June 28, 2012, Lake Tipsoo, Naches Peak

Thursday we drove up to MRNP and checked to see if the road to Sunrise was still closed.  We were hoping that the person in the FS truck in front of us was going to open the gate, but no such luck.  This worked for us a couple of times down at Tioga Pass in CA.  So Jill and I drove to Tipsoo Lake below Naches Peak.  Two weeks ago we wanted to climb & ski there, but the snow bank in front of the lake was about 9 feet tall without a way through it; by today a nice boot trail with steps had been cut through to the lake€™s edge.  Once at the area near the lake, we put on our skins and climbed about 400 VF along a gully up to the ridge on the right above the lake.   While getting ready, Jessica and Dod came by and we had a great chat with them.  They remembered us and knew about my stroke and current situation.  They also met us up on the ridge as they were starting their circumnavigation of Naches Peak from the Tipsoo Lake side.  By noon the clouds started covering Mt. Rainier, and we knew the rain would start within the hour.  After reaching the point where we decided that it would be judicious for us to turn around (too steep, too much exposure for now), we skied down and across the lake to the other side.  There we put our skins on again and climbed a steep slope in the open area in the trees between Tipsoo and Chinook Pass.  By then a light drizzle had started and it was time to head back to the car.  It was not a long tour but we got in some nice turns€¦