September 20, 2004, Muir

9/20/04

WA Cascades West Slopes South (Mt Rainier)

2404

1

Posted by cem_terzi on 9/20/04 2:25pm

I left Paradise at 11:15. Visibility was not bad, more than 1 mile between 5000ft to 9000ft and time to time it was sunny. After 9000ft, it was clear and sunny. I stayed at camp Muir about an hour. After 5 o’clock it was Fogy from Camp Muir to all the way to 7000ft, Visibility was 20ft. I started late and I got cough in the fog.

Skied all the way to 7000ft. Snow condition was OK, visibility was bad. Early start might be good idea for tomorrow.

9/21/04 2:21am

wolfs

Thanks for the report. What you describe is an all too common syndrome on a Muir trip. I've found you basically have to weigh vertical vs visibility, and sometimes it's better to turn em' at 9500 while you still have a visibility window if you're suspicious that the window might close before you get to 10000. You're balancing a slight loss of vert vs a big loss of enjoyment. Unfortunately, the fog can close in on you SO fast, before you can even get strapped in. Sometimes fog's actually forming up on you out of thin air, as opposed to sweeping over from Ohanapecosh or Nisqually Glacier directions.

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