October 8-9, 2005, Muir Snowfield

Saturday started out promising as I left the parking lot by 8:30am.  I kept thinking it will either burn off or I'll poke through it.  Plants had a dusting while the trail was a mixture of asphalt or snow.  Due to slight winds and clouds visibility was poor, however ever so often it would clear for a bit.

I was able to skin from right above Pebble Creek.  Made it up a gully to 8200ft.  It started to clear so I proceeded to lap this couple hundred foot protected patch a few times before running into Pete and posse.  Nice to meet you Pete and crew, whose names I have forgetton. ???  After your group continued up I decided to as well.  I stopped about 9300ft, after bumping into Steve, Rob, and friend coming down.  After talking to Steve it was whiteout all the way to Camp Muir.  Good turn around point for me to.  While descending we were fortunate to have the fog skirt lift just enough for us to see the path of least resistance.  The cool temps kept the moisture from saturating most of the new snow.  With the red lenses on the gogs the landscape looked like Mars.  The few inches of fluff carved fast on a relatively smooth base.  Off to the sides were deeper pockets but terrain features to negoitiate.  I found some rocks.  The final section was dust on ice.

Back at the parking lot the temps dropped 10 degrees and started to snow a tad.  On the way home it showered most of the way.  Tomorrow should be good if current freezing levels hold. ;D

Sunday I pulled into the Paradise parking lot at 8am.  Shortly after Steve, Kurt, Troy and Scott? pulled up.  The sun could be seen lurking through the clouds as we started hiking by quarter till 9.  The trails had a bit more snow today so did the surrounding.  If Kam were here he'd be skinning from the lot.  Just like yesterday though I started skinning from just above Pebble Creek.  The sun was out and like that it was gone.  Skinned through the clouds and punched through eventually around 8700ft, the Moon Rocks area.  From there to Camp Muir it was bluebird.  It was also a work out as the sun baked snow stuck to my phatties.  We all enjoyed sunny, calm weather and clouds engulfing everything below leaving only Adams and the rim of St Helens showing.  I believe we started our descent by 1pm.  On a day like today time was not of importance.  There was only one track laid down by a boarder earlier.  The rest of the field was ours to share among the 5 of us.  We carved fine sun baked snow on pretty much a perfectly smooth surface.  One section of mogul resemblance that had deeper pockets to carve into.  Also couple ice lumps, some hidden, which resulted in some airs.  Still one of those rare Muir moments when everything is not wind scoured, allowing one self to open up.  

As we descended so did the clouds.  This allowed all of us to play in the natural terrain park with lips, hips and whole sorts of stuff to slash and hit.  And just like that it was time to enter the clouds.  We took turns being the leader and found ourselves at the end of our run at 7350ft.  This is where we also bumped into Chirs and Rene.  We all hiked out together in the mist.  Most of us couldn't believe the void of slider types out there.  And as luck would have it, while we chatted by our cars and shoveled away gear the clouds started to part.  Timing is everything. ;D