chute me on SATURDAY (6/11)!!

i haven't checked yet, but is the road to Sunrise open?  and are we going to have another chute fest? huh? huh?  Ron J, what do you think?  oh, the smell of Mad_dog's famous hotdogs roasting on the grill.  tailgate party.<br><br>edited to add:<br>okay, we've decided to ski at Sunrise on Saturday.  meet at Buzzy's (in Greenwater) at 8am.  if the gate is closed, then we go look for some other patch to ski. Ron J has a grill. i'm bringing one.

We were at Summerland over the weekend. Ranger said next weekend for road opening...<br><br>-Dave R

We were at Summerland over the weekend.  Ranger said next weekend for road opening...<br><br>-Dave R

<br>Dave-According to the Mount Rainier Web Site they remain steadfast on the opening date....<br>Sunrise Road CLOSED. Scheduled opening June 11, 2005.<br>Maybe I will have to check if they are opening early they keep pretty close to the schedules they submit to the web site.<br><br>On a side note-I did a quick hike up there yesterday (Monday) to get hands on report. What a great afternoon hike-clear sky and great views of tracks on Inter Glacier. The chutes have really melted out! They tease you as I hiked to the chutes there was about a 4ft snow pack (hump) on the ridge then bone and rocks on the (NW)other side. I would liken the snow coverage to what it was 2 weeks after last years Chutefest. Kam-There may be no Pizza Delivery this season &gt;. The main run above the parking lot is showing rock and is receding to the Huckleberry basin (still skiable).<br>Other chutes that normally are 30 to 40 ft wide are now down to 15 ft or less. Some of the lower Huckleberry basin areas are really melting up to the chutes. The snow levels are to be cool this week and that may help matters, but bring your rock skis when it opens. Chutes will be very select (few) and the Burroughs that I can see from Sunrise barely connect to the lower bowl. Can't make a call on Dege since I didn't do the 3 mile walk down to it.<br>Joe

Thanks for the recon, Joe. That helps a bunch. I agree with you, the Park Service web site is usually pretty reliable for opening dates, and they just updated that page on 5/27. As you pointed out, it still says they're planning on opening the road on June 11. That's actually pretty nice for us, at least in comparison to other years, when the road didn't open until the visitor's center opened (currently scheduled now for 6/25). I applaude the PS for granting us that access 2 weeks earlier than they have in the past. It prolly wouldn't hurt to check with the WR RS again tho, between now and 6/4. Like you say, just in case the ranger that Dave talked to knows more than the person updating the web site -- it would sure be better to get in there on 6/4 <br>Too bad we're shy on snow. Your report doesn't sound that good. Hopefully Dege's go a line or two on it that we can work, eh?<br>Nonetheless, I'm thinking (unless Dave's contact had the best info) we go for it on Saturday 6/11 (depending on the weather, and, of course unless we deem it our "Adams weekend" [so much to ski and so little time] ) If we hit a "dry hole" we can always do the "tatoosh traverse" like we did in 2000. If we find a nice line to work and the weather is even halfway decent, I'll go back for another helping on Sunday the 12th. After all, we gotta get at least one tailgate party in this summer, right? <br>

Good ideas Ron! <br>We can't get closed out on a snow season, Crystal Fest, Chute Fest Tailgate party all in the same year ???.<br>All this melting leads to one big splash of a Slush Cup!<br>Ron-Trust me-I will find a chute for you when this road opens-maybe only one .<br>Joe

Sorry about the "rumor" status of my comment. At the time, I knew I wasn't going to be able to take advantage of it as I'm busy next weekend, so I didn't drill them for details. It seems the party line is 6/11. It's probably worth checking again Thurs-Fri.<br><br>-Dave R

That's cool, Joe, we'll take you up on the offer. <br><br>Dave - No apoligies necessary. You can only report what they tell ya. ???<br>So Kam, Joe, et al, I'll check later in the week and if it still looks like 6/11's the day, we'll go up and check out the percolation factor of the slush cup this coming weekend, and report back. Then we'll have two tailgate parties in the works!!

ron j, kam - I'm pleased to say I'll be making a proud return to regular skiing 6/11. This would be a fine start to it. And fortunately for me, all I own is rock skis...<br>-s

oh, the smell of Mad_dog's famous hotdogs roasting on the grill. tailgate party.

<br>Gosh, hot dogs will have to wait, I'm on a sabbatical for the weekend of 6/11. Have a great time.

<br>Gosh, hot dogs will have to wait, I'm on a sabbatical for the weekend of 6/11.  Have a great time.

