December 26, 2013, Paradise
12/26/13
WA Cascades West Slopes South (Mt Rainier)
2225
1
Beautiful day on the mountain and Nisqually Chutes were fantastic, sorry for the lack of pictures (brought the dslr without a memory card ::) ).
After a somewhat icy drive up the road, we departed the parking lot around 10:30. Skinning conditions were a bit slippery around Pan Point and I earned the distinct opportunity to redo about 200 v.f. of that climb :-[. Booting conditions were ideal. The mountain made a few attempts to blow us off the upper snowfield with gusts to 50mph or so, but we arrived to Muir a little before 2pm. After a nice break and nap (fairly warm out of the wind), we aimed for the chutes, hoping to avoid the icy and crusty garbage of Pebble/Pan area. Success indeed, perhaps the best I've ever had it from top to bottom (thanks to the semi-inversion for keeping consistent temps in the upper 30's regardless of elevation). Bridge runs are not really an option yet, so we made the short climb up below Alta Vista and found decent snow down to the lot.
Summary:
Paradise: soft mush, decent coverage
Pan Point: crusty, ski 'pons or booting recommended
Pebble Creek: downright icy in places
Snowfield: various wind features, generally bumpy but carvable
Nisq Chutes: excellent smooth proto-corn
After a somewhat icy drive up the road, we departed the parking lot around 10:30. Skinning conditions were a bit slippery around Pan Point and I earned the distinct opportunity to redo about 200 v.f. of that climb :-[. Booting conditions were ideal. The mountain made a few attempts to blow us off the upper snowfield with gusts to 50mph or so, but we arrived to Muir a little before 2pm. After a nice break and nap (fairly warm out of the wind), we aimed for the chutes, hoping to avoid the icy and crusty garbage of Pebble/Pan area. Success indeed, perhaps the best I've ever had it from top to bottom (thanks to the semi-inversion for keeping consistent temps in the upper 30's regardless of elevation). Bridge runs are not really an option yet, so we made the short climb up below Alta Vista and found decent snow down to the lot.
Summary:
Paradise: soft mush, decent coverage
Pan Point: crusty, ski 'pons or booting recommended
Pebble Creek: downright icy in places
Snowfield: various wind features, generally bumpy but carvable
Nisq Chutes: excellent smooth proto-corn
We made it up to point 7789 for lunch after some shenanigans beneath Pan Point... I was able to skin 2/3 up and then kicks steps in ice with snowboard boots the rest of the way but my partner was not so lucky (it was his first day skinning!).
Rode from 7789 to McClure Rock and then bailed towards Mazama Ridge for some glorious steep turns in soft snow at about 1pm. Made a quick lap back up to McClure Rock and then followed the same line down and all the way out to Edith Creek bridge.
Saw tracks in the chutes on the drive home and was certainly jealous... also wondering if anyone headed over to Paradise Glacier?
Rode from 7789 to McClure Rock and then bailed towards Mazama Ridge for some glorious steep turns in soft snow at about 1pm. Made a quick lap back up to McClure Rock and then followed the same line down and all the way out to Edith Creek bridge.
Saw tracks in the chutes on the drive home and was certainly jealous... also wondering if anyone headed over to Paradise Glacier?
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