Nov 30, 2011, MRNP, Muir Snowfield
11/30/11
WA Cascades West Slopes South (Mt Rainier)
2748
3
Woke up not planning this trip, then made the "mistake" of looking at the Paradise webcam on my phone before I got out of bed. Late start, skinning around 1145 from the lot. Surprised to find myself breaking the trail up towards Muir, figured someone else would've been at it since the gate opened at 1000. Interesting experience, as I usually do this trip in lemming mode... should've angled more directly to Pan face (needed crampons here due to very firm crust under 1" powder), and found myself too far right before Pebble Creek. 5-6" of very nice powder below Pan Point to the lot, 2" wind packed pow over a firm and sporadically crusty base from Pan Point on up. Stopped at about 9k for my turn-around time of 2:30, stripped skins, and headed down for probably the best ski I've ever had on the Muir snowfield. Carved smooth and fast like a perfect groomer all the way down to Pan, and then nice powder turns from there to the lot, all under blue skies with low cloud hanging around Paradise. Beautiful day on the mountain.
beautiful day to be out, it looks like. I'm having trouble placing the location of that last photo. Mind sharing?
My guess is the road after you pass the paradise parking lot. Looks awesome.
Yup, road past the lodge. I descended skiers left from Pan and dropped through the trees to the road, then skinned back to the lot.
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