June 20, 2016, Mt Rainier Paradise Glacier
6/20/16
WA Cascades West Slopes South (Mt Rainier)
4329
3
Beautiful conditions and weather on Paradise Glacier today. Parked at lower Paradise Road lot and took 4th Crossing trail. 10 am start. Up about 20 steps to continuous snow route R/T. A large Silas posse also headed out, looked like heading to camp out. We had a tight schedule so choose to go right to Cowlitz Rocks to 7200'. Looked fine on upper Paradise Glacier, too, where another party was heading. Smooth new snow with an inch of ski penetration. A bit grabby but OK for the long traverse back to Van Trump Memorial and back down.
Nice chatting with you Don! Thanks for the track. We went to about 7500' on the Paradise Glacier where the rest of my posse finally agreed that the 4-6" of unconsolidated fresh snow might sluff on the steeper slopes we hoped to ski. We headed back to our Solstice picnic spot a few hundred vertical feet above Sluskin's Chair, and enjoyed much better conditions, 1/2" corn with no new snow, in Mazama Bowl. Fortunately no rain all day, and sunny from 10-12, and again from 4-7pm.
Thanks for the updates looks way better than i thought. Looked at the clouds and went back to my 5x8 cell. (guest bath remodel)
A few pix here
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