May 13, 2003, McClure Rock
5/13/03
WA Cascades West Slopes South (Mt Rainier)
2540
3
Sunny and very warm at Paradise. Gary's route up to McClure Rock is via Mazama Ridge rather than up PanPoint. Paradise Valley road was already plowed, but not open to traffic, so had to hike down on the bare pavement. To get to the trail up Mazama, had to cut steps into 8-10ft high snow walls, kind of tricky for short-legged, geriatric skiers. Snow was still hard so it was easy skinning up. Got to our destination in time for lunch with a great view, and in time to have a great run down on corn snow all the way, even the southern aspects showed only the slightest signs of deterioration. It would have been a great day for the Paradise Glacier, had we started earlier to get good and safe snow up there. Back in the parking lot by 1:30, barely 3 hrs for the whole trip. A short but very nice trip. :)
Skinut, sounds like you are going to be harder and harder to keep up with. Any significant crevasses open on the upper Paradise Glacier?
Sounds like you would have been much better off skiing from the parking lot and going up thru Golden Gate to McClure Rock (we did that Sat., went up Pan Face on Sun). abc
Yeah, I know it would have been easier, actually my preferred route is up Pan Point. Even Gary admitted with the road plowed it was no good.
Mad-Dog: Couldn't see the Paradise Glacier from where we were.
Mad-Dog: Couldn't see the Paradise Glacier from where we were.
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