June 4, 2011, Paradise to White River Traverse.

As long as I've known Gary Vogt he has always encouraged me to do a traverse from Paradise to White river via Little Tahoma. He basically gave me the plan. He had heard the Whittakers talk about doing this tour in the 60s.
  The conditions needed were a good snow pack, the road to Paradise open 24hrs, and the White River Road open to the campground. Thursday, June 2nd the White River Road opened and the crew was already stimulated by Amar Andalkar's excellent report of a tour to Little Tahoma via Cowlitz /Whitman on May 24th. The crew included Dave Thomas, Jeffery Holden and me.
  The forecast was for sun, maybe even too hot. We had read the special avy report(MORE LATER) but decided to press ahead and go one step at time. After dropping a car off at White River, we got to Paradise and left there at 6:30 am with a nice Eastish wind at around 13 mph. This wind picked up a little and lasted till we were off steep south facing slopes which made the tour possible. A lot of this tour was made on a very supportable skiable crust with underlying mush if probed.
   Our choice was to climb up Golden Gate, ski crampons were mandatory on the hard crust, then up the Paradise Glacier Valley to Cowlitz Saddle 7200ft. Here we put on harnesses de-skinned and had the most wonderful snow of the whole tour. The combination of early morning sun and wind had worked some magic. A thousand feet of turns put us on the other side at 6200'at the west end or start of the moraine at 9 am. (Soon there will be a short carry up the moraine.) From here we worked our way up the easterly gully of the old Whitman glacier drainage. Amar's tracks were still visible in the section but dissapeared into the snow. No switch-backing, just some contouring put us on the Whitman Glacier east of the terminus and the south end of Whitman Crest. The Whitman is a broad low angle glacier and quite scenic with Baby Tahoma at its head, Whitman Crest all along the eastern borde, and grand veiws of Rainier,Cowlitz,Ingraham, even Camp Muir plywood shantys.
  Skinning along Whitman Crest the temperature heated up as the wind died off.
We decided that we might not ever get there again so we took in the views and pondered where Whitman Crest could be crossed along with snacks and lunches. We did have a place to cross already picked out - the 9000' saddle just before Little Tahoma, but crossing sooner would give a party not only more skiing on the Frying Pan GL. but some steeper action and less traversing as well. Schrunds could be issue here later in the year. We prepared for the descent at 3pm. Added note, excellent cell coverage and spectacular views both North and South at this point  Our 9000' saddle had a mini cornice that was nicely eroded and gave us entry onto the Frying Pan. Combinations of turn sets and traversing kept us heading easterly to the main fall line of the Frying Pan above Meany Crest point 7573' Skiing was better than good till the pitch break off into The Meany Crest slopes. Here was the diciest part geting down in some sloppy snow - you know, the exact kind that was described in the special avy report. Our choice was to ski in or near point releases slide paths and work our way over to a ridge line. We mitigated it by skiing one at time. None of our turns down set off anything. Not a fun ski and for sure sketchy.
  Now it was time to play "cross the creek " I've never seen the creek so bridged so we had options. We entered the woods very tired and at the usual spot for some good old New England trail skiing which always seems to cause one to perk up and pay attention. Reached the spotted car at around 7pm together and in one piece after having skied car to car across some magnificent terrain.

Statistics
4600'gain
6000' descent
3 glaciers
10 miles skied
about 12 hours time.
One unused rope
over 30 elk seen in ones and twosies
One porcupine hanging around Big Bertha
3 grouse matings
The usual fox beggings
3 giant cheeseburgers
massive amounts sunscreen.
who knows how much gas.
A very complicated gas money exchange.

Much thanks to Gary Vogt and Amar Andalkar.

I surely wish Brenda were still with us cause She and Mike would be up there camping in minute taking advantage of the skiing and exploring to be had up there.

Working on the pics.