May 21, 2005, Rainier- glacier basin
5/21/05
WA Cascades West Slopes South (Mt Rainier)
2582
1
Figured there'd be a lot of new snow up there, but what I didn't expect was that it was going to be good snow! It wasn't exactly cold smoke powder, but damn if it didn't feel rather wintery up there as folks reveled in the occational face shot and rooster tail.
Lots of folks playing up on the inter glacier and glacier basin today. Bad visibility and some gusty wind kept most skiers below about 8500ft. The best snow was on the snout of the inter glacier and from the hoots and hollars that could be heard over by St.Elmo pass, I think that slope was pretty good too.
The snout pitch on the inter glacier was darn near tracked out by the end of the day, so unless it snows a bunch tonight, don't expect an abundace of clean lines for sunday...looked like there was still plenty to play on around St.Elmo and didn't look like anyone touched Mt.Ruth today, but as other reports have mentioned, theres a fair amount of slide debris messing up the better lines on Ruth.
It was cloudy all day, but we only had an occational snow flurry up high and a little drizzle on the hike out, not too bad.
Freshies in May, with the season we've had who woulda thunk it?
Lots of folks playing up on the inter glacier and glacier basin today. Bad visibility and some gusty wind kept most skiers below about 8500ft. The best snow was on the snout of the inter glacier and from the hoots and hollars that could be heard over by St.Elmo pass, I think that slope was pretty good too.
The snout pitch on the inter glacier was darn near tracked out by the end of the day, so unless it snows a bunch tonight, don't expect an abundace of clean lines for sunday...looked like there was still plenty to play on around St.Elmo and didn't look like anyone touched Mt.Ruth today, but as other reports have mentioned, theres a fair amount of slide debris messing up the better lines on Ruth.
It was cloudy all day, but we only had an occational snow flurry up high and a little drizzle on the hike out, not too bad.
Freshies in May, with the season we've had who woulda thunk it?
Surprisingly good skiing conditions! I really wasn't expecting powder, at best, I was hoping for some slushy corn. It looks like winter has finally arrived in the Cascades. It was fun meeting up with a bunch of familiar posters from TAYR. Hope to run into y'all out there again!
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