Muir Information for Newbie

Howdy folks,<br>Lurking on this site has given me a definite urge to try and go hunt for some fresh turns. Looking at the weather patterns and where the snow actually is right now naturally I think Muir is the best bet. It feels rather silly to ask questions about Muir with all of the great trip reports on the site but I am having a hard time finding exact information. <br><br>1. I have no formal training in glacier travel. Everything I have seen (and read in 100 Backcountry Ski and Snowboard Routes) indicates that common sense combined with this being a heavily traveled route makes this an acceptable route for people with my (lack of) glacier training.<br><br>2. Skinning vs. Hiking. I am a splitboarder and am curious about the slope angles/bootback/snowline - is it worth bringing the heavier splitboard vs bringing a lighter board and just bootbacking?<br><br>3. Partner - Would love to bring my girlfriend who has absolutely no backcountry experience. Is this is the realm of possiblity? I try to avoid going solo in new areas and would be willing to do a shorter/smaller route to allow her to come.<br><br>Thanks in advance for any help you can provide. <br><br>dtr

Here is some useful information:<br><br> www.nps.gov/mora/general/maps/mapcompass.pdf

www.nps.gov/mora/trail/bearings.htm

If you go there on the weekend -- you likely will not be alone -- but you should be prepared to be self-suficient.

One common way that people get in trouble on the Muir route is by drifting too far to "skier's right" descending in the fog -- and ending up on the steep slopes / cliffs above the Nisqually glacier -- this has caused a number of fatalities and numerous search and rescue operations over the years.

While only a short section of the route is steep (the slope below Panorama Point) It is fairly strenous with 4600 vertical feet of climbing.

stay below 9400' and you don't have much to worry about regarding those late season crevasses (glide cracks, whatever you wanna call them).  Though from the recent reports it sounds like the one or two holes are covered up already and going to muir is fine....as long as the weather is good.  Being suprised by a crevasse in poor visibility is not fun....<br><br>Probably more important than glacier travel is your navigation skills...got a gps?  know how to use a map and compass?  you can drop by the wilderness info centers in the park and pick up a little cheat sheet with compass bearing info for bad weather navigation on the snowfield.  <br><br>You're gonna boot 2000vf at least before you get to skinnable snow....skinning vs. hiking usually comes down to an individuals personal preference this time of year.<br><br>regarding girlfriend with no backcountry experience...recommended reading...<br><br> www.turns-all-year.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB...splay;num=1129736999

If you've never been up there before and have no one to go with and the weather is not all that great...don't go...its a relatively tame outing when the weather and snow cooperates but still almost every year you read some sad story about inexperienced hikers or a solo traveler that freezes to death up there or walks off the side of the snowfield onto a glacier or a cliff in a whiteout.

If the weather is somewhat decent, you'll likely run into plenty of turns-all-year folk running amok up there :)

just my two cents...

Thanks for all of the links and info. I do have GPS and map/compass skills but perhaps I may wait a bit for a better weather break to go up. <br><br>Thanks again all.<br><br>

Thanks for all of the links and info. I do have GPS and map/compass skills but perhaps I may wait a bit for a better weather break to go up.

Good call. Sounds like you may very well grow to become and old (but possibly not so bold) backcountry rider <br><br>As far as you gf goes, it kind of depends on how gnarly she is. We have women on this site that could probably out-climb most all the men; so if she's the strong athletic type, having her join you on a first trip to muir on a sunny day would probably be fun, exciting and memorable for both of you. If she's not all that athletic I'd wait and introduce her to the backcountry when the snow's down to the parking lot next month. There'll be lots of fun to be had then with much less effort. <br><br>The trick here with new s/o's is to make sure the "fun and exciting" part is included in the trip along with the "memorable" part. Otherwise you're likely to be reminded of the trip much more often than you'd like (unless, of course, you get rid of the s/o, or vise-versa) <br>Any way you cut it the trip to muir is a real slog -- and it even seems longer (especially on the way back) when you have to climb 2,000 ft plus to get to the snow. <br>You'll likely meet plenty of us if you start going out to the more well traveled destinations mentioned in the TR's. See you then!!

I have a few newbie questions to add... first of all, how long is the drive from seattle? <br><br>If I were going to drive down, what time should I leave in order to be back to the car and on the road by dark? <br><br>How long (in hours) is the trip up? <br><br>Is anyone interested in going on Friday? It looks like the snow level is dropping to 4500' tonight....