July 22, 2011, Interglacier and Mt Ruth
7/22/11
WA Cascades West Slopes South (Mt Rainier)
1838
0
Had not seen a report for Inter Glacier for a while and figured it would be now or not til next year. Usually I go here much earlier in the year, sometime between whenever they open the road and July 4.
Snow on trail did not start til nearly 3 miles in. Fairly consistent snow starting about where the spring/summer split is, but not really good for skinning there. In fact, because of lack of snow bridge over Inter fork or any other bridge, ended up booting up the yellow moraine for at least 500vf above Glacier Basin. Irritating!
Nearly everyone climbing Inter Glacier was booting but I decided to be stubborn and skin. Only inch or less was soft so sometimes tricky skinning when runneled trampled or cuppy. Occasional wind and relatively cool temps with clouds occasionally drifting in low and cutting viz.
Inter snow surface lower down was not too bad but not great either. Original goal was Steamboat but quit a few hundred vert short because wind was freezing snow and in general the snow surface got VERY junky and looked worse above. Mega cups and big runnels with chicken heads.
Rainer and Steamboat from Ruth
Decided to drop down just far enough to make a traverse over skiers right and climb to top of Ruth. Snow surface there seemed better than Inter. I got late start so sun already starting to come off Ruth slopes and got just a little refreeze, which it didn't really need (would not have been oversoft). On this top part, each turn scraped off little quarter inch ice balls. These then proceeded to bounce hyperactively alongside. After a while the snow all around me was alive with little bouncy ice balls, which was actually pretty cool.
Looking down top Ruth slopes via shoulder run, bouncy iceballs visible as white dots catching sun above snow surface
A pretty good ski down Ruth, not the best ever but better than the last couple of times when it was a slush pile. That's one good thing about going on a day with a lower freezing level. Surprisingly there was a spot where via the shoulder route, there was no longer a continuous line. Had to take skis off and scamper over 100 feet of rock to connect to the snowfields you can see from Glacier Basin. The Ruth slopes really were not that runneled lower down, and were nice oversoft corn.
Lower Ruth from Glacier Basin
Skiing down Ruth now meant I had to make my own way over the Inter. By picking a spot where there were more braids I managed to rock hop and stay mostly dry. Desperation skiing was barely possible below Glacier Basin and back to spring/summer split but hopeless beyond there.
On trail back, turned corner to see young bear just ambling up the trail like the only reason the trail was there was for his personal bear business. I moved 10 feet above the trail, he went cross country 10 feet below the trail to regain it behind me, and we each went on to our destinations.
First time I have walked the new sections of the GB trail. Heavy duty work, mostly built 4+ feet wide with major rock shoring and filling. Does give nicer views, there is a spot where you can now see that green lake at the lower Emmons moraine from the new trail. WTA was actively working on the stretch near where slide had tangled trees 2-3 years ago, about 2 miles in. Thanks WTA.
A fun tour but the conditions are a bit past prime even though there is good cover (at least above GB there is) and cups/runnels are manageable.
Snow on trail did not start til nearly 3 miles in. Fairly consistent snow starting about where the spring/summer split is, but not really good for skinning there. In fact, because of lack of snow bridge over Inter fork or any other bridge, ended up booting up the yellow moraine for at least 500vf above Glacier Basin. Irritating!
Nearly everyone climbing Inter Glacier was booting but I decided to be stubborn and skin. Only inch or less was soft so sometimes tricky skinning when runneled trampled or cuppy. Occasional wind and relatively cool temps with clouds occasionally drifting in low and cutting viz.
Inter snow surface lower down was not too bad but not great either. Original goal was Steamboat but quit a few hundred vert short because wind was freezing snow and in general the snow surface got VERY junky and looked worse above. Mega cups and big runnels with chicken heads.
Rainer and Steamboat from Ruth
Decided to drop down just far enough to make a traverse over skiers right and climb to top of Ruth. Snow surface there seemed better than Inter. I got late start so sun already starting to come off Ruth slopes and got just a little refreeze, which it didn't really need (would not have been oversoft). On this top part, each turn scraped off little quarter inch ice balls. These then proceeded to bounce hyperactively alongside. After a while the snow all around me was alive with little bouncy ice balls, which was actually pretty cool.
Looking down top Ruth slopes via shoulder run, bouncy iceballs visible as white dots catching sun above snow surface
A pretty good ski down Ruth, not the best ever but better than the last couple of times when it was a slush pile. That's one good thing about going on a day with a lower freezing level. Surprisingly there was a spot where via the shoulder route, there was no longer a continuous line. Had to take skis off and scamper over 100 feet of rock to connect to the snowfields you can see from Glacier Basin. The Ruth slopes really were not that runneled lower down, and were nice oversoft corn.
Lower Ruth from Glacier Basin
Skiing down Ruth now meant I had to make my own way over the Inter. By picking a spot where there were more braids I managed to rock hop and stay mostly dry. Desperation skiing was barely possible below Glacier Basin and back to spring/summer split but hopeless beyond there.
On trail back, turned corner to see young bear just ambling up the trail like the only reason the trail was there was for his personal bear business. I moved 10 feet above the trail, he went cross country 10 feet below the trail to regain it behind me, and we each went on to our destinations.
First time I have walked the new sections of the GB trail. Heavy duty work, mostly built 4+ feet wide with major rock shoring and filling. Does give nicer views, there is a spot where you can now see that green lake at the lower Emmons moraine from the new trail. WTA was actively working on the stretch near where slide had tangled trees 2-3 years ago, about 2 miles in. Thanks WTA.
A fun tour but the conditions are a bit past prime even though there is good cover (at least above GB there is) and cups/runnels are manageable.
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