June 21, 2014, Sunrise, Mt. Rainier
6/21/14
WA Cascades West Slopes South (Mt Rainier)
3719
2
Sun was promised for the opening weekend at Sunrise and sun was there when I arrived at 8am, but high clouds and a cool breeze soon drifted in. I didn't expect loads of snow, but at over 7,000 feet I did expect more than is there. Sourdough Ridge is maybe 50% meadow already. I did not check the other side to see how the chutes are holding up.
I headed to Burroughs mountains walking on bare dirt down the service road all the way to the bottom of the hill. From there I skinned on several inches of snow up to frozen lake where I packed the skis and hiked all the way to the summit of 1st Burroughs on dirt. From there I could survey the area and I spied one nice looking continuous band of snow descending from 2nd Burroughs. I hiked over to the stone bench on 2nd and had lunch and enjoyed the view of people climbing the Interglacier.
So I skied the big bowl on the SE side of 2nd, climbed back up and skied the chute that I had picked out. Two other skiers had already skied it, and it was a fun, pretty steep and pretty long run, but of course it was over too quickly. Then I was able to skin part of the way back up the valley before shouldering the skis and walking the rest of the way back to Frozen Lake.
An enjoyable day, for sure, and I am glad I got it while I could. It won't last long.
I headed to Burroughs mountains walking on bare dirt down the service road all the way to the bottom of the hill. From there I skinned on several inches of snow up to frozen lake where I packed the skis and hiked all the way to the summit of 1st Burroughs on dirt. From there I could survey the area and I spied one nice looking continuous band of snow descending from 2nd Burroughs. I hiked over to the stone bench on 2nd and had lunch and enjoyed the view of people climbing the Interglacier.
So I skied the big bowl on the SE side of 2nd, climbed back up and skied the chute that I had picked out. Two other skiers had already skied it, and it was a fun, pretty steep and pretty long run, but of course it was over too quickly. Then I was able to skin part of the way back up the valley before shouldering the skis and walking the rest of the way back to Frozen Lake.
An enjoyable day, for sure, and I am glad I got it while I could. It won't last long.
Wow we skied up there a week ago and the snow was filled in but we knew it was melting fast. We were happy to ski the chutes then and not wait, but you had to climb up from the White river campground then most of the stuff was still easily skiable. Amazing how quick it goes faster this year than the previous two.
The park should open all that stuff by Memorial Day. Oh well.
The park should open all that stuff by Memorial Day. Oh well.
I also was impressed by the relative paucity of coverage for Pre- July. I hiked up sourdough and dropped the chute on Diggett and it was pretty sweet corn till the last third when it got mashy. Can't ski all the way out to the the view point and its going fast.
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