Feb 15, 2015, MRNP, Van Trump Park

2/15/15

WA Cascades West Slopes South (Mt Rainier)

2435

3

Posted by Kenji on 2/16/15 2:44am

This would have been more timely if I posted it last night. Well, maybe useful for the next weekend trips. I was considering an overnight trip, but got convinced by Sally and Dennis to join their Spring tour up on Van Trump. Brown trail is continuous well above Comet Falls, about 200' shy from the upper open trees. Then it's Spring skiing as usual except it's only mid Feb. About 1/4" dense, new snow on a hard crust provided good traction for skinning. We played a catchup game with another group of 4. We turned around 8300', where the snow was very skiable, but not corned yet. Overall, skiing was great on shallow corn especially on the sunny portion, had a blast on a short steep section off the narrow ridge, about 20 turns in soft mush. A quick steady hike out got us at the gate 5:20, still open for downhill with rangers counting down. The skiing will be just better next weekend if stays warm.