trumpetsailor

Hi! I've been watching the Rainier forecast and the Camp Muir weather data for a few days in an effort to discern the relationship between the free air wind speed prediction and the actual speed on the ground. It looks to me as though the normal error in forecasting will make this more difficult than I'd hoped. In your experiences, how have free air predictions compared with what you've observed on climbs? Also, does anyone know of a forecasting source that might give some insight into the thickness of forecasted cloud layers? "Mostly Cloudy" for a forecast at Paradise isn't as useful as "Thick clouds 6000-9000'". Aviation Forecasts? Thanks!

How'd it go?

Thanks! I picked one up a few weeks ago. Pretty darn happy with it so far (though I've not really put it to its intended use yet). Thanks!

$20 off $100 or more purchase and $10 off $50 or more purchase Thanks Second Ascent! (Nobody else in my house ever bothers to dig through the valpack envelope...) http://www.valpack.com

How long is it?

I'm well aware.

Any thoughts on the ski as a choice for a relative newbie to AT skiing? If I go for it, it'll need to take care of me in the BC through summer and into next winter (I'm not budgeting for boots and bindings until ~June). Are similar deals apt to emerge through the Spring on somewhat fatter skis?

It looked a lot like that, except with the view pretty much replaced with a cloud. The trees may have less snow cover and the summit cornice was differently shaped, but the rime ice on the lookout was about the same. If another bluebird day comes along, it'll certainly be quite similar. A little lower down, we were treated to much of the view in your photo, with most of the summits decapitated by the clouds. I was pretty surprised when the whole of Rainier decided to appear.

Trip: Granite Mountain Dawn Patrol - SW Ridge Date: 2/14/2007 Trip Report: Will T. and I (Charlie H.) scurried out of town for a quick jaunt up Granite before class/work. We left the empty parking lot just before 5 and topped out about ten minutes after official sunrise. Thin clouds at about 5400 feet prevented us from seeing sunrise proper, but views to the South were quite nice. Rainier popped out in full on the descent. We made the parking lot, still empty except our car, a little before ten. Conditions: The trail's surprisingly melted out/pleasantly icy until a bit above the trail junction. Will and his plastic boots booted all the way to the summit. I fixed crampons to my less-stiff leather boots approximately where we left the trees. Beyond a few drifts at the summit, we rarely encountered more than about two inches of new on top of the crust. We encountered minimal to nonexistent signs of instability in the snowpack, but that's likely already changed for the worse. The lack of snow at the bottom of the trees is kind of a bummer. Gear Notes: Axe and crampons. We were happy to have left our snowshoes in the car. Approach Notes: Ain't nobody on I-5 at 3 am. Also, Rhodie's doesn't start serving BBQ sandwiches until 10:30 am.