October 27, 2004, Muir-Anvil Rock-Paradise Glacier

Yes, another one for Muir! Rich and I couldn't agree on an alternate location, and we decided this was a conditioning trip; so it was my third Muir trip this season. Anyway, I thought some might want to know the current snow condition around Paradise. As I had suspected the snow was higly variable: ice, breakable crust, dense powder, wind-sculpted, etc. It was easier to walk to Pebble Cr than skin because of the icy morning crust around Panorama ridge.

From the camp we skied toward Anvil Rock and dropped down its steeper slope, then continued on the upper edge of Paradise glacier along the rock ridge; came back to Muir side at Pebble creek. The sow on the open slope was soft but wind-packed/sculpted. Skiing was a bit challenging, bigger skis would have helped, but I was on my rock skis (Mito). The ridg around Panorama Pt is still rocky, but passable without hitting too many rocks. We skied down the Pan face carefully. Instead of normal rocky ridge back to the car, we took the back way through Edith Cr basin, then the road behind the lodge. It was smooth skiing back to the car without negotiating any rocks (maybe a few).

Here is a photo looking back at Anvil Rock from the parking lot.