October 27, 2010, Paradise environs
10/27/10
WA Cascades West Slopes South (Mt Rainier)
3052
5
Beautiful morning at Longmire waiting for gate to open at 11AM, lotsa bacon eaten, reconnecting with old friends for the new season, and minimal grumbling about why so long to open it. Pack o' 50 skiers set out from Paradise in perfect blue sky, light winds, and 4' of snow. The sun was quickly wetting the top 1/2" of the powder, and winds were increasing to around 20mph on the way up to Pan Face. The face seemed well covered, and with big breezes at the top, we decided to ski it a couple times in the wind lee. Then over to check out Edith Basin (is that what it's called?) Nice ski down in slightly crusted and thick cream potatoes to the little hut. Off to the east looking for more wind and sun sheltered conditions, but instead found heavier and more sun affected snow down to 4th crossing, where the road had been plowed (but not open.) Back to the car as gray weather was taking over the sky.
Great start(?) to the new season.
Great start(?) to the new season.
It was cool to run into you again!
We skied the Paradise down to 4th crossing.
Sweet wind packed pow ;D
Here is a quick video...
http://contour.com/stories/116796
We skied the Paradise down to 4th crossing.
Sweet wind packed pow ;D
Here is a quick video...
http://contour.com/stories/116796
Not the best snow, but considering the amount, a great start indeed.
Lackadasical gate opening aside, a beautiful day in Paradise. Snow was variable (wind effect/wet pow/occasional suncrust on S or SE slopes), but overall skiable and sweet. Regardless, it was great to be skinning from a parking lot through a wintry wonderland in October!
Definitely a bit of a herd mentality in effect, as thirty or forty plus people followed the skin track up towards Pan Point. But with all the fresh snow, breaking trail was a bit of a chore. For all the folks that went up towards Muir, how was it? I suspect the best skiing would have been in the Tatoosh (but I think the Stevens Canyon Road was plowed and gated...arg) or Mazama ridge, where the wind didn't get to the snow as much.
Nice seeing everyone's smiling faces!
Party on Pan Face
Edith Creek
Tatoosh
Definitely a bit of a herd mentality in effect, as thirty or forty plus people followed the skin track up towards Pan Point. But with all the fresh snow, breaking trail was a bit of a chore. For all the folks that went up towards Muir, how was it? I suspect the best skiing would have been in the Tatoosh (but I think the Stevens Canyon Road was plowed and gated...arg) or Mazama ridge, where the wind didn't get to the snow as much.
Nice seeing everyone's smiling faces!
Party on Pan Face
Edith Creek
Tatoosh
author=andyrew link=topic=17743.msg74910#msg74910 date=1288282336] For all the folks that went up towards Muir, how was it?
Wind picked up; very flat light by 4pm: wind effects and occasional crust so the downhill ride was slower than I expected. Beautiful day, all in all, and it's just starting. N
Had more fun on the up than the down. Oh well, it's October after all.
short vid of conditions
short vid of conditions
Reply to this TR
Please login first: