Home > Trip Reports > April 28, 2007, - Fryingpan Glacier MRNP

April 28, 2007, - Fryingpan Glacier MRNP

4/28/07
WA Cascades West Slopes South (Mt Rainier)
2941
5
Posted by JimH on 4/29/07 3:00am
I was originally hoping to do Silver Star but reports from Friday and the weather forecast were not totally encouraging. After conferring with a couple folks I decided to try riding my bike into MRNP to the Fryingpan Creek trail head and getting as high as I could on the Fryingpan Glacier. Based on the TRs posted since then, it looks like Silver Star might have been a pretty decent choice?

The ride into the was totally straightforward. After stashing the bike I walked up the trail past a bit of blowdown (there were really only a couple downed trees the whole way) before switching to skis and skinning up the trail to Summer Land where it started snowing finally. There were a couple stream crossings that took some time, but nothing really outrageous.

The snow was dirty and very hard in the trees. Once in the open, it was heavy, mushy, mank . Stability would have been a bigger issue had the sun really come out, but clouds and light snow kept things in check. Things also started to consolidate as I headed higher.

I climbed til about 7900k at which point I lost sight of my the last rock outcropping I'd used as a landmark in a cloud of mist. I was taking bearings and checking the altimeter at all these little non-descript rock piles....I waited a few minutes, got snowed on a bit, ate a Cliff Bar and turned around. The ski down was total mashed potatoes but it was fun to drop back to Summer Land so quickly. The ski and ride out went pretty fast too - left about 8A from the car, back before 5.

Not ideal conditions, but it was still great to get out. Didn't see anyone at all in the park, no rangers, no DOT folks, no one. It was kinda nice.

I've got another free day next weekend. I think I'll stick with the Silver Star plan.

BTW the footbridge noted on the map in Summer Land isn't there and the river looks like it got gouged pretty good, presumably during the flood. Otherwise the trail was easy to follow and clear of debris. Better than I expected.
Thanks for the early Frying Pan report, it's good to know what's happening up there.
Silver Star turned out to be a perfect choice on Saturday, partly blue skies, enough sun to burn our faces to a crispy husk, and spring powder turns down to 6k or so  and slushy below- however there was quite a bit of traffic. I don't think it will be totally tracked out for you next weekend.

Great skiing on Silver Star, huh? I knew I was gonna hear that from someone...

I heard that the Park isn't planning on opening the White River Road til 5/25, but its totally clear and passable as far as I rode it. Access seems pretty good right now with snow right to the road and the streams still pretty filled in so that's too bad. The folks in Greenwater were dying to have a little better access to that side of the mountain. In fact, they said the road was clear up to Sunrise. I think this is not a new story but if ever there was a year to open the N Side early, this is it.

I'll stick with my WA Pass plan this week.

Thanks for the beta, Jim.  Did you head up the standard approach to gain Meany Crest? any sense of the snow coverage? Thxs.

I went up a bit W of Meany Crest, directly towards the glacier and to the R of a big gully system. The entire basin is pretty well covered right now.

I was able to ski in and out from the TH without having to take off my skis for anything other than the stream crossings (biggest hazard of the day). Snow at the road was still about 2-4ft deep.

If it corns up it will be awesome.;)

All good info! Thanks! now where's my bike trailer

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3965
april-28-2007-fryingpan-glacier-mrnp
JimH
2007-04-29 10:00:21