June 21, 2003, Cowlitz Rocks MRNP
6/21/03
WA Cascades West Slopes South (Mt Rainier)
3610
3
Cowlitz Rocks Freshies on Solstice day!
Skinut picked Gary Vogt and myself up in her "new " Bunker Buster Taurus Wagon. our Destination was a easy tour up to Cowlitz Rocks and perhaps up the Paradise GL a ways.Weather was "crappy with variable sucker holes" but We knew temps were cold. Gary came came out of his chalet carrying a stack of wands. He knows the route like a aborigine knows the outback.You know, He reads tracks and the snow "talks to him ".
"Gary why do we need those wands " His reply was instantly accepted "if we carry em up then we won't need them "
Snowing at Paradise rest stop and then down to hairpin for the skin up Mazama. First wand goes in goes in right after Vantrump/Sluskin memorial.Gary's wands don't match so now we know who retrieves all abandoned wands from years of treking in the park.Creek crossing no problem with choices and we continue wanding our way to Cowlitz Saddle. There the sky opens up a little and we make a dash for the Rocks on top. Of course once up on top as we finish our windblown Summer Soltice picnic the clouds close. The good news is the 1-2" of freshies promised in the title have filled in the runnels and small cups.One of the better whiteout skis I can remember.We skied all the way back to the "Bunker Buster " turned on the heat and the vibrator seats and Skinut sang her new song to us as we drove home.
Backcountry Ski Song
(Sing to the melody of The Marine Corps Hymn .."From the Halls of
Montezuma..."))
From the summits of volcanoes
To the foothills down below
We ski glaciers, chutes and gullies
Any place where we find snow.
We make turns in knee deep powder
And Cascade cement so tough,
We're addicted year-round skiers
Who can never ski enough.
The first snowflakes of the season
Wake an instinct in the heart
And devoid of any reason
Up the mountains we will start,
Making turns in snowy heather,
Icy grass and glades so rough,
We're addicted year-round skiers
Who can never ski enough.
In the mist of April drizzles
We will ski on foggy hills.
And in summer when it sizzles
Sun cups challenge our skills.
We will carry skis for hours
For some turns in cruddy snow,
For we're crazy year-round skiers
Who can never let it go.
Song by SKinut AKA "The Duchess"
Robie
Skinut picked Gary Vogt and myself up in her "new " Bunker Buster Taurus Wagon. our Destination was a easy tour up to Cowlitz Rocks and perhaps up the Paradise GL a ways.Weather was "crappy with variable sucker holes" but We knew temps were cold. Gary came came out of his chalet carrying a stack of wands. He knows the route like a aborigine knows the outback.You know, He reads tracks and the snow "talks to him ".
"Gary why do we need those wands " His reply was instantly accepted "if we carry em up then we won't need them "
Snowing at Paradise rest stop and then down to hairpin for the skin up Mazama. First wand goes in goes in right after Vantrump/Sluskin memorial.Gary's wands don't match so now we know who retrieves all abandoned wands from years of treking in the park.Creek crossing no problem with choices and we continue wanding our way to Cowlitz Saddle. There the sky opens up a little and we make a dash for the Rocks on top. Of course once up on top as we finish our windblown Summer Soltice picnic the clouds close. The good news is the 1-2" of freshies promised in the title have filled in the runnels and small cups.One of the better whiteout skis I can remember.We skied all the way back to the "Bunker Buster " turned on the heat and the vibrator seats and Skinut sang her new song to us as we drove home.
Backcountry Ski Song
(Sing to the melody of The Marine Corps Hymn .."From the Halls of
Montezuma..."))
From the summits of volcanoes
To the foothills down below
We ski glaciers, chutes and gullies
Any place where we find snow.
We make turns in knee deep powder
And Cascade cement so tough,
We're addicted year-round skiers
Who can never ski enough.
The first snowflakes of the season
Wake an instinct in the heart
And devoid of any reason
Up the mountains we will start,
Making turns in snowy heather,
Icy grass and glades so rough,
We're addicted year-round skiers
Who can never ski enough.
In the mist of April drizzles
We will ski on foggy hills.
And in summer when it sizzles
Sun cups challenge our skills.
We will carry skis for hours
For some turns in cruddy snow,
For we're crazy year-round skiers
Who can never let it go.
Song by SKinut AKA "The Duchess"
Robie
Wow, who would think, new snow on the first day of summer. Sounds like you had a pretty good ski. Great song, can't wait to see skinut's new wheels.
Great info, Robie...
And thanks for the timely Saturday info so a Sunday skier can use it to put the final tweaks on the Sunday outing plans.
That song of the Dutchess' could turn into a classic. Maybe Lowell might sing it along with the other song he does in his "History of Ski Mountaineering" presentation :)
And thanks for the timely Saturday info so a Sunday skier can use it to put the final tweaks on the Sunday outing plans.
That song of the Dutchess' could turn into a classic. Maybe Lowell might sing it along with the other song he does in his "History of Ski Mountaineering" presentation :)
Terrific ski road song!!!
I was in that whiteout, too, up to Muir and skiing down hoping for a little visibility and not seeing much beyond the floaties in my retinas. Great snow early in the day, and it would've been perfect if I knew how to ski blindfolded. Trail was melted out around Pebble Creek area and part of Pan Pt.
I was in that whiteout, too, up to Muir and skiing down hoping for a little visibility and not seeing much beyond the floaties in my retinas. Great snow early in the day, and it would've been perfect if I knew how to ski blindfolded. Trail was melted out around Pebble Creek area and part of Pan Pt.
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