June 24, 2018, MRNP VT Glaciers to Camp Hazard
6/24/18
WA Cascades West Slopes South (Mt Rainier)
1895
1
Headed up the Comet Falls trail to VT Park and onto Camp Hazard via the VT glaciers today. Beautiful weather... skiing did not rise to the expectations as it's quite the bumpy ride down right now, particularly up high.
Continuous snow starts far above Comet falls, a few hundred feet below VT Park. Once up in the park, it's continuous snow all the way to Camp Hazard. Skinning was a little difficult with some slipping on soft surface snow over the firm base when traversing steeper terrain. It's not worth going all the way to Camp Hazard right now as the last 500 feet or so below the camp is a bumpy mess between old climber tracks, avy debris and growing suncups. From 10,500 back down to about 7,000 ft, there are patches of smoother skiing here and there but it's never really a super smooth surface and the glissade tracks and other big pock marks in the snow keep popping up here and there to keep things interesting. The snow got a bit grabby below about 7,500 ft but there wasn't any pollen on the surface.
Overall, not the best skiing but turns were had and its's hard to beat the views and the solitude you get up there.
Continuous snow starts far above Comet falls, a few hundred feet below VT Park. Once up in the park, it's continuous snow all the way to Camp Hazard. Skinning was a little difficult with some slipping on soft surface snow over the firm base when traversing steeper terrain. It's not worth going all the way to Camp Hazard right now as the last 500 feet or so below the camp is a bumpy mess between old climber tracks, avy debris and growing suncups. From 10,500 back down to about 7,000 ft, there are patches of smoother skiing here and there but it's never really a super smooth surface and the glissade tracks and other big pock marks in the snow keep popping up here and there to keep things interesting. The snow got a bit grabby below about 7,500 ft but there wasn't any pollen on the surface.
Overall, not the best skiing but turns were had and its's hard to beat the views and the solitude you get up there.
Thanks for the report! I think my son and I saw you starting up the trail to Comet Falls as we drove by on our way to Paradise.
We skied to Camp Muir and descended Nisqually Chute. Carried the skis up the hiker trail above Glacier Vista (Panorama face is melted out) then continuous skinning to Muir.
Upper Muir snowfield had a somewhat rough surface due either to boot tracks or old ski tracks that stood out as ridges. Nisqually Chute skied okay, though a little rough due to ski tracks and minor debris. Able to ski within 200 yards of the parking lot, thought this is changing fast. Beautiful day.
We skied to Camp Muir and descended Nisqually Chute. Carried the skis up the hiker trail above Glacier Vista (Panorama face is melted out) then continuous skinning to Muir.
Upper Muir snowfield had a somewhat rough surface due either to boot tracks or old ski tracks that stood out as ridges. Nisqually Chute skied okay, though a little rough due to ski tracks and minor debris. Able to ski within 200 yards of the parking lot, thought this is changing fast. Beautiful day.
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