June 15-16, 2003, Pinnacle-Inter Glacier-Mt. Ruth

After crevasse rescue class on the Nisqually Glacier, Mt. Rainer, Saturday, I decided to head up to Pinnacle Peak for a quick run.  The usual route is getting broken up and I had do to some ski ballet maneuvers to avoid giant tree moats, but I made it to the ridge crest in one hour, then pause to take in the awesome view, with low clouds between the Tatoosh Range and Mt. Rainier.  Snow conditions were perfect and I skied down to my car in a few minutes.  Snow coverage is still continuous, with just a few rivulets to avoid.

Spent the short night at Ohanapecosh campground (lovely), and was on the trail to Inter Glacier at 7:30 am. I hit the first continuous snow at 5500', and was able shortly afterward to skin up and cross a snowbridge to the south side of Glacier Basin.  From there it was a bit of slog, but skinning up the glacier was easy and I summited Steamboat Prow at about 12:30.  It was another perfect corn day, and there were surprisingly few tracks on the slopes.  Lots of climbers coming up the glacier on the way to Camp Sherman, though.  There was only one crevasse exposed, so it was a quick and buttery ride down.

On the way out, I skirted the south side of Glacier Basin, noting fresh wet avalanches coming off the north facing slopes, with rock mixed in.  I tarried not, and instead skinned up the ridge on the way to Mt. Ruth.  I reached the divide between Glacier Basin and the Emmons Glacier, and saw some skier-triggered avalanches off the summit of Ruth.  I was happy to claim my personal summit there on the ridge.  

Skiing down was pure wholesome goodness, including an exciting snowbridge jump (the snowbridge I crossed in the morning now had  few holes in it), and ski down the White River Trail.