Kudos to Mt. Rainier NP Management

A late stealth opening yesterday but an advertised opening today and tomorrow! The gate opened at 11 a.m. (advertised as 10 a.m., approximately [i.e., not earlier, perhaps later]. Road snow-packed, some bare, some ice; worst between the Nisqually Entrance and Longmire. This opening was a departure from the initial "perfect" conditions requirement--thanks! Drivers were considerate, careful, maintained good distance between vehicles, etc. Roads readily negotiable by careful drivers with good tires.

A glorious day! The Sun came out. 24 F with shirt sleeves. 14 inches of powder above the crust on the flats of Mazama Ridge. 3 inches overnight new on windswept ridges. Surface crystals sparkling in the sunlight, but no apparent (from normal eye lefvel) of feather- like growths of hoar frost.

My first ever turns in other than corn snow (4 days on that in AT gear) on AT gear. How the h*ll do you get up with the heel locked down and the ankle locked into an angle [I found taking my pack off and using it helped a lot]. Turns were super easy if I did them right but my muscles wanted to do tele turns and my form was poor and unconfident. No problems with the dynafiddles; I'm even cutting down on the fiddling with the heel lifts. Getting used to climbing side hills and striding forward with heels locked will take some getting used to.

My first ever turns in other than corn snow (4 days on that in AT gear) on AT gear.  How the h*ll do you get up with the heel locked down and the ankle locked into an angle [I found taking my pack off and using it helped  a lot].  Turns were super easy if I did them right but my muscles wanted to do tele turns and my form was poor and unconfident.  No problems with the dynafiddles; I'm even cutting down on the fiddling with the heel lifts.  Getting used to climbing side hills and striding forward with heels locked will take some getting used to.

My o my, another convert !   

A couple suggestions now that you've embraced the dark side:

Getting used to ...   striding forward with heels locked

try skating: push off the edge of one ski and glide on the other, repeat as needed

How the h*ll do you get up with the heel locked down and the ankle locked into an angle

Use your poles! poles together, one hand low on the shaft and one high, plant tip up hill and push.

Thanks for tips, especially how to use the poles. abc

Zap even though I have the dynafiddlers and fritschicatapaults and love them there is no such thing as a convert. Yes my name is Robie and I am a Teleholic.

I just met a ranger named "Ken" up at MRNP today. He restored my faith in humanity. I was awed that I was having such a great conversation with a really really cool ranger. "You guys are the cool people we get in the park - skiing on the Super Bowl. I like your priorities." He was a great guy. If you see Ranger Ken, give him a whazzup, he's cool. Kudos MRNP on hiring a good ranger!