SNOW IN THE PNW 2016-17: Return of the Shred-i

[Norseman]

Skier dies in crevasse fall at 12.8k on the Emmons

ski in peace, skier

Edit: Michael Naiman of Seattle, age 42

another link

[plugboots]

Dang.

[AK47bp]

Rough July. Scary shit.

Terrible.

[Jonathan S.]

When I skied off the summit via the Emmons in July 2009, both weather and snow were so perfect that it almost felt too easy.
But since then, four people have died on that same route, sigh...

So on a wimpier theme, here's some beta for Adams based on this past Sunday & Monday:

• Skied to within ~770' vertical of the trailhead on Monday.
• But giving up at ~900' on Sunday probably made more sense.
• Suspect that ~1,000' is more realistic now.
• At the beginning of each day though, didn’t start skinning until ~2,800' vertical above the trailhead, since the “winter” route was still officially (if subtly) flagged with orange tape by the FS.
• Could probably start skinning continuously at only ~1,000' vertical above the trailhead by ascending the summer route, but with lots of hiker/climber traffic on the winter route, continuing up the more consistent grade of the winter route in minimalistic trail runners seemed more efficient.
• South Climb ramp made for decent skiing on Sunday while waiting for the SW Chutes to soften.
• Skipped the summit both days, given the relatively cool temps, plus the report of a skier that the typical suncups up there reduced his skiing to a hiking pace (and he was making nice turns on the South Climb, so it wasn’t for lack of skill).
• SW Chutes were of course great, marred only by some runnels lower down and the usual grass-is-always-greener traverses in search of smoother snow (which fortunately was indeed found).
• Skinning back up from SW Chutes to Lunch Counter entailed only two trivially short portages.
• Lunch Counter flats was super bumpy at first, but then got good on the sides as the pitch increased.
• Crescent [Not-Really-A] Glacier was the usual goofball kind of fun.
• Absolutely zero running water encountered on any of this route given the extensive snowpack, so don’t plan on any convenient refills along the way (unless you’re instead hiking down from the SW Chutes skiing to the RMT, where that brook along the way must be open ... I think).

Full TR here if you want to see some generally poor-quality cell phone pictures of high-quality scenery:
https://www.facebook.com/pg/NERandoR...16425208398719
(And if that doesn’t work, just go to https://www.facebook.com/NERandoRaceSeries and look for the most recent photo album.)

[Norseman]

Right on, thanks for the report.

[plurpimpin]

Anybody been up Emmons lately on Rainier? We're heading up there this weekend and we're debating whether or not it's worth lugging the skis. I talked to the rangers today and they said "it's variable, suncups in spots and sugar snow in others".

I was wondering if anyone might have alittle more insight? Would really prefer to ski if it's reasonable.

Skied Avalanche Glacier from the summit of Adams last weekend and it was brutal suncups off the summit to runnels on the glacier so it has me alittle skeptical of how it'll be on Emmons but different mountain, aspect, and elevation so who knows...

[Jonathan S.]

Skied Avalanche Glacier from the summit of Adams last weekend and it was brutal suncups off the summit to runnels on the glacier so it has me alittle skeptical of how it'll be on Emmons but different mountain, aspect, and elevation so who knows...

Impressive how only slightly different aspects on the same mountain and at the same elevation can make such a big difference for skiing conditions.
(The South Climb and SW Chutes also almost always have different skiing conditions despite only a slightly different aspect, but I suspect a major contributing factor there is all the foot traffic on the South Climb?)

[Jonathan S.]

Anybody been up Emmons lately on Rainier? We're heading up there this weekend and we're debating whether or not it's worth lugging the skis. I talked to the rangers today and they said "it's variable, suncups in spots and sugar snow in others".

I was wondering if anyone might have alittle more insight? Would really prefer to ski if it's reasonable.

Has anything this blunt ever been officially posted in prior years?
(I'm asking sincerely -- I rarely pay attention to the upper-mountain conditions there.)
http://mountrainierclimbing.blogspot...onditions.html

Although there are plenty who would argue otherwise, climbing rangers are asking that ski mountaineers consider putting off their summit ski descent until next year when conditions are more suitable for safe skiing. The argument that routes on the mountain still "can" be skied doesn't necessarily mean that they "should" be skied.

[plurpimpin]

Has anything this blunt ever been officially posted in prior years?
(I'm asking sincerely -- I rarely pay attention to the upper-mountain conditions there.)
http://mountrainierclimbing.blogspot...onditions.html

No need to be a dick. That was posted hours after I asked on here. Like my OP said I called the rangers and spoke to them today and they were not nearly that blunt. Their exact words were "suncups in some spots and sugar snow in others". And when I asked what the surface conditions were like they kept saying "well we are getting precip today so it could change a lot too" but never actually answered my question. They were real wishy washy so I came on here to try to get a skiers take if anyone had been up.

I already talked with my partner and we had decided to not ski earlier today. Then that blog post came up and reaffirmed our decision.

