February 19-20, 2006, Carbon
2/19/06
WA Cascades West Slopes South (Mt Rainier)
3362
7
Ross and I spent Sunday and part of Monday playing on and above the Carbon Glacier.
There was a dusting of snow at the Ipsut Creek Campground. A 3.5-mile hike put us at the tongue of the Carbon Glacier, circa 3500'. Perfect weather and softening corn-like snow with little pockets of powder here and there made for a spectacular 5+-mile tour to where the Carbon Glacier steepens.
We dropped our heavy packs next to a rock that provided a little wind shelter on a flat section of the glacier at 7k. We melted water and enjoyed the incredible sunshine. Finally we decided to go play, maybe get some good views.
There were three textures of snow on the glacier. One was chalky wind-swept powder. Another was crunchy, bumpy ice. And alas there was shiny, glazed, smooth-as-glass ice. The three alternated in patches.
Some tenuous skinning and a very personal look at Willis Wall left us ready to ski to our camp. Slopes over 20 degrees were quite the adventure. I found the steepest nearby roll without visible crevasses to get schooled. The smooth-as-glass bits wouldn't hold an edge at all. The preferred MO was to keep it together while power sliding on the glass and aim for the nearest pocket of powder. The crunchy sections allowed more normal icy turns, but the scene was dominated by glass and chalk.
By four in the afternoon we were huddled in our bivy sacks trying to keep our stoves working, awaiting the coldest night of camping on snow I've experienced.
Ross provided a wake-up call not long after Monday's birth. We were plodding up the Carbon in crampons before two. I'm not sure what was causing it, but I felt horrible. Ross took the lead and was far ahead of me up the lower portions of Liberty Ridge in no time. He was waiting for me at Thumb Rock long enough to make his toes cold. Sorry bro.
I felt like garbage and we knew skiing conditions wouldn't be great. Even the mellow descent of the Winthrop Glacier could be pretty scary on the glazed ice. So we shivered in the snow until sunrise. Sunrise revealed high clouds, a lenticular atop Tahoma and ominous low clouds marching up the valley of the Carbon. Good thing we stopped.
From Thumb Rock we skied what the Beckey shows as the 1955 (second ascent) variation. One constriction pinched between water ice and rocks provided the crux. I went first and side-stepped with an ice ax in my uphill hand, uncertain whether more ice was hiding just beneath the snow. Once I was out of the way Ross handled it with panache by making a spicy hop turn over the constriction.
Down to the bergschrund we found very enjoyable 40-degree wind-buffed powder. Good things come to those who exhibit copious stupidity.
The ski down the Carbon was an absolute joy, like a never-ending high-speed groomer without having to worry about skier collisions. I'm writing with hopes of inspiring some of the touring types to head that way, because the Carbon Glacier up to 7k was the most amazing 5.5-mile 3.5k tour I've seen. The views could make your eyes pop out of your head.
We were able to ski over a mile below the suspension bridge with some creek-crossing shenanigans. The clouds had completely seized control and light snowfall prevailed. Two miles of hiking finished an enjoyable outing.
There was a dusting of snow at the Ipsut Creek Campground. A 3.5-mile hike put us at the tongue of the Carbon Glacier, circa 3500'. Perfect weather and softening corn-like snow with little pockets of powder here and there made for a spectacular 5+-mile tour to where the Carbon Glacier steepens.
We dropped our heavy packs next to a rock that provided a little wind shelter on a flat section of the glacier at 7k. We melted water and enjoyed the incredible sunshine. Finally we decided to go play, maybe get some good views.
There were three textures of snow on the glacier. One was chalky wind-swept powder. Another was crunchy, bumpy ice. And alas there was shiny, glazed, smooth-as-glass ice. The three alternated in patches.
Some tenuous skinning and a very personal look at Willis Wall left us ready to ski to our camp. Slopes over 20 degrees were quite the adventure. I found the steepest nearby roll without visible crevasses to get schooled. The smooth-as-glass bits wouldn't hold an edge at all. The preferred MO was to keep it together while power sliding on the glass and aim for the nearest pocket of powder. The crunchy sections allowed more normal icy turns, but the scene was dominated by glass and chalk.
By four in the afternoon we were huddled in our bivy sacks trying to keep our stoves working, awaiting the coldest night of camping on snow I've experienced.
Ross provided a wake-up call not long after Monday's birth. We were plodding up the Carbon in crampons before two. I'm not sure what was causing it, but I felt horrible. Ross took the lead and was far ahead of me up the lower portions of Liberty Ridge in no time. He was waiting for me at Thumb Rock long enough to make his toes cold. Sorry bro.
I felt like garbage and we knew skiing conditions wouldn't be great. Even the mellow descent of the Winthrop Glacier could be pretty scary on the glazed ice. So we shivered in the snow until sunrise. Sunrise revealed high clouds, a lenticular atop Tahoma and ominous low clouds marching up the valley of the Carbon. Good thing we stopped.
From Thumb Rock we skied what the Beckey shows as the 1955 (second ascent) variation. One constriction pinched between water ice and rocks provided the crux. I went first and side-stepped with an ice ax in my uphill hand, uncertain whether more ice was hiding just beneath the snow. Once I was out of the way Ross handled it with panache by making a spicy hop turn over the constriction.
Down to the bergschrund we found very enjoyable 40-degree wind-buffed powder. Good things come to those who exhibit copious stupidity.
The ski down the Carbon was an absolute joy, like a never-ending high-speed groomer without having to worry about skier collisions. I'm writing with hopes of inspiring some of the touring types to head that way, because the Carbon Glacier up to 7k was the most amazing 5.5-mile 3.5k tour I've seen. The views could make your eyes pop out of your head.
We were able to ski over a mile below the suspension bridge with some creek-crossing shenanigans. The clouds had completely seized control and light snowfall prevailed. Two miles of hiking finished an enjoyable outing.
So...where are the pictures sky ;D
I enjoyed powder in the schweitzer backcountry thinking that there was none over here. It sounds like you found a little of everything including powder.
I enjoyed powder in the schweitzer backcountry thinking that there was none over here. It sounds like you found a little of everything including powder.
Note the superhighway cruiser up the right side of the photo. I dubbed it the skinterstate.
The way down from Thumb Rock looks like it has blue and grey patches... is that ice?
Nice writing- it's always nice to hear passion eloquently expressed .
Well crafted report, Sky.
Inventive tour.
Inventive tour.
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