TR Replies
cool! looks like you nailed the window (conditions... and road!)
crux was narrow, icy, steep? Definitely spicy!
crux was narrow, icy, steep? Definitely spicy!
author=Lowell_Skoog link=topic=36246.msg147812#msg147812 date=1460075866]
Thanks for the report.
Do you know what road access up the Dungeness River is like currently?
WTA reports indicate road clear past RB trailhead. Drop me a PM Lowell if you're heading up that way and want some company. There will be several miles of carry...
Nice meeting you guys up there. Thanks for the pic!
Nice man. 4lbs - actually heavier than the weight of some skis that have made it down Rainier (e.g. Sportiva RSRs).
Thanks for the report.
Do you know what road access up the Dungeness River is like currently?
Do you know what road access up the Dungeness River is like currently?
Thanks Zap and kamtron.
It was the first time Tim and I combined touring with protected rock. The pitch up Unicorn is pretty trivial, but definitely happy we protected it as a fall could have high consequences. Great weather/conditions to focus on skill building.
It was the first time Tim and I combined touring with protected rock. The pitch up Unicorn is pretty trivial, but definitely happy we protected it as a fall could have high consequences. Great weather/conditions to focus on skill building.
Cool trip. I love these kinds of ski mountaineering missions, especially if snow is not ideal
Thanks for the great report and photos. I was with the Ukrainian party that you met below the rim. And thanks a lot for the beer. It was so awesome to have a can of beer at Muir. Next time if we meet I hope to have something to share in exchange! :)
Attached another picture with you guys at the rim.
Attached another picture with you guys at the rim.
author=water link=topic=36239.msg147786#msg147786 date=1459968609]
One is even a mountaineer/climber out of hood river. Seems like a nice guy from other pictures, aside from showcasing illegal adams riding.
I know exactly who you are talking about...
Nice pics & report.
Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for sharing.
author=Zap link=topic=36206.msg147692#msg147692 date=1459731101] Sometimes it's the simple things in the mountains with your buddy that mean so much.
True that, man.
author=Patarero link=topic=36239.msg147785#msg147785 date=1459966238]
Nice. Yeah, you would have saved some miles going up the 80. Was up there on 4/3.
The forest service is ill-equipped and under funded/staffed to deal with sleds on Adams in the Wilderness zone and res. Is what it is.
Based on a recent report here figure it only would have been a mile or two shorter up the other road. Do you have different beta?
I mean that they charge for permits and monitor climber use much more closely. Likewise, NW forest passes are heavily enforced at the trailhead, and wilderness permits are checked on-hill as well.
nice TR. thanks for sharing. great effort to top out in a normal snow year, this time of year. too bad about snow conditions.
I spoke with the wilderness ranger, Justin, last year about the sleds. Supplied photos. FS has some ways they try to address it that make sense not to disclose here. I've also screen captured bunches of shots of instagram users who happily post their shots of ripping up bird creek meadows and above and have their full name/business websites on their profil...
I spoke with the wilderness ranger, Justin, last year about the sleds. Supplied photos. FS has some ways they try to address it that make sense not to disclose here. I've also screen captured bunches of shots of instagram users who happily post their shots of ripping up bird creek meadows and above and have their full name/business websites on their profil...
Nice. Yeah, you would have saved some miles going up the 80. Was up there on 4/3.
The forest service is ill-equipped and under funded/staffed to deal with sleds on Adams in the Wilderness zone and res. Is what it is.
The forest service is ill-equipped and under funded/staffed to deal with sleds on Adams in the Wilderness zone and res. Is what it is.
Thanks for the replies. We had some people in our group that were new to backcountry skiing and the beauty of McCully is there is something for everyone. We're already planning our return trip next year.
author=truth link=topic=36216.msg147767#msg147767 date=1459901505]
Were an ice axe and crampons or ski crampons required for the ascent?
We were able to skin the whole thing and did use ski crampons.
If you ended up needing to switch to booting you would probably be ok without crampons due to the hiker/slowshoer superhighway running up the whole thing.
That said I had boot crampons in my pack. Probably won't carry them...
Were an ice axe and crampons or ski crampons required for the ascent?
Nice day with the pup!! Thanks for the photos
Awesome photos, buddy! Thanks for sharing!
Some pics to go with:
Coming up the Wilson Glacier:
Skin Ripping:
Camp Awesome:
Sunrise from 11,500 ft:
Coming up the Wilson Glacier:
Skin Ripping:
Camp Awesome:
Sunrise from 11,500 ft:
author=trees4me link=topic=36218.msg147754#msg147754 date=1459878880]
Definitely spring now. I never put a coat on in the 4 days we were there.
I haven't been to McCully, but my impression is that Norway has more interesting terrain with lots of steep lines on all aspects. From what I've heard, there is a wider variety of accessible terrain at Norway than McCully.
One of our trip members has been to Norw...
Looks like another fine day on Ruby. The price of admission is so high, I say enjoy the goods if you are willing to make the trip. I was staying with Lisa and Lou Dawson in CO when Lisa asked if I would write up another TR. Hmmmm....immediately thought of a recent trip up Ruby. Sorry Lowell :)
Definitely spring now. I never put a coat on in the 4 days we were there.
I haven't been to McCully, but my impression is that Norway has more interesting terrain with lots of steep lines on all aspects. From what I've heard, there is a wider variety of accessible terrain at Norway than McCully.
I haven't been to McCully, but my impression is that Norway has more interesting terrain with lots of steep lines on all aspects. From what I've heard, there is a wider variety of accessible terrain at Norway than McCully.
Nice tour, nice TR, Robie! Some might be interested to know that the Williwakas Glacier, like the mapped lower lobe of Paradise Glacier, no longer exists. Both were examples of named Rainier glaciers that did not drain to the stream of the same name. Tahoma Glacier is another in that category.
