Oct 31, 2010, Mt Rainier, Spooky Pan Point turns
10/31/10
WA Cascades West Slopes South (Mt Rainier)
2519
3
It was gooooood :D We arrived to about 10 cars in the lot and flurries coming down at 930am. Temps were around freezing and wind non existent. We skinned up right from the lot through clouds and a few sunbursts. I set a skin track up the steeper Panorama Point face with a line of about 6-8 behind us. When we got to Pan Point, the wind kicked up to around 15-20 mph and pushing the new snow off the leeward side. Vis was around 50-100ft, so we decided to head down from there. Small cornices were forming, but nothing major.
After about 300' vert of sweet wind buffed new (reports of 3-5" were about right), we decided to head back up for another lap. As we chilled and had a snack, the sun started to break out and others started to see our tracks from Pan Point. We skinned back up and about 5 people came down. We went down further and had to pick our way skiers left until we found a chute down. By now the sun was fully out, but we could not see the summit. We skied another 500 vert and decided to lap another ridge using someone's skin track. We relaxed once more on the ridge with great views of the Tatoosh before making it back to the car. We skied to within 25' of the car where Snow Cap beers were waiting, not a bad day!
One note, there was a climax avalanche around 6200-6500 facing south, I have a picture off it, was pretty big.
Pics are here:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=258370&id=600182430&l=613de6a876
B)
After about 300' vert of sweet wind buffed new (reports of 3-5" were about right), we decided to head back up for another lap. As we chilled and had a snack, the sun started to break out and others started to see our tracks from Pan Point. We skinned back up and about 5 people came down. We went down further and had to pick our way skiers left until we found a chute down. By now the sun was fully out, but we could not see the summit. We skied another 500 vert and decided to lap another ridge using someone's skin track. We relaxed once more on the ridge with great views of the Tatoosh before making it back to the car. We skied to within 25' of the car where Snow Cap beers were waiting, not a bad day!
One note, there was a climax avalanche around 6200-6500 facing south, I have a picture off it, was pretty big.
Pics are here:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=258370&id=600182430&l=613de6a876
B)
I'm pretty sure you were the folks that used our skin track back up mazama ridge. You had the boarder turned skier if I'm remembering right. I thought the tracks off that ridge were sweet, got two laps on it, second lap my budy and I bombed it, good snow for cruising fast. That climax was a little intimidating, I'm glad nothing slid on anyone that day.
Nice report.
To you both, Welcome to TAY.
To you both, Welcome to TAY.
Thanks Jmiller and Ron, finally good to be here. I keep meaning to post something here the last few years, finally made the plunge. That was us with the snowboarder turned skier, Carla rocked the house!
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