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December 14, 2013, Paradise - huge mistake

12/14/13
WA Cascades West Slopes South (Mt Rainier)
3625
5
Posted by patrick on 12/14/13 8:31am
Between 8" reported in the last few days at Paradise, an NWAC forecast of wind and storm slabs, and colder temps than up north, we figured Paradise was the only sure thing this weekend.  I've seldom been quite this wrong. 
Either a brief hard rain or a freezing fog must have enveloped the mountain.  We found breakable crust at Paradise that become unbreakable and uncarveable after ~500' of climbing.  Lacking ice axes and crampons, we didn't brave the steeper climb to Panorama Point.  Some hardier souls made the climb, several leaving their skis below.  Up towards Camp Muir you could see snow getting blown off the ridge, but that must ave been a couple thousand feet higher than the base of the snowfield. 
Ouch. 

Some of the worst breakable crust I've encountered; we joing the throng fleeing before lunch.

Nope...not what I dreamt of skiing last night.

I had convinced myself that it was going to be good as well.  Like the OP said... huge mistake.

We were snookered too. Dug a pit to the ground instead. Details to follow if we get them organized fast enough. Only surprise was  6cm 4F rounding sugar sandwiched between two crusts about a meter down. Total snowpack 2.05m in a windloaded spot just N of Alta Vista overlooking Edith Creek Basin. Beautiful morning.

A snowshoer and a skier took separate long sliding falls on the crust, one losing a ski that traveled from Pan Point all the way down to at least the top of the watercourse into Edith Creek Basin, where we lost sight of it. No amount of yelling "Stop!" at the ski helped as it slithered by too far away on the almost-flats.  Sounded like both sliders were okay.  We really hope the skier, with whom we chatted, was able to find his ski!  It was a little tense watching four snowshoers get back down from Pan Point; they had figured out that they were over their heads and took time and care to work their way down.

The crust refroze into something even more slippery when the sun went away ~1:30/2. Crust was often supportable on skis, becoming breakable about halfway to Paradise from the base of Pan Point. Ski crampons handy for getting around; make sure you can descend what you climb.

One hardy skier made it almost to Anvil in the wind. Reported better snow up higher.

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patrick
2013-12-14 16:31:58