July 10: Interglacier
7/15/11
WA Cascades West Slopes South (Mt Rainier)
2124
2
Tom, Brad, and I went and skied the Interglacier yesterday.
Began with an anti-alpine start of sometime after 10:30 a.m. (left Seattle just after 7), where we conversed with some attractive Australian-sounding men in the parking lot.
Went up the Glacier basin trail via approach shoes and chacos over much intermittent snow until finally skinning right as the basin flattens out and alpine-esque vegetation (or lack thereof) was reached.
Vacillated between booting and skinning on the 35ish degree slopes until a snack spot near 7700' (per GPS) & settling into booting to the prow.
Snow was good on the descent to the skier's right side, with small evidence of recent rockfall. Traversed way right for some better fall line in the grabbier corn-turned-slush, and skied as far back as possible via intermittently snowy trail (including ski-walking on short dirt sections.)
Beers back at the car to celebrate perfect weather (sporadic sunshine, clouds, and wind to keep both spirits high and slogging bodies cool), and a nice ski with good company.
Conditions: Significant suncuppage and runnelation underway, esp. below 7k, with about 2 miles (ish?) of trail-walking. Approach shoes/ tennies recommended.
Good views of the Emmons, which predictibly looks like a highway, but is opening up more considerably by the day. Photos from iphone came out badly & not worth posting :-/
Began with an anti-alpine start of sometime after 10:30 a.m. (left Seattle just after 7), where we conversed with some attractive Australian-sounding men in the parking lot.
Went up the Glacier basin trail via approach shoes and chacos over much intermittent snow until finally skinning right as the basin flattens out and alpine-esque vegetation (or lack thereof) was reached.
Vacillated between booting and skinning on the 35ish degree slopes until a snack spot near 7700' (per GPS) & settling into booting to the prow.
Snow was good on the descent to the skier's right side, with small evidence of recent rockfall. Traversed way right for some better fall line in the grabbier corn-turned-slush, and skied as far back as possible via intermittently snowy trail (including ski-walking on short dirt sections.)
Beers back at the car to celebrate perfect weather (sporadic sunshine, clouds, and wind to keep both spirits high and slogging bodies cool), and a nice ski with good company.
Conditions: Significant suncuppage and runnelation underway, esp. below 7k, with about 2 miles (ish?) of trail-walking. Approach shoes/ tennies recommended.
Good views of the Emmons, which predictibly looks like a highway, but is opening up more considerably by the day. Photos from iphone came out badly & not worth posting :-/
Fun times! And for anyone wanting to perfect their ski walking technique, here you go: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4602667877924488430#
author=TomB link=topic=21445.msg91830#msg91830 date=1310444059]
Fun times! And for anyone wanting to perfect their ski walking technique, here you go: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4602667877924488430#
Oh. Em. Gee. Tom, that video is FULL of win!
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