Home > Trip Reports > May 6, 2016, Interglacier, Rainier

May 6, 2016, Interglacier, Rainier

5/5/16
WA Cascades West Slopes South (Mt Rainier)
4179
7
Posted by frankfrank on 5/6/16 4:05pm

White River Road is plowed and cleared all the way to the end of the campground (and also to Sunrise maybe?), for your bicycling pleasure. The trail from there is about one-third snow-free, one-third snow interrupted at just-frustrating-enough intervals, one-third skinnable. Then glacier basin and above is all a blank canvas for skintrack expressions. Interglacier had beautiful firnspiegel near the top (intermittently jumping in chunks with the wind), semi-firm semi-corn through the middle, and stickiness at the bottom. Anyway, it's all lovely. I especially enjoyed passing through small cells of alternately (and shockingly) warm and cool air while rolling back down the road. I think it took about 11 hours car-to-car (I didn't ride from home, unfortunately...).





Very nice reporting on multi discipline touring.

Jealousy is high. Any shots of the Emmons?

Emmons from the prow: big photo

A party of two skied up to Camp Schurman yesterday to go for the Emmons route today. And I came across another group of two climbers along the trail on my way down, not sure what their plans were.

Am I interpreting correctly that you cannot drive the White River road? Where is it gated?

Cayuse pass is open ,Chinook still closed .White river road gated at 410. Supposed to open May 16 per Park website.

The NPS has issued citations to friends of mine who biked the Summerland closed (by a sign)road. beware. not sure if this is a current practice.

Now says May 20th.
https://www.nps.gov/mora/planyourvisit/road-status.htm

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frankfrank
2016-05-06 23:05:54