May 25, 2012, Nisqually chute to bridge

We turned around at about 9000 feet because of building clouds (and tiring legs).  Surface conditions in the upper snowfield and nisqually chute were about as nice as I've seen.  The fresh snow earlier in the week had corned up a bit, the surface was perfectly smooth and reasonably fast.  It did get grabby below about 6000 feet.  We found continuous snow to within a quarter mile of the bridge on the left bank.  Then 200 yards of scrambling on boulders and small snow snow patches.  Then 200 yards of continuous snow again.  Then a final 50 yards of slide alder suffering up the ramp to the road.  We didn't regret the decision to ski to the bridge, but more reasonable people might have.