Home > Trip Reports > Nov 21, 2015, Muir Party + Ice Capades

Nov 21, 2015, Muir Party + Ice Capades

11/21/15
WA Cascades West Slopes South (Mt Rainier)
5096
12
Posted by kciari on 11/21/15 11:59am
Like the rest of the ski universe today, I decided to head up to Paradise to check things out. Driving through the gate at 8:57am felt pretty rad (we get THREE FREE MINUTES!) until we got to the parking lot to discover we were car number 46. Yes. 46.

After finding a place to park (everyone was spread out like we were skiing on a Tuesday or something) we gathered our gear and waited for friends. We had a big group and opted to stick to the "easy" route and go up to Muir. Skinning was pretty straightforward out of the lot, albeit a bit icy. When we got to Pan Point, the fun started.

If you are going tomorrow, BRING CRAMPONS. Boot crampons. Yes seriously. Ski crampons will do it if you're an advanced skinner, but otherwise just boot it, and then plan to boot for another 500 vert to get through the spicy roll-overs and undercover ridges.

Once you get to the proper snowfield the going is pretty straight forward. Skiing down was not super great, but not terrible. The upper section was wind blown and inconsistent, although a few soft patches of pow could be found. Near Pebble Creek it's just an ice fest. So, so bad. Tune your edges if you haven't. But then skiing Pan Point was the best thing we did all day. If I were going tomorrow I'd get a leisurely start and lap Pan Point. I heard some friends headed over to the Cowlitz and found some goods too. The upper snowfield is probably not worth a go.

Oh, and everyone was there. Muir was the most crowded I've ever seen it, and a very aggressive Ranger was yelling at everyone to leave the lot IMMEDIATELY at 4:30pm. We obliged, but the road was icy and we didn't cross through at Longmire until 5:10pm. Break out those chains!
Thanks for the confirmation of my fears - and that 50 miles on the bike in the sun was a good option,

Mazama ridge was a nice alternative. It was fun seeing everyone

Ice-capades indeed...

Here's my contribution to that theme: group leader falling and tumbling off the ice cliff while threading his inexperienced party through the early season bridges out on the Paradise








... otherwise, skiing was quite enjoyable on sheltered slopes. Good to see ya out there, Kamtron.













Kinda cynical TR for a sunny day on the big one -- at least that's what is reads like to someone who was at work ;-)

What's the deal with that fallen glacier skier? Hope he was ok. If Norseman's final image isn't heaven I don't know what is.



Fun seeing you too Norseman. I'm glad I avoided all ice-capers via the 4th crossing.

Tabski, you must be cynical because you were at work.

Skier dude was OK. Watched the group scoot out the valley.

Sounds like today was better. We got a late start and made it up Pan Point easily with ski crampons. Kept crampons on until above Pebble Creek, then it was great gliding to camp and no crampons needed if you picked a good line.

Good chalky skiing until about 8000, then a bit uneven and grabby. Easy to connect edgable snow with only a few ice patches that were easily crossed. Fun skiing down pan face, heard heading down the other side towards Fourth Crossing was good as well.

Thx for the per-usual informative and amusing TR! Looks better than Hood, but a far cry from three weeks of powder-tuesdays, even if it was sunny...

Amazing weather on the big one this weekend!  To add to the Muir report, a friend and I found some surprisingly good skiing in the cirque above/across from camp, as well as down the Cowlitz a ways on the skier's left flank.  A more wise and patient local we met was waiting for one more good dump before crossing over towards Cathedral Gap.  Once across, at least, things were straight forward with great snow.

Let's hope for more.  The 'typical' route said local mentioned, crossing the Cowlitz lower down somewhere to get back to the Paradise glacier, looks quite far off.  Kind of a mess down there...

^^ Ah. We could just barely spy your tracks from the Cowlitz rocks!

So... did you skin back out around the top? Or find some other way through the glacial gnar?

Just skinned back up both times.  Getting through looked quite adventurous, and we didn't have much reason to since we were based out of camp.

Beautiful pics Norse, great day out with you and Z.

Let's do it again sometime soon... maybe when I'm over my Longmire gate angst.  (945!?!)

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nov-21-2015-muir-party-ice-capades
kciari
2015-11-21 19:59:36