December 10, 2005, Van Trump East, MRNP

That's the big bowl you see accross the Nisqually river as you drive up toward Paradise.  Eight Mountaineers started up from the Nisqually bridge.  We saw several cars at the Commet Fall lot heading up to the true Van Trump Park, maybe we'll see some report from some of them.  I mis-judged the amount of snow on the lower part of the moraine; and we had a quite uphill battle through the forrest.  It was nice to have Paul as a second leader to stay behind as I had to look for a way up among rocks and fallen trees.  Everybody kept good spirit and eventually reached a peacefull lunch spot in about three hours.

We reached 7400' at the top of the basin just before 3pm.  Skiing was very enjoyable on consolidated snow (no crust, no mush!!) in a beautiful setting.  1500' in the basin, then another 500' to the start of the trail back.  we took an express way home down to the parking lot with a short headlamp session.

It was a successfull Mountanieers trip with only one broken ski and a few scratches.  Laura did wonderfully with a broken tail; but it is time to retire those Tua Wildness skinnies.  Here is a shot at the basin: