. 
So remember:  you don't have to be VERY good at something to find fulfillment, you just have to be PRETTY good for a long time and you'll get up and down some amazing places!



Hey Mack (and others),
Congrats on your summit and descent!
Your quote says better than we could ever put into words how we feel. Although our athletic background differs from yours, as the years have gone by, we have found that we can no longer enjoy those activities without risk of injury. The mountains have opened new doors for us that we hope stay open for many years. Thanks to all, young and old, who provide the inspiration and motivation to keep us moving up (and down  :D)

Gary and Jan

Telemack dropping a knee at thirteen five


TBill and Telemack


Snowbell getting down


summit party

author=telemack link=topic=17193.msg72372#msg72372 date=1279577954]   
So remember:  you don't have to be VERY good at something to find fulfillment, you just have to be PRETTY good for a long time and you'll get up and down some amazing places!


great statement -- something to keep me going!  
Well done on the big climb and ski.
I was down below you on the Burroughs and into Berkeley Park eking out the last of the 2-week Sunrise season. Saw quite a crew going up toward Inter Glacier and beyond on Saturday AM. Must have been a full house at Camp Shurman, unless most of them were the WTA trail crew. Here's the view from below....

Very nice. wish I where there .. <3 U guys.

more pics here
http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/showthread.php?t=196544

"Snow" below the crest was a post-modern mess of collapsible mini-penitentes...

Great description. That's how I feel inside lately.

Nice TR, and wow, still a lot of snow, even if it is a bit slushy in spots.

Skiers, snowboarders and telemarkers together?! The air must have been thin!
Looks like a good time- I'm in the process of trying to lure my wife into skiing Rainier; your icy tales don't help ;)

It was enjoyable to read your TR.  It rekindled some fond memories of a "while ago" that a few us shared the same route.  We also had a mixed group with my ski buddy Rob Norheim on tele gear and Dan McHale who was riding a snowboard then and Dave another snowboarder friend of Dan's. 

As you stated:" you don't have to be VERY good at something to find fulfillment, you just have to be PRETTY good for a long time and you'll get up and down some amazing places! "

I learned that most of our mountains aren't moving much so if I put one step ahead of the other, I'll get there.  Plus, there are some pretty amazing places "just around the corner".

Pleased to see you had a great ROUNDTRIP.

author=Zap link=topic=17193.msg72415#msg72415 date=1279646149]
....a great ROUNDTRIP.

Ditto that

author=coyote link=topic=17193.msg72410#msg72410 date=1279631758]
Skiers, snowboarders and telemarkers together?! The air must have been thin!


All you needed was a Monoskier, someone on Bigfoot skis, a Tele-Boarder and a drunk frat boy on a plastic disk to complete the Pied-Piper tour.  :D

More pix here: http://picasaweb.google.com/TrevorL.Williams/MtRainier14411FtEmmonsWinthropGlacierSplitboardDescent#


author=Joedabaker link=topic=17193.msg72425#msg72425 date=1279653166]
All you needed was a Monoskier, someone on Bigfoot skis, a Tele-Boarder and a drunk frat boy on a plastic disk to complete the Pied-Piper tour.  :D


It sounds like a goal to me: how many different vehicles down a volcano in a single party.....

nice work mac and company!

author=alecapone link=topic=17193.msg72405#msg72405 date=1279601734]
Very nice. wish I where there .. <3 U guys.


<3 U 2 Scott. (that is a heart right?)  It would have been great to have you along but you don't seem to do South and we already had a splitter.  ;)


Maybe I can make it up to your neck of the hills before I hang em up.
author=Joedabaker link=topic=17193.msg72380#msg72380 date=1279583903]
Joe's camera ought to be getting pretty heavy with all the pictures he has taken over the last couple weeks.


Yeah, sorry Joe.  My Picasa page is full and I haven't felt like dealing with it.  Besides, I think that my camera lens might be dirty of something because my photos all suck.  Come to think of it, maybe it is time to take a page out of Mack and Chris's book and leave the camera behind all together.  It does seem a little heavy now that you mention it... ;D


Thanks for a great trip guys.  I had oodles of fun.

Mack,
Nice Job.  Nice to know you are comming down off your pedestal of rock to join us old farts wallowing in the snow.

Does TAY have a poet laureate yet?  If not, I'd nominate Telemack, if he'd be willing to serve.  Inspiring stuff, thank you.

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