TR Replies
That was AWESOME! Made my day. I love remnants like that and you skied it so perfectly! Couple observations:
1. Did you keep your skis on for the connector bit? I hope so!
2. I love that you made two laps!
This is the best ski vid of the summer to me. I love that you hiked however far to ski a bullshit narrow dangerous suncupped remnant. I just did similar a couple days ago and the only thing that would have made it better would be a brother to share it with. You guys...
Congratulations Mike! I'm guessing your many readers say "don't quit!". But the bottom line is, what does Clara say?
Nice double feature at the drive in. I like to take a little acid before all my major ski outings - way to get after it
Hey thanks for the link. Interesting spatial variability.
"fueled by psychedelics and an inability to walk on glaciers" hahaha
I think it's "slightly above average" this year in terms of total snowpack. June was around normal in terms of long-term average, but better than the last two summers. Then again, the glaciers are changing over the years... the CD for instance has a big crack below Pumice ridge that is much more problematic than in the past.
There you go Andy - and Mike? I wish you could visit WA for summer skiing, but obviously not this year....
And a question for WA folks, is this phat for mid-summer?
Sick stuff, man. Haters be damned! Unfortunately found myself in category 2 on these peaks a few weeks ago.
Love the updated site. Both skisickness and the new TAY. Great trip.
Great get and well put:
“Every party I encountered balked at the fact that I was skiing, but soon realized the folly of hiking downhill. Pour souls.”
Nice pics.
Telemack!
Hope the climbing has been good. I've got the ropes and gear tucked away for a little while. Glad you got some in August. Congrats (a bit early) on hitting 13 years of TAY next month!! Woohoo!
“ Technically, the park is claiming only the first breeding female in over a hundred years. I'm sure there have been other sighting reports besides mine driving down from Paradise in the late 70's. As I entered the straightaway just below Glacier Bridge, a wolverine crossed the road with its odd gait an...
Technically, the park is claiming only the first breeding female in over a hundred years. I'm sure there have been other sighting reports besides mine driving down from Paradise in the late 70's. As I entered the straightaway just below Glacier Bridge, a wolverine crossed the road with its odd gait and cleared the 5' vertical plow berm in a single bound toward the river.
Recent reports from Chinook Pass and Goat Rocks may be those referenced in the press release:
Apparently, according to the park’s website, CNN, NPR, MSNBC, and USAToday - Wolverines have returned to Mt. Rainier National Park for the first time in 100 years...
Yep people are parking over 1 mile down the road on weekends, After working and playing in northside of the park for 35 years never seen a badger, did see what I figured was a fisher, but told by park ologist that I was mistaken. There were rumours of a pair wolverines near the ne part of park a couple years ago.
Hmmm... https://www.nps.gov/mora/learn/news/wolverines-return-to-mount-rainier-national-park-after-more-than-100-years.htm
Bonus picture of skiables on Mt Hinman and Mt Daniel, taken from Alpine Baldy last Thursday (8/13)
No didn't actually go on the glacier, was just lazing about and escaping the heat. Wish I had camped like you though and brought skis!
Vogtski - Thanks, and good intel. I wasn’t convinced it was a feline or canine due to the five prominent toes showing, as well as claw marks I had seen passing the tracks on the way up (I’m still kicking myself for letting the sun deteriorate the tracks before I bothered with the camera!)
After looking at more wolverine tracks, I’m crossing my fingers...badger was my other guess.
Hood - Great shots of the Russell! It looked more cupped and dirty abov...
Just went hiking on the same day, I’m a fake tayer that normally skips July and August (; Camping up there definitely seems the way to go for skiing purposes.
You forgot to mention the trailhead madness, looks like cars parked beyond the first hairpin on our way home.
Wow, I got my September turns in on the Thumbtack patch last year, and it's so great how much more snow there is now! Or at least what it looks like from these photos. I won't be packing my skins, but looks like a good place to go in a couple weeks 🙂 Thanks for posting!
Good report, thanks and welcome back!
Your track photo looks more like wolf than cougar to me, or just maybe...
https://cascadeswolverineproject.org/wolverine-tracks/
https://turns-all-year.com/trip-reports/july-12-2019-paradise
@remococco - the story goes that some old TAYer cached his gear there and just hasn't gone back to get it. He was presumably a regular skier at the pass year round. I'm sure other folks know the story better than me. But one thing for sure is people find this cache each year about this time and post all over social media asking if it belongs to someone.
Nice TR - stoked to see people getting it in Snoqualmie this late I’m the year! I’ve never heard of this famous gear cache - is there some fun lore here?
Thanks @KellyC for the "map" - we made it today! Turns out there's an actual trail pretty much the whole way.
Love the energy. Somebody needs to build a jib park in there.
Domesticated corn tastes better. Looks fun. Thanks for the report.
I had this image from last year to show someone how to get to the Thumbtack during the summer. Snow Lake Trail to Source Lake Trail then back up towards the Snow Lake Divide (you are on the old Snow Lake Trail) at the big scree field go up the right side (easier) then cross back left and work your way up to the Thumbtack (circled in image). Last year at end of August was hard to see snow until just past the Thumbtack.
someone needs to get the snowcat up there and groom those suncups!
Thanks for the report, with 2 found iceaxes you stole the apple! Nice!
You guys know how to have a good time. Enjoyed the photos - double whippies 4 life
Thanks for the pics and intel. We made our way up on Sunday and the skiing was fantastic! Took a similar route looping around O' rock but in the future would cross over on the North side around 8000 to gain the Flett headwall. Russell glacier is holding up beautifully & is worthy of laps. August corn
You must have run across my tracks from earlier in the morning. The avy fan still has nice ski-ability. Congrats on 100 months...
Hi Mike, keep forgetting to post. A week later (week day), 6-8 cars at Esmeralda Basin parking lot. Even last week, we camped Beverly Creek for a few days of hiking and flowers. And it’s an easy drive from Ellensburg
Love that first shot with the valley clouds at sunrise. Looks like a great trip!
Mike and I have done this ski a few times, we left the car around 17:00 it was I think the hottest day of the year so far. About a quarter mile from our proposed camp sight I ran out of gas, not sure if it was food or water but I wanted my mommy. Mike was the perfect partner and encouraged me along, I staggered into camp about a half hour behind schedule, and about ten minuets before headlamp time. With food and water I rejoined the living, and was not the worse for wear.........m...
Cumulus - Yeah, those heat waves were visible in my camera. It was weird because they were over cold water.
Zap - thank you for the kind words! You are a constant source of encouragement
Neilforreal - I use a casio pocket camera with a good zoom. They quit making cameras and I don't know what I'll select when this camera gives it up. I really like the zoom, but don't want to carry a heavy camera.
Nice, great job on the TR - pretty entertaining. Also, nice resolution photos. What're you shooting with?
Mike, Your trip reports are GREAT. Skiing, camping, meeting weekend folks, one dog, large crowds, trail crossings, an ice berg which a swimmer loaded, plus the long drive from the parking lot to the last vehicle in a 1 plus minute. Thank you for the report.😀