June 3, 2006- Camp Muir

     Got a very late start from Seattle, and didn't arrive at Paradise until almost noon. I was pleasantly surprised to find that parking wasn't an issue; the flyer from the PS says there will be a shuttle starting later this month, but plenty of spaces at the lower lot. Saw a few other groups on skis/boards, but mostly RMI and Mounties parties. Also glad to find it is still possible to skin from the parking lots. Under bright sunshine, made the long trudge up the snowfield, arriving at Muir around 3:15, with some thick clouds blowing around from 8500 ft up. I wasn't liking the look of the weather, and really wanted to avoid an ugly descent, so after 15 minutes, and pulled the skins and went down. The first 1/3 of the skiing was superb, on a very thin glassy layer over fresh snow, with occasional patches of windbuff. The middle third started to get very grabby but with improved views, and then the bottom section was just poling and trying not to stall in the thick muck. The summer season is looking very nice indeed!