June 21 MRNP: Kautz condition update

I hope this helps for those planning to ski the kautz this weekend.

The Kautz is still skiing well. I had skied this three weeks ago, and then again yesterday. Cracks are starting to open up just above the chute and require some detours, but they are obvious and easy to get around. Crossing the lower nisqually, you will have to cross several small cracks, that are easy to step over or ski across. Cracks are also beginning to open in the gully leading to the fan. If skiing down you can stay high to avoid them. The seracs are starting to shed more ice too. Overall it is still pretty easy to get around all the cracks and the ice debris.

-The upper mountain was hit hard by high winds. In wind exposed areas the surface is like water ice rocks everywhere (hard to describe). The wands have rime ice plaster on them up top. Also, rain fell on the upper summit, so there is a rain crust. Beneath that is unconsolidated layer of snow that the guides are struggling to place strong enough pickets for their clients and are turning around on the DC.

After summiting the DC, I walked over to point success and dropped on to the kautz there. I have not gone the other way, taking the Nisqually to the Kautz. I saw some crevasses there and opted instead to drop in from the top of point success. I was in a hurry so I started too early at 11:00 AM. I booted down the first 1,000' to the cleaver due to icy conditions. This section, I think, would soften if it were later in the day, and there was a calmer wind. I was being pushed around by the winds on this day, maybe 30-40 mph gusts.

I put my skis are at 1300 feet, at around noon. It was softer but choppy and at time icy. Until I got to the chutes which was soft corn. This is still in great condition to ski, and really fun. Crossing over to camp hazard was easy, snow takes you right to the rocks. Where you have to pop off your skis and get on to the turtle. The turtle, Wilson and the fan skied the best - smooth corn. Crossing the lower nisqually was my last crux, and was relieved to make the crossing.