May 28, 2018, Sunrise: Sourdough Chutes
5/28/18
WA Cascades West Slopes South (Mt Rainier)
5138
6
Couple of friends invited me to a tour up at Sunrise to hit the Sourdough Ridge Chutes.
We cycled up the closed road (on e-bikes) to just past the Sunrise Point parking lot where the road clearing ends.
We had risen above the clouds at that stage and the sky was blue with those magnificent views of Rainier that Sunrise affords.
We parked the bikes and skinned up the snow covered road for about two miles and then set a diagonal track up to Antler Peak. Meadows are still snow covered.
We dropped the chute at the top of the ridge. Slushy snow but steep enough that it skied OK but the basin below has a lot of rain runnels so we stopped and booted back out.
Moved over to a slightly steeper line and skied down again.
Weather was changing by this time and it was cold and windy on the ridge.
Skiing back down the road was tedious as snow was too soft to get any glide and that part of the road appears to go uphill both ways!
Bike ride back down to White River was fast and cold.
Great to be up there when everything is snow covered. Recent years it's always melted out by the time the Park opens it.
Wish they would open the road when everything is still covered as the location and views are magnificent.
We cycled up the closed road (on e-bikes) to just past the Sunrise Point parking lot where the road clearing ends.
We had risen above the clouds at that stage and the sky was blue with those magnificent views of Rainier that Sunrise affords.
We parked the bikes and skinned up the snow covered road for about two miles and then set a diagonal track up to Antler Peak. Meadows are still snow covered.
We dropped the chute at the top of the ridge. Slushy snow but steep enough that it skied OK but the basin below has a lot of rain runnels so we stopped and booted back out.
Moved over to a slightly steeper line and skied down again.
Weather was changing by this time and it was cold and windy on the ridge.
Skiing back down the road was tedious as snow was too soft to get any glide and that part of the road appears to go uphill both ways!
Bike ride back down to White River was fast and cold.
Great to be up there when everything is snow covered. Recent years it's always melted out by the time the Park opens it.
Wish they would open the road when everything is still covered as the location and views are magnificent.
"Wish they would open the road when everything is still covered as the location and views are magnificent."
No kidding !
Now lets talk about e bikes. Im so torn, Somehow its ok for me to use a modern 650 cc dual sport to access long range desert terrain through Oregon /Nevada /Calif, but somehow my mind says a pedal bike should be human powered. I own 4 of them. Just my hang up perhaps?
Maybe I need to age a little?
Robie
No kidding !
Now lets talk about e bikes. Im so torn, Somehow its ok for me to use a modern 650 cc dual sport to access long range desert terrain through Oregon /Nevada /Calif, but somehow my mind says a pedal bike should be human powered. I own 4 of them. Just my hang up perhaps?
Maybe I need to age a little?
Robie
Being an avid mountain biker I am also a purist when it comes to e-bikes on a single track mountain bike trail . Don't approve at all.
However, as I pedaled up the Sunrise road using the lowest eBike assist, all reservations I had about using them on an asphalt road evaporated as fast as the clouds were clearing and the views expanding.
Seemed a vary sensible and pleasant way to access this area.
Times they are a changing .
We met two other people on ebikes who had rode up there but without skis.
Opened my mind to the access possibilities that fat e-bikes afford.
Another friend who I rode mountain bikes with on Saturday and gave me a type 3 fun beat down for my first big ride of the year( I bonked and my ass hurt) just texted me an called me " a dirty e-bike whore".
However, as I pedaled up the Sunrise road using the lowest eBike assist, all reservations I had about using them on an asphalt road evaporated as fast as the clouds were clearing and the views expanding.
Seemed a vary sensible and pleasant way to access this area.
Times they are a changing .
We met two other people on ebikes who had rode up there but without skis.
Opened my mind to the access possibilities that fat e-bikes afford.
Another friend who I rode mountain bikes with on Saturday and gave me a type 3 fun beat down for my first big ride of the year( I bonked and my ass hurt) just texted me an called me " a dirty e-bike whore".
I love this TR. This aging process has also opened my eyes to a new thought pattern. ;)
E-skis! When?
Wish they would open the road when everything is still covered as the location and views are magnificent.
No!!!! That is such a beautiful car free bike!
How did you find out that the road was open for bikes? In years past I could find that info on the web somewhere, but I can't find it this year.
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