[TR] Mount Rainier- Nisqualy Chute 4/3/2004

[mr.radon]

Climb: Mount Rainier-Nisqualy Chute

 

Date of Climb: 4/3/2004

 

Trip Report:

April 3rd, 2004

 

Well hearing that the weather was to be phenomenal Jdog and I decided to head to Mount Rainier to do a little skiing. Although the weather was to be great for the whole weekend, we heard Saturday would be the best. I wanted to leave early, but there was some discussion of when the road to Paradise would be open. I called the rangers and got some good information, we planed on hitting Longmire at 7:30 AM. I told Jdog to be ready by 5:30.

I was all giddy about getting to drive my re-built Subaru selective 4WD dual range five speed on a long trip. I’ve only been commuting with it and haven’t gotten a chance to get some highway miles on it yet. I attach the ski rack to the old Subaru and loaded my newly waxed skis.

Got up early, had a good breakfast. Harley was disappointed when I took my pack and left him at home alone, poor guy. Arrived at Jdog’s at 5:20, he was still in bed. Got a late start, didn’t leave his place until 5:50, only to turn around because he forgot something. We make it to Mount Rainier National Park, having to pay because we both forgot our annual park passes! Lady ranger was nice, said that we could get a refund if we show the receipt and a current park pass next time we come in.

Didn’t have to put the car in 4WD mode since the road was dry the entire length to Paradise. Mount Rainier looked wicked, covered in a lenticular cloud almost surrounding Gibraltar rock; huge. Hoped the winds are calm down low. Last time it looked like this the winds were unbearable even at Paradise.

The sun was out so we lathered on the sunscreen and headed out. I was striped down to my shorts and long johns. Soon we were heading up the trail at a good clip. The Park Service has already graded over the inner-tube slide hill. I guess it’s already the end of sled season on Rainer. Lots of people were out today heading up with us; a virtual wagon train. Skinning went well in the softening snow. We decided to dog left before reaching the summit of Panoramic Point since we decided to ski our usual chute off the Nisqualy. We had debated crossing the Nisqualy glacier to ski from Camp Hazard. However, I don’t trust that glacier and without a rope I didn’t feel real comfortable crossing it. We also discussed the possibility of skiing down the entire Nisqualy, climb back up to the bridge and hitch hike back to Paradise.

After getting even with Panoramic Point we stopped for a short break. Another person on skis followed our tracks and passed us as we got ready to continue skinning. Jdog and I disagreed as to which way to go so he went to my left. As we headed up Jdog was several hundred yards off to the left, and the other skier was several hundred yards to my right. All three of us pretty much heading up at the same pace. Soon it became obvious to all that each one of us had the same goal in mind. My wishes that the third person veer off to the right went unfulfilled. Soon we see him stop and quickly pull off the skins from his skis, put on ski goggles and head over to us. Jdog yells, “Tackle him Roy so I can get the first run in!” The guy starts laughing. We talk for a few minutes, he said he made the extra effort to get the first run in. He quickly heads down the chute in style.

Jdog and I sat down to relax and enjoy the view and eat a little bit. Ripping our own skins off the bottom of our skis we head down the chute one by one. The upper steep sections were very nice to ski, but lower down it was hard work in the grippy snow. Several times I was thrown off balance as my skis stuck to the snow. At one point out of sight from Jdog I took a tumble. As I knew I was going to fall I rolled forward landing squarely on my back. Quickly I saw both skis were still attached I kept rolling with the momentum I had generated, landing on my skis perfectly; I didn’t loose a beat and continued down the slope as if I had planed the summersault before-hand! However, the baguette attached to my backpack didn’t survive the summersault intact. It was now limply broken in half and a little squished.

Meeting up with Jdog at the bottom of the chute we stopped again for lunch. It was as if someone turned the heat on high and the selector switch to broil, it was warm! Since the snow on the lower slopes was wet, slow and sticky we decided against the ski to the bridge for our second run. However, someone did whiz by heading that way. Soon it was back to our skins to head up for a second go. Clouds moved off Rainier but now covered the valley below. We steadily skinned back to the top of the chute, the going was much better then I thought it would be. I didn’t feel tired at all. We enjoyed the view from the top again, but in the shade and with the steady breeze things cooled off dramatically. I quickly doffed the skins and donned my bib, gloves and jacket; no break this time. Jdog and I skied to the edge and looked down the chute again. I always get butterflies skiing this chute. The top section is not a place I want to fall. I drop into the chute though a narrow opening in the upper rock band. Doing tight S-turns on the right side this time I feel the snow letting loose and move off to the middle and stop. Jdog and I watch as large sluffs go sliding down the chute, cool!

Knowing what to expect I have a great time on this run, legs are tired though. Jdog and I carve ever larger turns as we head down the mountain, what a hoot. All too soon we’re at the end again. This time however I knew I wasn’t dreaming because my fingertips were frozen and very painful. As they slowly warmed up they felt no better, the pain only got worse. All Jdog could do was watch in amusement at my painful hand gyrations to speed the warming process up. This time the temperature was much colder and the clouds in the valley looked like afternoon thunder cells in Colorado. We skinned back up to the shoulder of Panoramic Point. Jdog and I had a beat as to who would beat who to the car. I started a little higher then Jdog so I was able to gather a bit of speed as I passed him. Also, my skis were recently waxed, I definitely had the advantage. The run down was quick but hair raising in the sticky then not sticky snow. At the very end I made a mistake and shot down the wrong track to the parking lot. As I stumbled to the right access track Jdog blew by me. 10’ from the finish, what a rip. Was a wonderful day on the mountain, we ended up taking the scenic route back to town.

At home I noticed a couple of things that will illustrate how sunny it was. The back of my hands which never get sun burnt were red and you could see where the ski pole straps had been. My right calf was a little itchy on the drive back, at home I noticed there was obviously a ¼” gap between the top of my socks and the bottom of my long johns. That ¼” was red and sun burned like a painful tattoo around the circumference of my leg. Also, I have a few holes in my long john, these showed up as red splotches on my upper thigh.

The Subaru handled well on it’s first long drive, I was very pleased with it.

Edited April 6, 2004 by mr.radon

[tobytortorelli]

Hey, I was the person who skied by towards the bridge. I took a nice break on the Nisqually moraine above the toe of the glacier. Very nice solo experience. Lots of rockfall along the walls was amusing. The snow was thick down there, but there were still some good turns. I skied the glacier side of the large rock near the toe, as it is the only route still skiable...peace. Toby.

[mr.radon]

Cool! We checked out the descent from the bridge as we headed out. We neglected to do this on the drive up since we were late and jamming to the tunes.

I don't think it will be skiable much longer. I think you might have gotten the last run in.