incoming incomingJune 20, 2015
This was the year the Pacific Northwest snowpack hit bottom, the worst I can remember in my lifetime. I can't say we didn't expect this.
Yesterday's outing to Mt. Rainier started out in a light drizzle with 200 foot visibility, and while the rain stopped the cloud cover continued until we reached Camp Muir. The snow levels are typical of what we normally find in mid August; no really skinnable snow until above Pebble Creek and what snow there is is covered with a layer of volcanic grit. What we didn't expect was the extent of suncupping on the upper Muir Snowfield. Depressions were 12 to 18 inches deep, and a combination of solar activity and wind had formed "Penitente-like" mounds of snow from about 9,500 feet and up, making skinning an arduous and slow process. Climbers and guides pointed and laughed. After an abnormally slow ascent, we had some snacks and descended, never reaching speeds of more than about 8 mph. From about 9,000 ft. down, the surface evened out enough to make a few linked turns, but if you go I'd advise choosing somewhere other than Muir for the time being.
Elissa is short, but those are knee-deep depressions just below Camp Muir
End of the line for skiing in June, just above Pebble Creek - my battery died and I missed the money shot 3 seconds later
Previous Incoming Pages:
China: Wandering in the Middle Kingdom
"Incoming" covers developments that have personal interest to me (ie. gear I might consider acquiring, or events I feel may impact the sport of skiing) - it is by no means meant to be a comprehensive enumeration of gear or events in the ski world at large. Feel free to contact me via the randosaigai.com link below with news or images that may be of interest . . .
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