Home > Trip Reports > April 17, 2005, Paradise

April 17, 2005, Paradise

4/17/05
WA Cascades West Slopes South (Mt Rainier)
5373
15
Posted by JibberD on 4/17/05 7:19am
Duped into writing the TR again!  That amy may look innocent, but I don't know...

amy, Mad_Dog, JW, ronj and I picked our ways out of the lot around 9:30 and meandered up the Edith Creek basin.

I'm not really sure what happened next except that it involved a lot of blowing snow, poor visibility and several stunted attempts at runs.

We found the east aspects virtually unskiable cascade concrete over breakable crust.  "Hey, let's stop and skin out of here, like now!"  South and west apects were better with a couple inches of fresh on a more solid crust.  Some decent turns were found and it was a fun day, but for the record amy and I did hear Ron say: "we're getting some good exercise."

In the end we skied a bunch of little lines in the Edith Creek basin.  AHHH yes, a few secret lines were even revealed, but I'm not talking ;)

Thanks again!  You all's good people.
So Jibber, how was that last run? I'll bet you had to bust out the sun screen 8)  Sorry folks no video this week >:(
crappy light and lazyness to blame.-------  Well after further review I decided what the heck......Roll another one

We'll miss your viddy, Jer, but we certainly won't whine, considering the work it takes to crank them out.  I know you got some great footy for the annual crash video, what with the intermittent flat light and the occasional unconsolidated mank we stumbled into.
Nice having you along as usual, Jibber, and great report.  My guess is that innocent look of Amy's is part of her standard issue "tool kit"  ;)
That "aspect" thing is always a bit confusing to me too, i.e., in our experience yesterday the poor snow was on EAST (facing, Lee side) aspects (which was bottomless, rotten styrofoam with evidence of pinwheels, sloughing and point releases from the avi cycle period of the previous day).  Nonetheless, we had excellent skiing conditions on the ESE facing ridgeline we skied.
As you mentioned, the south and also the west facing slopes has a rain/wind crust that supported us nicely with anywhere from an inch to four inches on top to make us giddy. :)
Nice tour gang 8)

You have to watch out for the innocent looking ones - they're always trouble  :)

Lots of fun (as usual) despite the less than ideal conditions!

Ron, thanks for the aspect corrections.  I made the changes in the original TR.  I knew those aspects, but flubbed them in the report.

Also, thanks for the enhanced snow descriptions.  You must be approaching the high northern people in the number of terms you have to decribe different types of snow.  I've heard they have 30, but this may be an urban legend.  I do notice that our local terminology reflects an industrial, jerseyesque background with descriptions like stryofoam and concrete.  Perhaps yesterday's east facing stuff could be called DDT or PCB snow?

Jerry, I ended up taking two runs on that last pitch, but the light never returned to what is was when I was drawn into the need to make those turns.  I exited in full on blizzard conditions...  Lorelei.

Sorry folks no video this week >:(
crappy light and lazyness to blame


Hey J, I'm sure it had to do more with the crappy light situation than anything.  I have LOTS of great photos that I'm working on now, so check back later to see what you all missed.  I think we were actually in a time warp back to January.  ;D

You have to watch out for the innocent looking ones - they're always trouble  :)

...  Lorelei.

These two comments reminded me of the chauvinistic (clearly NOT my way) quote (which I obviously do NOT condone):
"No matter how fantastic she looks, somewhere, somehow, she's making some poor bastard's life miserable"  ;)
I guess that could go both directions, eh?
Sorry for the thread drift, Jibber.

How do you get to Paradise during the winter? I thought the road was closed during winter?? Anyway htmb.

Welcome to TAY Mustang5, Paradise is open ALL winter, you must be thinking of Chinook Pass which is closed during the winter, or Hwy 52 from Packwood to 705 (Mt Rainier entrance) is also closed during the winter months.  

Assuming you are from the PNW area and on the west-side of the mountain, and are heading south towards Mt Rainier, you would take either hwy 161 or hwy 7 to Eatonville, continue on 7 through Elbe after which the road turns into 705 to Ashford and continues to the Mt Rainier park entrance.  Once inside the park the only thing that you need to worry about is what time the gate at Longmire opens when there is a heavy snowfall.

I'm not really sure what happened next except that it involved a lot of blowing snow, poor visibility and several stunted attempts at runs.

So THIS is what happened next  ;D  ;D

Nonetheless, we had excellent skiing conditions on the ESE facing ridgeline we skied. :)


Even though we changed our destination several times throughout the day trying to, run to the sun, we didn't quite make it and really enjoyed our winter like conditions.  8)


Welcome to TAY Mustang5, Paradise is open ALL winter, you must be thinking of Chinook Pass...
Yeah, either that or possibly Sunrise.  Man, I wish they'd keep THAT open year 'round. :D

Might have to cough up a bit more taxes tho, to get that additional 1000 ft of elevation access all winter long.  Let's take up a collection!!!  ;D

So Ron says to me:  Why do you suppose we thought the snow would be any better on the same exact aspect just a 1/4 mile south. My answer.... I dunno,Jack 8)

JW gets busy.  Hey, it didn't look too shabby out there!  What are we...a bunch of whiners or something?

My footage of you Jerry, well, I'll do a better job next time.  Lesson for the week: when filming or otherwise using photographic equipment, gloves should be removed.

Yeah, but 'cept... how 'bout those pictures?

Nice PICTURES Jeanette. :)
Was it snowing, or what?  Gotta love it.  Now it can settle in for a week or so and then maybe we'll get some more before we break out the summer corn boards, eh?
Rock on. 8)

Now it can settle in for a week or so and then maybe we'll get some more before we break out the summer corn boards, eh?

Sure was a good thing to have the "fatties" for this one though.  ;D

I knew Jerry wouldn't be able to resist - Nice video!  Great pictures Jeanette!

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2005-04-17 14:19:12