May 7, 2018, Little Tahoma via Paradise
5/7/18
WA Cascades West Slopes South (Mt Rainier)
4135
6
We took the "low route" described in
Photo: 8:30 am, 7100' at Cowlitz Saddle, looking at Cowlitz glacier (left), Ingraham glacier (right), and Little Tahoma (top center). The "normal" high route cuts across these two glaciers and is viewable on Cowlitz at left.
Read the post linked above for further route details, which we followed fairly closely, except that we were able to skin much higher on Little T's face, to nearly 11,000 feet, thanks to three speedy skiers just ahead of us setting the skin track. Thank you! (This party had come over the high route, and reported some thin snowbridges on the glaciers that they hoped not to repeat on the way back.)
Leaving our skis here at nearly 11,000, we donned crampons and booted up to the summit ridge, where we got out the rope, took off the crampons, and traversed the last bit to the summit, which is dry rock and no more than class 3, but with some exposure and need to search for good handholds. Placed one cam and slung a flake, but pro and rope are really not necessary for a competent party, even in ski boots.
Reached the summit at 3:30. On return, followed our route in reverse, and which featured a spectacular, uninterrupted corn snow ski run of 4,500 ' back down to the lower Ingraham.
Photo: 4:30 pm, Little Tahoma, on the way down. As described above, we were able to skin just about to the very top of that central snow slope, to nearly 11,000', before booting the rest of the way.
The other party of 3 thankfully took the low route back also, and set a skin track up to Cowlitz Saddle. It appeared from their tracks that they returned to Paradise via Golden Gate and Edith Creek basin, whereas we followed our morning skin-track back to, and then down, Mazama Ridge.
Back at the car at 8:00 pm. 13.75 hours car-to-car.
Photo: 8:30 am, 7100' at Cowlitz Saddle, looking at Cowlitz glacier (left), Ingraham glacier (right), and Little Tahoma (top center). The "normal" high route cuts across these two glaciers and is viewable on Cowlitz at left.
Read the post linked above for further route details, which we followed fairly closely, except that we were able to skin much higher on Little T's face, to nearly 11,000 feet, thanks to three speedy skiers just ahead of us setting the skin track. Thank you! (This party had come over the high route, and reported some thin snowbridges on the glaciers that they hoped not to repeat on the way back.)
Leaving our skis here at nearly 11,000, we donned crampons and booted up to the summit ridge, where we got out the rope, took off the crampons, and traversed the last bit to the summit, which is dry rock and no more than class 3, but with some exposure and need to search for good handholds. Placed one cam and slung a flake, but pro and rope are really not necessary for a competent party, even in ski boots.
Reached the summit at 3:30. On return, followed our route in reverse, and which featured a spectacular, uninterrupted corn snow ski run of 4,500 ' back down to the lower Ingraham.
Photo: 4:30 pm, Little Tahoma, on the way down. As described above, we were able to skin just about to the very top of that central snow slope, to nearly 11,000', before booting the rest of the way.
The other party of 3 thankfully took the low route back also, and set a skin track up to Cowlitz Saddle. It appeared from their tracks that they returned to Paradise via Golden Gate and Edith Creek basin, whereas we followed our morning skin-track back to, and then down, Mazama Ridge.
Back at the car at 8:00 pm. 13.75 hours car-to-car.
Nice to meet you both, I was in the party of three. You are correct about the route we took back. Thank you for the advice and congrats on making the summit - what an awesome route!!
Short video from one of my partner's, Chris M. https://www.flickr.com/photos/122054286@N08/shares/B3kVs7 If you don't want this video in your post let me know and I'll take it down. I'm not trying to hijack your thread - You wrote a great post and this is the only thing I have to add for others out there!
Short video from one of my partner's, Chris M. https://www.flickr.com/photos/122054286@N08/shares/B3kVs7 If you don't want this video in your post let me know and I'll take it down. I'm not trying to hijack your thread - You wrote a great post and this is the only thing I have to add for others out there!
Chris - we were really lucky for your skin track on the face of little T. I was bonking pretty hard in that hot sun, Claire and I stopped to get some water from the trickle on the rock on the left, and then we powered up the last bit - not sure would have had the energy to continue without you all having just been there to set the track
P.S. great video, keep it up! really captures the experience
author=pugetgold link=topic=40658.msg161497#msg161497 date=1525813654]
Chris - we were really lucky for your skin track on the face of little T. I was bonking pretty hard in that hot sun, Claire and I stopped to get some water from the trickle on the rock on the left, and then we powered up the last bit - not sure would have had the energy to continue without you all having just been there to set the track
I'll give the skin track credit to my other partner, Miles. He is a machine, I just stick in the middle and do my best to keep up! Hope to see you in the hills again.
Good times, I definitely prefer this route after faffing and turning on the very broken up Cowlitz glacier last year.
FYI, the upper Cowlitz already looked pretty hollow from Muir on Tuesday.
FYI, the upper Cowlitz already looked pretty hollow from Muir on Tuesday.
We ran across some of your tracks on our way back from Panhandle Gap and Indian bar where we camped for 2 nights. Mystery solved!
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