May 20, 2007, (Partial) Nisqually Chutes MRNP
5/20/07
WA Cascades West Slopes South (Mt Rainier)
4557
6
Arrived at Paradise to snow and headed up towards Muir at 9am. Bad vis and good snowfall = fun no matter what. Lots of cars but only saw about 12 people total on the mountain with 4 of them above 7k. Not sure where everyone was, maybe the Tatoosh or Mazama Ridge/Paradise Glacier?
Pan Point direct was still in even though the top portion was roped off. Vis never improved so we turned around @ 7700 and headed down on a traverse towards the chutes. Since the vis was bad, I am not sure how we got in the chutes (unplanned), but b4 I knew it we were skiing some great creamy snow (about 2-3 inches) on top of the carvable crust that made for some kick ass turns.
The route fanned out and we found ourselves above the nisqually glacier and then made the traverse back to Paradise. Followed someone else's tracks that actually took us too far down and hiked out just above the visitors center. I'll have to look at some images from last year to see which way we actually went since we did not get in via the standard entrance.
Not a bad day for my 1st ski tour of the season ;)
Pan Point direct was still in even though the top portion was roped off. Vis never improved so we turned around @ 7700 and headed down on a traverse towards the chutes. Since the vis was bad, I am not sure how we got in the chutes (unplanned), but b4 I knew it we were skiing some great creamy snow (about 2-3 inches) on top of the carvable crust that made for some kick ass turns.
The route fanned out and we found ourselves above the nisqually glacier and then made the traverse back to Paradise. Followed someone else's tracks that actually took us too far down and hiked out just above the visitors center. I'll have to look at some images from last year to see which way we actually went since we did not get in via the standard entrance.
Not a bad day for my 1st ski tour of the season ;)
A group of us skied the upper chutes (at 8300 ft) yesterday. We also had great snow above the chutes and wonderful skiing down into the chutes. Well worth the miasma and the drive.
I was up there on sunday as well. Yeah... that drive home yesterday was horrible!!! But well worth it.
I was also up there Sunday. Planned on going up to Muir overnite and skiing the Beehive down to the major icefall on the Cowlitz today....but word of worsening weather lead us to call it at Anvil. Basically skinnned up to Anvil for a daytrip with overnite and glacier gear....oh well, good conditioning. Vis was non existant aroud 8500-9000 ft. Skiing was ok except for the vis. Pretty sure we were passed up by Jason H. and his crew around Pebble Creek and followed their skin track to the right of the main route until we intersected the climbing route. Today would have been great if you could see!!
Yep, that was likely me. I said hello and wished you luck on your climb. I also added that I hoped the weather would improve for you. Too bad you carried all of that gear up. I did the same earlier this year 'cept it was with 5 days gear :(
Why in the world were there so many boot tracks and snowshoe tracks at the base of the chutes running along the moraine? Confused the hell out of us....maybe it's a popular snowshoe trip?
I think you must have skied some other chute, since there were no tracks (ski or boot) in or at the bottom of Nisqually chutes when we came down around 2pm'ish. ???
There was a boot pack we crossed, coming down from somewhere near Alta Vista... I think maybe people go out on the Nisqually for crevasse practise...
There was a boot pack we crossed, coming down from somewhere near Alta Vista... I think maybe people go out on the Nisqually for crevasse practise...
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