Home > Trip Reports > Oct 15, 2006, Full Conditions at Paradise

Oct 15, 2006, Full Conditions at Paradise

10/15/06
WA Cascades West Slopes South (Mt Rainier)
4504
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Posted by blitz on 10/15/06 10:19pm
Well boys and girls we got our first taste of winter! ;D

I got invite Saturday evening driving home from a good day of rock climbing at Tieton (hey that's a summer sport isn't it? 8)). We knew the weather would be miserable but it would be a good training hump to get ready for the season.

Anyway Scotsman, Kourp and I drove up to Paradise Sunday - it was pouring rain in the lowlands. As we approached the Paradise construction site blobs of frozen rain were hitting the windshield. The construction workers were snickering as we made our way up the trail toward Muir.  To be sure, the fall colors were in their complete glory reds and yellows against the greens of those marvelous spruce frosted with slush.

As we plodded uphill, the wind whipped and the rain and sleet drove hard. Scotsman declared it "FULL CONDITIONS" just like the motherland (mother hah).

At 6200' it was snowing. Scotsman led us up the scree and talus wind swept ridge to 8200'  where thankfully he said it would be good to turn around. (Drew and I were both thinking the same thing with the ice base above and the 35mph wind loaded mountain - we did not want to see what it looked like higher).

So we turned around (yeah). The wind was blasting the snow and ice crystals in our face like sand. But we got freshies from 8200 to 7500'. Scotsman flew down the mountain doing 360 mule grubs (or is that mute grabs - what ever?!?!?!) off those glorious sun cups poking thru the six inches of new snow we were skiing in.

On the way back, Pebble Creek was no longer running and six inches of snow was filling in the trail. The snow turned to slush on the cut rock path just above Glacier Vista and I was thankful when we got back to the car that I had left my down coat safe and dry in the truck.  All-in-all a fine day of adventure. Beta of the day - don't forget to wax your skis ;). Sorry no pictures, did not want to get camera wet.


YEAH FOR WINTER!!!

[Edit: corrected date of trip. -Charles]
Wasn't it the 15th? :) Well, I have never started out hiking to go skiing in a serious downpour before- it definately wasn't a gentle PNW misty rain. The skiing alternated between glorious freshies and sun cup edge skating, but felt fantastic to see fresh snow blowing through the tip cutouts. Accumulations on the way down appeared to be at least an inch per hour, so I suspect almost all of the nasty cupping should currently be filled in (unless it all just gets windscoured). Combined with low snow levels on the docket for this whole week, the Muir should be in fine, fine shape next weekend!  :D

Seeing Chris the Scotsman pull some linked 720 tail grabs off the sun ridges was a sight to behold... next time we really need to get it on film.
We also managed to get three rounds of the "Happy Snow Dance" in, so yippeee for winter!

Korup and Blitz, thanks for the company. It was actually Sunday Oct 15th and not the 13th as posted.
It certainly was a stormy day and much fun to be out when nature is at her fiercest.

I'm going to try Lincon Rolls with a switch landing off the tops of the sun-cups next time so make sure your camera is working  guys. ::)

Silly kids!

Hey, some German guy just told me that there isn't any skiing here in Berlin and that the only mountains in town are massive mounds of WWII rubble collected around flak bunkers from the same era.

Jennifer didn't tell me anything about the lack of skiiing here when she suggested we live here for the year ???

Thanks for the early season report Alisa.  And keep sticking those mule grabs Chris, whatever those are...

Damn, someone got the first freshies... Nice job. I plan to go out next Sunday and it better snows by then...

I was completely disoriented on the date  ??? because I was so totally excited about the new snow and coming winter -  Ive almost forgotten how cold my fingers were in my soaked gloves too.

Bet those sun cups will all be gone next weekend

Hi Dougie, we will miss you this season.

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oct-15-2006-full-conditions-at-paradise
blitz
2006-10-16 05:19:11