<br> We will miss you!!<br>...and those plump, lovely, juicy, roasted hot dogs. With all the condiments..OHhhhhh...<br><br>I talked to a Park Ranger today at an Enumclaw gas station and he said 6-11.<br>Joe

i hope there's enough snow. but rock skiing isn't all that bad. Cass, Allyson and i, after being denied by Old Snowy on Sunday, went to Chinook Pass and found coverage low. any more word about the snow near Sunrise? chute me. do eat. do eat now.

Kam et al,<br>We were up at Sunrise over the weekend. There doesn't look to be much snow left, but we didn't really know where to look, and the fog and clouds kept us from seeing anything far away. I posted a trip report here.

Matt - High-Five. <br>Thanks for doing a recon for us. From the looks of your report it sounds like you got a pretty good look of the Burroughs area, possibly with the exception of the Third Burroughs pocket glacier which is just above the red arrow in the lower left corner of this map .<br>The other areas it sounded like you might not have gotten a look at is the north facing couloirs along Sourdough Ridge, the red arrows on this map of which should give you an Idea of where you needed to be looking to see most all but the very coolest lines on the ridge.<br>No matter if you didn't get an opportunity to look over the ridge... Joe promised us a line to yoyo, regardless, and the snow you experienced on Sunday should, at least, provide some minimal addition to the line that Joe intends to present to us for our skiing plesure this weekend. We believe in Joe.<br>Rock on

.. Joe promised us a line to yoyo, regardless, and the snow you experienced on Sunday should, at least, provide some minimal addition to the line that Joe intends to present to us for our skiing plesure this weekend.  We believe in Joe.<br>Rock on  

<br>Thanks for the support Ron- I gotta believe it's gunna happen. I heard some dude turned water into wine. Maybe we can turn rocks into snow!<br>Dem gates is gunna swing wide open...<br>I did not read Matt's report. Though I feel with what I saw Memorial Day and the cool weather/snow... we have a good shot at some vittles at least some place off the ridge. Hopefullyy the rains did not wash to much of the lower part of the basins-we will see.<br>Joe.

Looking at the forcast. Looks like 5500ft SL for the weekend. I hope that they open the road, they do not like to open the road if there is (fresh) snow present or even remotely present due to the lousy drivers and the drop off on the road.<br>Maybe the rocks will turn to powder? I'm there and if the road does not open it's off to Chinook or other options.<br>Joe

So -- Joe, are you thinking Saturday? Sunday? Or Both?<br>(just selfishly making sure I preserve my entitlement to being personally guided directly to the best and longest skiable line on Sourdough Ridge ;D )

You are are ALWAY entitled Ron-Saturday for sure Sunday ???. <br>Gotta check it out-I'm a little nervous about the coverage in my designated zones at Sunrise. Side note: I went over Chinook today and there was a lot more melt than I anticipated-still there is skiing on the NE side of Naches. <br>What the heck it will be worth the hike- want to set a time to meet Ron?<br>Joe

I have freed up my schedule! Dan Larsen and I are coming with cameras ready. So we doin Sat or Sun? I can't do both this year but I can do either one.

Oop's sound's like Saturday's the day. Buzzy's at what time? Hey Ron did you snag Maddog's super flame grillavator? And Joe How are the pies doing

Pies are ready to fly!<br>Do you want 8 or 9 AM Saturday? At Buzzy's. You make the call. I just live down the street from Buzzy's.<br>Joe<br>

Ok, I can do Saturday but I gotta leave early 'cause I've got a wedding to attend (no, not mine ). <br>So let's go for 8:00 am Sat, @ Buzzy's, eh?<br>If we find even one good line I'm going back on Sunday.<br>And, Yeah, I got the grill, but I didn't get the folding chairs. How many of those do you have?

ronj .... high five!<br><br>okay, 8am at Buzzy's. we can decide what to do if the gate is closed. so, who else is coming? calling all cars, calling all cars...

Does the title of this thread reflect what Kam wishes to happen to him if there is no snow?

Ron: I've got three folding chairs i'll bring + some Budweiser

Sounds like worth checking out, I've never skiied thin snow at Sunrise. Heck, I've never skiied @ Sunrise and I still need to touch snow for June.<br><br><br>Anybody want to carpool from near Michigan and I-5? Maybe I'll have to head by the PacRim Brewery and grab a growler for the occassion.

Ron, is that arriving at Buzzy's at 8:00 or leaving with full stomachs at 8:00?

I would say arriving.<br>

I would say I'll be seeing you there Joe.

Joe's guiding us to good snow, Greg. We better follow his lead

Joe's guiding us to good snow, Greg.  We better follow his lead  

<br>Just like the movie-"Gump"<br>That boy is a running fool!<br>Why are we following that guy-I don't know, but he sure seems to be going there in a hurry!