Home > Trip Reports > Sep25, Muir still good!

Sep25, Muir still good!

9/15/10
WA Cascades West Slopes South (Mt Rainier)
5551
9
Posted by andyski on 9/25/10 1:14pm
Much better than expected day up there. White snow was findable almost the whole way above Pebble, and the old stuff was pretty smooth down low. I started down at about 2:30, and by the time I got down to 8,300 feet or so, the new snow was a little sticky, but still fun. Windy, but not bad. Great day.
Yep - still good!

author=andyski link=topic=17483.msg73827#msg73827 date=1285474445]
Much better than expected day up there. White snow was findable almost the whole way above Pebble, and the old stuff was pretty smooth down low. I started down at about 2:30, and by the time I got down to 8,300 feet or so, the new snow was a little sticky, but still fun. Windy, but not bad. Great day.


I will second that Andy. I was about an hour ahead of you skiing down. Seemed like at lower elevation the old snow skied much better than the white stuff.
I had a very enjoyable day. The great weather and scenery combined with the friendly people I met along way did much to refresh me from several long and challenging weeks at sea level.
I saw a fair amount of wildlife both on the trip up and the way back down. Was up close and personal with a couple of marmots just below Pan Point on the way up and the usual contingent of deer. On the way down, saw a sow Black Bear with her two cubs feeding in the Edith Creek Basin east of Alta Vista.
This also marked the first time I have linked 12 consecutive months skiing. If we can find some turns in the Olympics before the end of September, we will also have skied in the Olympics every month of the year (not in the same year though).

Gary

Great skiing...loved getting turns yesterday in the sun.

I had a great time climbing up, yakking with all kinds of people.  It got windy up high.  Lent a shell, stocking caps and poly gloves to a young German Baptist couple, the girl hiking all the way up in her long cotton dress, bonnet and tennis shoes.  They left them at the ranger station for me but some NPS employee thought she knew the owner and took them before I got there.  Any ideas on who to contact to get them back?  Shell is a yellowish Marmot PreCip jacket with black trim.

Skiing was best for us up high on the clean, new snow.  It got really grabby on the gritty stuff below.

Peter and I skied down at about 2:00 after a really great PBJ on the bench at Muir. Peter promised smooth snow for this trip so I opted for my tele skis which I haven't been on for a long, long time. It was a good call though since the skiing was really nice - almost creamy. I would agree that the new stuff lower down did get sticky but the glacier wax with a pretty aggressive profile was the right call - skis were pretty fast top to bottom.
It was a little bit of a zoo on the trail below Pebble creek and up to Muir for that matter. Lots of running shoes, gym shorts and loafers on the snow - as well as the straw hats and dresses.
Great day to be out there though.

author=freightrainer link=topic=17483.msg73845#msg73845 date=1285554299]
Lots of running shoes, gym shorts and loafers on the snow - as well as the straw hats and dresses.
Great day to be out there though.


I also spotted the same just hitting the snow...


It was a great first time for me and my buddy on Muir, couldn't ask for better views.

All my pictures here: http://airpoppoff.com/Extravaganzas/Skiing/camp%20muir%20sept%202010/




Video of Nick headed down: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DB5OWSpdwUo

Met alot of nice TAY'ers, It's pretty nice when they go down the trail in front of you and fend off all the people asking if we actually ski'd :)

author=airpoppoff link=topic=17483.msg73850#msg73850 date=1285561664]
Met alot of nice TAY'ers, It's pretty nice when they go down the trail in front of you and fend off all the people asking if we actually ski'd :)


You're welcome.  ;D Me and the other guy you two where talking to at Pebble Creek checked off every box discussed: "did you ski?" "where did you ski?" "is there skiing," and finally, in the parking lot, "can I take a picture of you with my sister." I'd like to say the last one of these was kinda hot, but it definitely was not. :-[

My things found and being mailed to me by the Park Service!  I'm Uberaugaed.

author=Jason_H. link=topic=17483.msg73839#msg73839 date=1285532932]
Great skiing...loved getting turns yesterday in the sun.


When you put it that way it sounds like fun!

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sep25-muir-still-good
andyski
2010-09-25 20:14:05