[Zeedashbo]

What part of that post was referring to you?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using TGR Forums mobile app

[Jonathan S.]

No need to be a dick.[...]

My sincere apologies if my post came across that way -- definitely not my intention at all, sorry.
What I really meant was whether the official climbing blog typically announces such a "black-and-white" effective end to the upper-mountain ski season.
And also whether that just means skiing conditions are going to be, say, mainly utterly miserable (i.e., like the Adams summit this past weekend -- which we skipped!) or truly deadly (e.g., upper Mt St Elias in this spectacular video).

The disconnect between the phone calls and the blog post makes me wonder whether it was more the former ... or perhaps the rangers you talked with just weren't in the loop for ski conditions?

Also reminds me how when we were on Shasta last month after not having been there for a few years, the climbing rangers check permits at the summit, and use ski gear.
Definitely reflected in their Facebook posts, which seem to be much more attuned to skiing conditions than at other PNW volcanoes?

[Jonathan S.]

What part of that post was referring to you?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using TGR Forums mobile app

I can see how my post could have interpreted contrary to how I intended it, and I sincerely apologize for that.
(And no, I'm usually not so conciliatory on the internet, but you guys have a really great thread going here for the PNW, and I don't want to drag it down -- intentionally or otherwise -- to the level of some other regional threads!)

[plurpimpin]

No worries, I probably took that alittle too personally. spend much time on TGR? You're definitely not dragging it down... plenty of other ppl taking care of that.

On a side note I think I might have bumped into you last summer on hood. It was a skimo guy from Massachusetts that was out on a ski trip and was squeezing in some Palmer laps before flying out that evening. Was a real nice guy.

[Jonathan S.]

On a side note I think I might have bumped into you last summer on hood. It was a skimo guy from Massachusetts that was out on a ski trip and was squeezing in some Palmer laps before flying out that evening. Was a real nice guy.

Thanks, but although I'd like to take the credit for the compliment, if that was on August 2 last year, could have been either me, or one of two other guys whom I persuaded to come out with me on my second volcano trip of the season.
If he was really talkative, then probably this multi-sport guy:
http://marktrahanventure.blogspot.com/
Then again, he was joining us in the middle of a, well, two-week multi-sport trip (mountain biking, paddling, hiking, skiing, plus probably even more...), and only I was flying out that afternoon, so maybe I do get the credit!

[Buster Highmen]

I have never found the rangers online or via phone to be remotely encouraging about skiing Rainier.

It's like they want to keep their pristine purvey free of the sordid, pleasure seeking ski weirdos.

[Jonathan S.]

I thought that Rainier doesn't dislike skiers per se, but rather just dislikes anyone who isn't either a customer of an official park concessionaire or a proverbial tourist on a 100' car tether?

I remember when www.turns-all-year.com had long threads on winter road access, which kind of culminated in this piece:
http://backcountrymagazine.com/stori...ce-ofparadise/

Also impressed by the threats (or actual fines?) against skiers biking up to Sunrise (when the road wasn't open yet to motorized vehicles, even though it was free of snow).
And all the official park volunteers chastising early-summer skiing below Pan Point (although can't remember if that's an annual ritual or not).

[Buster Highmen]

I've been followed and repeatedly questioned about my objectives by rangers on the Sourdough Ridge trail from upper Sunrise lot to Dege.
I had skis and boots on my pack and a ranger asked me if I was going skiing and was insistent about knowing where I was going.

He warned me about going off the snow covered trail and damaging groundcover.

It just really seemed like a ridiculously uptight management. The whole Sunrise access in spring is ridiculous.

[PNWbrit]

Mike 'Gator' Gauthier, my friend and The ORIGINAL climbing ranger, was glad to have skiers use the mountain. Then he was sent to D.C. and the positive vibe offered to riders slowly went downhill. Sad

Big difference between the actual climbing and wilderness rangers and the normal, run-o-the mill, overly-officious, tourist herding and flower protecting type.

There's also been a troubling shift to a more police state attitude up there since Ranger Anderson was shot. Maybe the changes to law concerning firearms in the park contribute to that too?

[plugboots]

Maybe the changes to law concerning firearms in the park contribute to that too?

Thanks Obama!!!

[~mikey b]

Hey PNW folks, if you're looking for some good folkie jamming live music check out my friends The Brothers Strong.



Young fellers who like to have a good time.

[stradissimo]

On the advice and encouragement from Big Steve and Norseman, I took my skis for a hike above Mowich Lake on July 25th.

I had a great day. Found a little snow. Took some pictures of a volcano and flowers.



View of the headwall on the way up.


View from where I turned around.


View from the bottom.

[GeezerSteve]

Nice. Gotta luv Spray Park summer tours

[Norseman]

https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/...d.php?t=312959

https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/...d.php?t=312957

[AK47bp]

Pulled this poster out of the old sturtevants in Bellevue.

[detrusor]

Nice