July 29, 2013, Mt. Rainier, Paradise Glacier

7/29/13

WA Cascades West Slopes South (Mt Rainier)

2016

2

Posted by Wad on 7/30/13 11:06am

1st time exploring the Paradise glacier area and started by going up 4th crossing and following the Paradise glacier trail. Basically carried all the way up to around 6500', although, it looked like I could have skinned earlier if I broke off trail and stayed more West. Very impressed with the solitude, noting that Paradise lot was filling fast and I could see lots of hikers around McClure rock. Lots of water coming off of the slopes made me somewhat paranoid of breaking through an ice cave so I stayed pretty far West where I could tell the snow field was pretty shallow. Not sure of how long the snow field will last with all of the runoff eroding things from below. The face of Paradise glacier below anvil rock looked really nice with plenty off older tracks. A question for those of you in the know; I hiked the rocks up to the saddle just West of Cowlitz Rocks and viewed down into the Cowlitz Glacier and Ingraham Glacier valley. There were older ski tracks going down into that valley from where I was standing and it looked like they followed the river/glacier heading East. Anyone know where you go from there?

7/30/13 1:54pm

telemack

Good report, Wad. From that saddle many people ski the slope then simply skin back up and retrace their route.

7/31/13 12:50am

vogtski

Thanks for the report! I call the rocks west of Cowlitz Saddle 'Land's End' where what's left of the ice divides. It's popular to ski down to the Cowlitz glacier flats from both there & the Saddle Most people climb back up to the east side of the Saddle from the flats, but it's also possible in prime time (May-June) to circumnavigate Cowlitz Rock via Fan Lake. I've been down the Cowlitz as far as the 70's terminus at the major turn to the south. Looked like serious stream crossing(s) and cliffy route-finding to reach Box Canyon.

More serious and more strenuous are the climb north toward Little T or the traverse to White River via the Fryingpan Glacier.
For example: http://www.turns-all-year.com/skiing_snowboarding/trip_reports/index.php?topic=28884.0

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