August 7, 2005, Mt Adams SW Chutes
8/7/05
WA Cascades West Slopes South (Mt Rainier)
4803
8
A wedding Saturday in White Salmon played into my need to complete my first year of TAY. After midnight Sunday morning, I found a fortuitous parking space near the trailhead, and 5am I was hiking.
Beautiful quiet morning hiking up, didn't start to see the crowds until around the snow field below the Lunch Counter.
Around the lunch counter, I was passed by two aerobic super humans carrying skis like me. While I was getting more tired with the altitude, they were speeding up.
I skinned a little below the lunch counter, but for the most part wished I had left the skins at home. The route up to Pikers pk(the false Summit) was very busy and very sun/boot cupped.
At the False Summit, a nice big crowd. I moved over towards the top of what I figured was the top of the chute and where the other skiiers had dropped their skis while they went to the summit.
Under time constraints, I started skiing a little after 11. The wind and early hour hadn't softened up the top yet, so the hard suncups had me thinking about the quote in Office Space, "This, This is very bad idea". The snow needed another hour, there were lots of sun cups and then "Sun Bathtubs" and quite a few mini "crevasses" starting to open up on 2 to 3 ft deep sections of snow(never an issue, just interesting).
As I got lower, the suncups continued, but it did soften up a bit. I did a cool rail ride on a ridge between bathtubs, luckily no one saw the dismount.
About 1500ft down, I considered traversing out, thinking that was the way to escape back to the trail, but it looked like madness. The chute choked into a tight spot at the bottom that looked bad, and I booted across to the skiier right snowpatch for a couple hundred extra feet. And Booted down some more to ski another couple hundred foot patch. I'll post some pictures tonight of how sparse it looks up there.
So like Kane, I resolved to seek wisdom in the desert wilderness laid out below me searching for the trail out. And I found the profound wisdom that August turns are not easily gained.
I can't wait to go back on a good snow year, it must be incredible. Sometime when you don't get questions at 8,000ft on the way up, "Are you gonna ski up there?".
Beautiful quiet morning hiking up, didn't start to see the crowds until around the snow field below the Lunch Counter.
Around the lunch counter, I was passed by two aerobic super humans carrying skis like me. While I was getting more tired with the altitude, they were speeding up.
I skinned a little below the lunch counter, but for the most part wished I had left the skins at home. The route up to Pikers pk(the false Summit) was very busy and very sun/boot cupped.
At the False Summit, a nice big crowd. I moved over towards the top of what I figured was the top of the chute and where the other skiiers had dropped their skis while they went to the summit.
Under time constraints, I started skiing a little after 11. The wind and early hour hadn't softened up the top yet, so the hard suncups had me thinking about the quote in Office Space, "This, This is very bad idea". The snow needed another hour, there were lots of sun cups and then "Sun Bathtubs" and quite a few mini "crevasses" starting to open up on 2 to 3 ft deep sections of snow(never an issue, just interesting).
As I got lower, the suncups continued, but it did soften up a bit. I did a cool rail ride on a ridge between bathtubs, luckily no one saw the dismount.
About 1500ft down, I considered traversing out, thinking that was the way to escape back to the trail, but it looked like madness. The chute choked into a tight spot at the bottom that looked bad, and I booted across to the skiier right snowpatch for a couple hundred extra feet. And Booted down some more to ski another couple hundred foot patch. I'll post some pictures tonight of how sparse it looks up there.
So like Kane, I resolved to seek wisdom in the desert wilderness laid out below me searching for the trail out. And I found the profound wisdom that August turns are not easily gained.
I can't wait to go back on a good snow year, it must be incredible. Sometime when you don't get questions at 8,000ft on the way up, "Are you gonna ski up there?".
Way to go for it! I did it the day before you did and mine also was a solo mission. Boy oh boy I agree a lot of work went in for the skiing that was had! I can't complain, I needed to work out. Yeah, after the umpteenth 'Did you really ski? Are you crazy'? I got creative with my answers. Like, "Oh these, No, it's a style thing". Realizing I'd be down for a ton of vert with less effort, I slept in the Timberline lot and lapped the chair on Sunday. It was a blast! Tons of high speed carving. At the same time though, compared to Adams or Glacier Peak etc, it seemed odd to have enormous mechinized equipment in alpine elevation on a big volcano. Just evidence humans are in the area. ;)
hey gravy,
That's quite a busy weekend. I was waiting for someone to ask again so I could just say "Your obviously not a golfer?".