Awesome write up - thanks for sharing!
One last comment if one is not familiar with this terrain it's helpful to do the Paradise glacier from bottom up. Of particular note is the crevasse on the Paradise glacier itself and depending on snow depths the cliff bands on the cowlitz rocks slopes at southern end . The picture below is Cowlitz rocks above the Williwakas gl.
I was wondering what the approach looked like... Thanks for the info! Think i'll give it a couple more weeks.
I'm glad my TR was helpful. Looks like you guys had much better skiing ;)
Thanks for posting this Robie! Thanks to "life," I haven't been out in three years, but finally headed up to Muir Sunday and think I spied some of your tracks as I pondered heading in the Paradise direction myself. Was definitely thinking of you as I eyed Cowlitz Rocks.
Hope to run into you or even better join you again sometime in the future! ~Holly
Hope to run into you or even better join you again sometime in the future! ~Holly
author=PhilH link=topic=36218.msg147729#msg147729 date=1459806201]
I spent 4 delightful days earlier this year in the McCully Basin courtesy of Wallowa Alpine Huts. Have you been to McCully as well as Norway? If so, how do they compare?
Full on winter two weeks ago at McCully -- powfest every day.
I spent 4 delightful days earlier this year in the McCully Basin courtesy of Wallowa Alpine Huts. Have you been to McCully as well as Norway? If so, how do they compare?
Thanks, believe me it was our pleasure.
One could also extend this by skiing from Camp Muir or the top of the Anvil rock slope. Due to sloppy snow conditions we opted for a shorter run down south from Stevens ridge. Much nicer slopes just east of our line there with minimum effort.
One could also extend this by skiing from Camp Muir or the top of the Anvil rock slope. Due to sloppy snow conditions we opted for a shorter run down south from Stevens ridge. Much nicer slopes just east of our line there with minimum effort.
Nice meeting you guys as well, sorry I didn't get your names.
Funny about that party, I guess that doesn't surprise me. Once I saw that big knife on his waist I couldn't help but stay more alert around him...you know mainly to be first in line for the Muir fox meat when he skinned and cooked it :).
Would love to see your pics/vid of the crevasse jump!
Funny about that party, I guess that doesn't surprise me. Once I saw that big knife on his waist I couldn't help but stay more alert around him...you know mainly to be first in line for the Muir fox meat when he skinned and cooked it :).
Would love to see your pics/vid of the crevasse jump!
Great TR and nice photos! Glad to be up there with you guys as well! I was also with the Gib Ledges party of two (I'm the one putting crampons on in the first pic), and I'll echo Thatcher's comments about the route being in great shape and also wishing I had my skis for most of the descent. Skiing from Muir was a nice break from walking, even with heavy overnight packs and pretty sloppy snow down low.
That party of inexperienced guys was unbelievable - I'm actuall...
That party of inexperienced guys was unbelievable - I'm actuall...
We skied it yesterday (4/3) and still largely skinned / skied to and from the truck. I'd guess we took our skis off ~15 times on the FS road up to the bottom of the swath, but only the carry closest to the truck was longer than 100 feet (I'd guess 5 min walk). The snow was still great, perfect corn most of the Swath's path, a bit heavy mashed potatoes just where it meets the FS road.
We climbed lookers right (hitting the ridge between Swath and the White Pin...
We climbed lookers right (hitting the ridge between Swath and the White Pin...
This is awesome - thanks for pointing out the possibilities.
There were quite a few people skiing on the Paradise Glacier on Sunday and compared to Muir snowfield (at least to the top part; I didn't ski much past the turnoff by the Anvil rock) the snow was much smoother. The typical bergschrund below Anvil is open but other than that no open crevasses or sags yet.
There were quite a few people skiing on the Paradise Glacier on Sunday and compared to Muir snowfield (at least to the top part; I didn't ski much past the turnoff by the Anvil rock) the snow was much smoother. The typical bergschrund below Anvil is open but other than that no open crevasses or sags yet.
What a great spot - need to get back there and ski more of the terrain.
Were you able to drive to the TH?
Killer photos!
Were you able to drive to the TH?
Killer photos!
The link to buy permits has apparently changed, but has yet to be update on the USFS page about permits. You should be able to get them from http://secure.kinsail.com/calendar.asp?p=mshi&pt=store&GroupID=40901&ItemID=922301
Nice job - looks like a great little tour
Good TR. It was nice meeting you up there. We were the party of 2 on the ledges. Route was in great shape. I was pretty jealous when you passed us on snowboards near the rim. Wish I had hauled up the skis. The Nisqually Glacier above camp comfort was way less wind loaded than the upper ingraham. It was a lot steeper though up to 55 degrees at the bergschrund. Descending that way wouldn't have allowed you to drop back onto the ID.
I was wondering what happened to those inexperien...
I was wondering what happened to those inexperien...
Left the car at 1030 back at 3. Later start than ideal but it was the best we could do. Forgot to mention a large slide (D2.5 or larger) that occurred during the day in chair peak basin. Ran all the way to source lake
Map of tour
http://www.hillmap.com/m/ag1zfmhpbGxtYXAtaGRychULEghTYXZlZE1hcBiAgIDQnq6cCQw
http://www.hillmap.com/m/ag1zfmhpbGxtYXAtaGRychULEghTYXZlZE1hcBiAgIDQnq6cCQw
jdrouches, what time did you leave the car/make it to the Slot entrance? Nice work!
Nice, definitely on my list. In your link - isn't the approach under the Quicksilver lift (instead Gold Hills as stated)?
Just nitpicking.
Just nitpicking.