June 7-8, 2015, Mt. Rainier, Kautz Cleaver-Kautz
6/7/15
WA Cascades West Slopes South (Mt Rainier)
2234
2
Harrison and I went up from Comet Falls TH Sunday the 7th to a high camp on the Success Glacier at 8800' with the goal of skiing the Kautz Cleaver and Success Couloirs the following day. We were able to start skinning at 6200' on the approach minus a short boot hop.
Departed camp at 215am and gained Point Success at 915 and the Colombia Crest an hour later. After a little summit ice cavern exploration we decided to ski the standard Kautz Glacier route down due to significant sun cupping between 11.5k and 13.5k on the cleaver. Skiing on the Kautz was consistent corn and skiable through both ice bulges- the second just barely on a thin band of snow. I did land on my hip after an ice dinner plate the width of my skis came off under my weight on the last bulge which was fairly exciting. Even with this section not in in the future it would be easily down climbable for a short distance back to snow.
Unfortunately for us, we had to then retrieve our high camp by gaining 1000 vert. up the success glacier from the van trump area before continuing our descent.
Departed camp at 215am and gained Point Success at 915 and the Colombia Crest an hour later. After a little summit ice cavern exploration we decided to ski the standard Kautz Glacier route down due to significant sun cupping between 11.5k and 13.5k on the cleaver. Skiing on the Kautz was consistent corn and skiable through both ice bulges- the second just barely on a thin band of snow. I did land on my hip after an ice dinner plate the width of my skis came off under my weight on the last bulge which was fairly exciting. Even with this section not in in the future it would be easily down climbable for a short distance back to snow.
Unfortunately for us, we had to then retrieve our high camp by gaining 1000 vert. up the success glacier from the van trump area before continuing our descent.
Man the same thing happened to me: hip check in the funky snow. My whippet went in instantly and I was right back on my feet, but it caught me by surprise. I think I would have still recovered without the whippet anyway but still funky.
author=kamtron link=topic=34397.msg141913#msg141913 date=1435207990]
Man the same thing happened to me: hip check in the funky snow. My whippet went in instantly and I was right back on my feet, but it caught me by surprise. I think I would have still recovered without the whippet anyway but still funky.
Yeah, strange eh? I hyper extended my arm a bit and tweaked my peck a little in the process. not badly, but initially i though i did some damage.
Funny connecting on here after looking across at you guys.
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