October 10, 2004, Russel Glacier, MRNP
10/10/04
WA Cascades West Slopes South (Mt Rainier)
2769
3
They are closing the Mowich Lk road today! Since my family hike got canceled, I made a last minute decision to catch the new snow on the Russel Glacier. It had been on my wish list for long time, but the timing is everything for this October trip. After two hour hike to the chocolate-colored lake at the foot of Observation Rock (~6200'), the snow cover got continuous enough to skin up. The glacier had dense 6" new at 7000' to a foot at 9500'; there were some small openings that were easy to avoid. The snow was generally wind-packed powder soft enough to carve turns except the first 500' of nice and soft snow remininding me of what to come.
Although 9 hours for 3000' run may not be everybody's idea of a good ski day, I still enjoyed the late Fall hike and solitude, high-contrast scenery and skiing new snow.
Although 9 hours for 3000' run may not be everybody's idea of a good ski day, I still enjoyed the late Fall hike and solitude, high-contrast scenery and skiing new snow.
Here is a picture at 9500':
Nice photo Kenji. Looks like you had a good trip before the road closed. I've always wanted to ski the Russell Glacier too!
Somehow I hadn't read this report until just now. Great trip and photo! I've wanted to get up there with new snow, but have never managed to do it, and it sounds like you hit it just right. Too bad MRNP closes the gate so early (and opens it so late - the gate really ends up being open for only about 3 months a year!).
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