Mt Rainier: Gib Chute via Ingraham direct
The PNW has been off the hook for the past month with day after day of relentless storms becoming the snowiest March in 15 years. Conditions have been epic with constant accumulations in the double digits making backcountry days few and far between. Mid March we got a clearing between storms so I ran up to the famous slot Colouir with an Alpy local.
Looking back towards Alpental and Rainier
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Hiking on the Summit of Mt Snoqualmie getting ready to ski the slot.
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The entrance
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The conditions were good
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Now fast forward a few weeks and there was another break in the Weather.
Amar Andalkar (http://www.skimountaineer.com/) and I went to Rainier to tackle the Ingraham direct route.
Skinning up the Muir snowfield with the Tatoosh in the background
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We stayed at the Muir Shelter and rested the next day preparing for our summit attempt. After a slow start we were skinning around 8:00
Sunrise over the Cowlitz glacier
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Sunrise alpenglow over the Tatoosh range and Mt Adams
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Mt Tahoma from Cathedral Gap at 10700 ft
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Amar skinning up the Ingraham direct route
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Skinning up Ingraham glacier (photo by Amar)
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At around 12’600 feet we switched over to crampons (photo by Amar)
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Skinning up to summit proper from the Crater (photo by Amar) http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s...elens1200-.jpg
Amar standing on the Summit
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Looking East towards Crystal Mountain
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We decided to descend the Gib Chute a more direct line back to the Muir Shelter.
Snowboarding in the Summit Crater (photo by Amar)
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Snowboarding next to a Serac on the Nisqually Glacier (photo by Amar)
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Amar skiing with Tahoma in the Background
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Amar skiing over the rollover into the Gib Chute
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Looking down the Gib Chute (photo by Amar)
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The conditions in the Gib Chute was solid Ice with no room for Error so it was survival skiing until it softened up at the Apron
Amar Skiing the chute
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Snowboarding in the Gib Chute (photo by Amar)
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Looking back up the Gib chute (photo by Amar)
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Heading back to the Muir shelter with the Sun setting in the Background
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We rested until the early afternoon the next day to let the snow soften to Corn
Riding down the Muir Snowfield with the Gib Chute in the Background
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Looking back at the route on a Predawn tour the next day on the left side of Rainier
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For a MUCH better write up check Amar’s Trip Report
http://www.turns-all-year.com/skiing...?topic=12992.0
Thanks Amar I had a great time and I look forward to the spring touring Season