It was fun when I got away from the throngs going up the mountain.
Check out jw's video from last month. I watched it this morning, great production. Seemed there was quite a bit more snow in the video than I found.
That's quite a busy weekend. I was waiting for someone to ask again so I could just say "Your obviously not a golfer?".
It was fun when I got away from the throngs going up the mountain.
Check out jw's video from last month. I watched it this morning, great production. Seemed there was quite a bit more snow in the video than I found.
For anyone that might be interested, I stuck a photo in the start of this topic. Interesting to compare to the postings from July.
Nice pic, Gus.
Starting to get a little boney, eh?
Nonetheless, you got your August turns in.
Way to go 8)
Starting to get a little boney, eh?
Nonetheless, you got your August turns in.
Way to go 8)
Thanks Ron,
I'm just kicking myself for not having the time to wait for the snow to soften.
JW's movie of your trip was great.
Definitely making a note to hit Adams in June next year, looks like it is a great place to ski when there is alot of snow.
I'm just kicking myself for not having the time to wait for the snow to soften.
JW's movie of your trip was great.
Definitely making a note to hit Adams in June next year, looks like it is a great place to ski when there is alot of snow.
... JW's movie of your trip was great.Yeah he's quite a cinematographical talent. We're quite fortunate to have him a part of our gang.
... Definitely making a note to hit Adams in June next year, looks like it is a great place to ski when there is alot of snow.Definately look one of us up before you go. We've got a "killer" plan for next year to maximize skiing and minimize torture points (old peope are basically lazy, ya know ;) )
Hey gusk-
Good to see another skier up there on the hill, excited about a few thousand feet of vertical. I like your quick transition (from tie to polypro overnight).
Despite a slight blush, I take issue with your statement:
"I was passed by two aerobic super humans carrying skis like me. While I was getting more tired with the altitude, they were speeding up."
An illusion, my friend. Was it not you who made the first tracks and entered that desert wilderness far earlier than we did? We sure took our time at the top-- and didn't rocket on the way down. I kept expecting to see a ghastly surprise on the way out after noting your railslide and seeing some phenomenal rockfall....
We had a similar conclusion: far less coverage than last year. Anyone wanting to ski the SW chutes should take note-- descent skiing but not much longer and a solid walk out.
Good to see another skier up there on the hill, excited about a few thousand feet of vertical. I like your quick transition (from tie to polypro overnight).
Despite a slight blush, I take issue with your statement:
"I was passed by two aerobic super humans carrying skis like me. While I was getting more tired with the altitude, they were speeding up."
An illusion, my friend. Was it not you who made the first tracks and entered that desert wilderness far earlier than we did? We sure took our time at the top-- and didn't rocket on the way down. I kept expecting to see a ghastly surprise on the way out after noting your railslide and seeing some phenomenal rockfall....
We had a similar conclusion: far less coverage than last year. Anyone wanting to ski the SW chutes should take note-- descent skiing but not much longer and a solid walk out.
Hey John,
Nice, and definitely good seeing other skiiers up there.
Just to clarify, I skipped the last 1k ft or so to the summit.
It was definitely an interesting hike out through the wasteland.
You wouldn't have to worry about me skiing off a cliff like those guys on Mt Baker over the weekend ;^)
At one point towards the bottom of the snow, I had a nice cantaloupe sized rock fly by about 5 feet away. A little closer, and the only thing left to do would be to go through my pockets for change.
Nice, and definitely good seeing other skiiers up there.
Just to clarify, I skipped the last 1k ft or so to the summit.
It was definitely an interesting hike out through the wasteland.
You wouldn't have to worry about me skiing off a cliff like those guys on Mt Baker over the weekend ;^)
At one point towards the bottom of the snow, I had a nice cantaloupe sized rock fly by about 5 feet away. A little closer, and the only thing left to do would be to go through my pockets for change.
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