Paradise Glacier for first-timers?

For recent conditions, see: 
www.turns-all-year.com/skiing_snowboardi...ex.php?topic=21641.0  

Chuck's 2nd photo in his reply shows most of the approach-from-below route, including the rock 'island' at upper left. 
Almost typed right; I used to be dyslexic, but I'm KO now...

Thank you all for these very helpful responses!

picture taken very late in the year.most likely more coverage now.
yellow line indicates pitchbreak and major crevasse. Blue line indicates the safest route.
Often at this time of year we ski up to just below pitchbreak or lands end.
go check it out from below and get to know it .Enjoy

All good input from my predecessors. Here’s some additional thoughts…

My guess is that if you asked a climbing ranger if you needed a climbing permit to ski the Paradise Gl (s)he would say that you need a climbing permit to climb or ski on a glacier above 8500 ft.
Nonetheless, I know of no one that has ever obtained a climbing permit to ski the Paradise Gl. As a practical matter the climbing rangers seem to draw the line, enforcement wise, when skiers start venturing above the high camps.

Most of the folks that I know who ski the PG a lot do not carry glacier gear on that descent. But as Randy mentioned, many do ski with self-arrest ski poles – which, of course, may be helpful in preventing a slide into a crevasse (but would likely be of little help in getting back out). That is not to say that all that ski the PG lack training in glacier travel and crevasse rescue. On the contrary most of those I know who make this descent regularly are well schooled in these crafts (many being instructors) and have evolved to their present state of slothfulness regarding the crevasse hazards by regularly discovering that the crevasses in the PG tend to open up in about the same places year after year and are easily avoided with reasonably decent awareness skills.

That being said, the first time I skied the PG years ago I skied it euro style, i.e. with my group wearing harnesses and with a rope being carried in the group (by a person who didn’t like to lead ). And most of us were well schooled in glacier travel and crevasse rescue. The point here is that unless you have, at least, the training, and ideally, the experience, you have to question your judgment when deciding what gear to carry and how you will ski a glacier.

Fact is, the PG, despite the obvious crevasses, is a great ski and most times a rank and clueless novice will ski it without any problems assuming good weather and visibility. Normally by this time of year (now pushing September) the great skiing on the PG would have normally been now long since passed, with huge crevasses across the middle and hard water ice on the rollovers, many terminating in rocks. But several lines still go right now and may for a week or more to come.

Were I a first timer, knowing what I know now and knowing that there really are open crevasses to fall into right now, and not knowing the best lines to follow to get down and then out most efficiently, I would first call on the resources of this forum. To me the best option would be to first do the trip with someone that has recently just skied it and knows the way. And from the recent reports, there seems to be more than one on that list. My guess is if one no more than asked a makeshift “guide’ may step forward.

If that didn’t work out and I still was determined to ski it I’d follow the already suggested, tried and proven “climb what you ski” axiom and go in from below to the Cowlitz saddle and then skin up the PG to below the main transverse crevasse,



(pictures taken 8/7/11)
or possibly up to where the raised tracks become more trouble than they’re worth.

It would seem to me that either of these two solutions would have high probabilities of yielding a fun, memorable and safe ski given reasonably intelligent and skilled skiers with good visibility.

Have fun; stay safe.

Have a good map to identify features and know where you are.

I think Jackal's photo is actually of the upper Cowlitz Glacier. 

I get the irony.
Do as I say, not as I did.

Follow all of the good advice above but also note that the crevasses are alive and well this season. The crevasse at about 8,000' extends pretty much from edge to edge. Photos below from last Saturday.
We managed to avoid falling in.
Definitely a recommended ski for this time of year.
I also strongly recommend climbing the Paradise if you plan to ski it. I prefer the route to the Muir and skinning up the route you ski gives you a chance to see what the potential dangers are. You might not see these in time on the way down - particularly where the glacier rolls over.