June 17, 2017, Van Trump
6/17/17
WA Cascades West Slopes South (Mt Rainier)
2346
3
Patchy low clouds and overcast higher up as we rolled into Comet Falls TH at a leisurely late morning hour. Hiked in running shoes to about 4800 before switching to boots. Continuous snow starts after Comet Falls go out of view at about 5000. The steep, patchy snow near the falls was quite firm. We booted the treed gully to about 5600' and then skinned up to 7200' before the visibility started coming in and out. We quit while we still had viz and skied a couple inches of mush (most of it probably from this recent precip dump) back to 5k. Rain at the car - no regrets on not going higher.
The views would be ridiculous on a clear day - I'll have to make it back up there again.
Watch out for glide cracks and creek holes.
video
The photos didn't turn out particularly well. If you need Kautz beta I have some photos looking up from our turnaround point.
The views would be ridiculous on a clear day - I'll have to make it back up there again.
Watch out for glide cracks and creek holes.
video
The photos didn't turn out particularly well. If you need Kautz beta I have some photos looking up from our turnaround point.
An update on conditions: Continuous snow starts above Comet Falls at about 5K. Possible to ski from there up to Van Trump Park although just as easy to boot as well. There's a lot of water running in the gulley on the way up to the park and a lot of potential spots to break through. Once up in the park, continuous snow all the way to Camp Hazard. With the exception of where groups of climbers pounded down the slope and left lots of foot prints, it's smooth skiing from Camp Hazard down to about 7K or so. Some small sun cups forming and some runnels down lower than that on the way back to the summer trail but all very manageable.
Nice one. Gotta love that endless summer corn.
Andy, is that you tele-ing in the video? Or did you ski VT more recently? Where do you think the snow level is after the recent heat blast?
Andy, is that you tele-ing in the video? Or did you ski VT more recently? Where do you think the snow level is after the recent heat blast?
Not me in the video...
I was up there this past weekend. The photo was taken Saturday morning. I think the continuous snow started at about 5,000 feet, if my watch was calibrated correctly. From the VT Park on up... it's skis on the entire way up.
I was up there this past weekend. The photo was taken Saturday morning. I think the continuous snow started at about 5,000 feet, if my watch was calibrated correctly. From the VT Park on up... it's skis on the entire way up.
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