Home > Trip Reports > July 4, Nisqually Chute, Mt. Rainier

July 4, Nisqually Chute, Mt. Rainier

7/15/07
WA Cascades West Slopes South (Mt Rainier)
3395
5
Posted by GregSimon on 7/5/07 12:24am
We carried skis til Alta Vista, skinned to base of Panorama Point, carried again til a bit past pebble creek, then skinned from there.  Probably could have started skinning sooner than Alta Vista if we'd stayed more to hikers' left going uphill.  We headed down at about 9200 feet and entered the chute at about 2PM.  I'd worried that warm weather would make things too sloppy, but conditions were ideal: plenty soft for smooth carving but only minimal sloughing.  After the first pitch in the chute, we headed skiers right so Zach could launch the cornice.  It took only a step or two to cross the vertical rock band to get there (I reminded myself "All skis are rock skis").  Very nice skiing off and under the cornice.  We worked our way down the rest of the chute, staying to the right, and climbed back out at the base of Panorama Point.  Snow down below Pan Point was moderately sun-cupped and gritty - but still much nicer than walking.  By staying right (close to Deadhorse Cr. trail) we were able to ski to within 100 ft of the visitor center parking lot.  We finished with a swim in Alder Lake on the way home.  A very nice day.
I think I've got a picture of you in the chute (party of three?), but I've not yet had a look at what's in my camera. Snow conditions were quite good for the chute! (shame I chickened out on the entry...) Beautiful day!

That was probably us (me, son Zach, friend Dave).  It was a sweet day - just about perfect conditions.  Although it looks plenty steep from the top, I wouldn't call it a "no fall zone".  I've certainly fallen in there plenty of times.

I definitely have a shot of the middle skier just post-cornice. I'll post it after work. I'd looked at dropping in there at ~9 am, when the corn wasn't yet ripe (I took a nap at the top 8 am - 9 am), but opted out. I skied the Muir snowfield for much of the day - finding fun conditions (~7.5k skied total). On the way home I found the snow from Glacier Vista to Alta Vista quite pleasant and fast, compared with past experience. I dropped off the east side of Alta Vista and made it (one short carry on the pavement)  to ~400' from the upper lot or so before it was clear that further progress would assuredly shred some meadow. Arrived in the parking lot with skis on my pack, instead of in hand, for the first time  :'(.

Here's Dave going off the lip.

Here 'tis. Click here for the full resolution guy (link subject to disappearance in a month or so).

Reply to this TR

4242
july-4-nisqually-chute-mt-rainier
GregSimon
2007-07-05 07:24:57