Lundin Couloir, June 3, 2012

A rather ugly start to a rather unpleasant tour.

Majestic old fir at the rim of Commonwealth Basin.

Commonwealth Creek, at the entrance to Commonwealth Basin

My objective was the snow couloir in the upper right of this picture. A grove of subalpine fir blocks the entrance to the start of the couloir.

Avalanche debris at the base of the Lundin Couloir. There was a grove of subalpine firs filling the entrance to the middle third of the couloir. I named it The Strainer. It was steep and the firs created a snaggle-toothed environment that couldn't be bypassed.

Looking up at the final climb to the col at the top. Unfortunately, this was my high point.

Looking down on the middle third of the couloir from my high point. (You can see The Strainer in the middle of the picture.) I stopped here to eat some food and hydrate. Within minutes, a squall blew through, making everything wet. I was figuring to wait this out and get to the top of the route, but then the thunder starts rolling in. Time to go down.

I found a crack in the toe piece of one pair of my Switchback binding. I sent this picture to Voile on a Monday, and by Friday I had a new set of beefier toe pieces, under warranty!
Voile rocks!

Kendall Knob, 7 April 2012

 Looking across the pass to Summit Central just after breaking out of the trees.

 The view toward Summit West, and Granite Peak and Bandera Mt. beyond.

 Looking toward Kendall Ridge above Kendall Peak Lakes.

 Skyline Peaks, left to right: Granite Mt., Bandera, Denny Mt, Bryant, Chair Peak, Roosevelt Peak, Guye Peak and Snoqualmie Mt. Summit West and I-90 in the foreground.

 Self-portrait.

 Wind-buffed sugar snow, soon to be corn.

 The slope leading to the traverse around to the east leading to the summit of Kendall Knob.

 The summit of Kendall Knob. Rainier and Silver Peak on the right horizon.

 My tracks on the east side of Kendall Knob. I hit this slope just as the corn set in.

 In the Coal Creek Basin below Kendall Peak Lakes. I had plenty of time, so I headed up to the top of the basin to get in another run before heading home.

The view of the east side of Kendall Knob from my high point at the head of Coal Creek Basin. My tracks run parallel to the treeline coming down off the ridge.

Silver Peak, February 12th, 2012

Windy Acres and Silver Peak (obscured by clouds). It was calm and comfortable today.

The transition, through the trees, from the top of Windy Acres into the lower of the three bowls that approach the north side amphitheater of Silver Peak.

Looking up into the lowest of the three bowls.


Looking down from the top of the lowest of the three bowls.


The view north, from the top of the second bowl.


Looking up into the upper bowl, and the rim of the amphitheater below Silver Peak.


The view northward from my lunch spot.


My tracks (along with some others) in the upper bowl on the way down.

Muir Snowfield, October 28th, 2011

The forecast was for a brief, yet intense storm on Friday, with snow levels down around 5000'
Brian contacted me with talk of powder on the Muir Snowfield. I didn't need much convincing, so we met at his house around 5:30 on Saturday, the 28th.

The morning started out rather foggy and crunchy.



That's Brian on the left.


That's Brian on the right.


After brief sunbreaks and blue sky patches, the weather cleared for good around 8000'.


The last 1000' to Camp Muir included strong, gusty winds . That, and the altitude, made for slow going. Just before reaching Camp Muir, I got blown over by one of the stronger gusts.


There were 5 volcanoes visible to the south: From left to right, the ancient Goat Rocks, Mt. Adams, Mt. Hood, (a barely visible) Mt. Jefferson, and Mt. St. Helens (below).



All of them are just visible in this picture.




Brian skiing the quality conditions on the upper Muir Snowfield.



My turn, with the Nisqually Icefall in the background.


Perfect snow conditions around 8500'.


Our turns are up there somewhere.
Camp Muir is another 1/2 mile and 500' above the pinnacle of Anvil Rock (on the right).


On the walk down, the cirrus clouds altered the sun while the valley clouds fought a losing battle.


It was a good day.

TAY on Paradise Glacier, October 8th, 2011

I went up to Mt. Rainier to complete my first turns all year on the Paradise Glacier.

The Fourth Crossing trailhead parking. The pattern on the pavement is frost.


Self-portrait on the walk in.


A view of Tatoosh Range Peaks (l to r): Unicorn Peak, The Castle, Pinnacle, Plummer, Denman, Lane, Chutla and Eagle Peaks
Mt St Helens can be seen on the distant horizon.


A frozen tarn on the Paradise Glacier trail. Little Tahoma is the prominent summit. I ate lunch on the snow-covered skyline to the right of Little Tahoma.


The obligatory shot of Rainier, with the entrance to the lower Paradise Glacier in the foreground.


The start of skiing on the snout of the Paradise Glacier.


Looking south from near the terminus of the Paradise Glacier
Mt Adams in the distance.


My first turns on the Paradise Glacier




This is the view from the boulder half way up the slope in the previous picture. I ate lunch on the snow-covered skyline on the shoulder of Cowlitz rocks across the way.


The view from the flats at the bottom of my first run. Mt Adams again.


The only other person I saw (other than hikers on the trail down) was this person, visible as a speck on the snow to the right of the top of the right-hand ski pole grip.


The upper Paradise Glacier from my lunch spot.


A panorama of the view south. Mt Adams yet again. The route into the lower Paradise Glacier is the snow covered terrain below and to the right of the Tatoosh Range peaks.


Another panorama from my lunch spot. There are actually 4 volcanoes visible in this image.
Goat Rocks, an ancient remnant, on the left, Mt Adams, Mt Hood to the right of Adams, and Mt St Helens.