Success Cleaver Ski Mountaineer?

[neversummer]

Does anyone know enough about the winter conditions to tell me if the majority of the route could be ski mountainered? How steep does the ridge get? What about skiing (traversing the ridge) back down? I understand your not really on a ridge but more on the sides of one and exposed to avy prone gullies and what not, but I'm thinking that traveling on the windward side might not be to bad.

If the ridgeing off the coast continues I am thinking about giving it a go next week.

[treknclime]

Not sure what Success Cleaver would be like for skiing... challenging, for sure. The upper part of Success/Kautz Cleavers haven't been skied, to the best of my knowledge. There may not be enough snow in that area to link through all the rockbands, but I haven't looked that closely at the area lately. Could be OK. The rock goes class three or so when it's exposed, or there some longer snow roundabouts that avoid them (level traverses).

 

The snow on the SC in the winter isn't always the best...kinda bottomless or rotten at times (up near the headwall). I'd imagine the actual Success Cleaver would be slabby, with compact snow on the south side.

 

I've been on the Cleaver a few times in the winter. Was first climbed by a team from Tacoma years ago (mid 70's??). A TNT writer on that team fell on the way down and didn't survive. The first solo winter ascent was done, to the best of my knowledge, by Mike Rowley, back in '79 or '80, in a 4 day trip (he approached from Longmire).

 

Be sure to post a TR after your trip.

 

Have super time!

Edited January 24, 2005 by treknclime

[Couloir]

Here's a good source to perhaps answer your questions. Not sure how recent the beta is for a particular route, but this site is pretty detailed. Have fun! :

 

http://www.skimountaineer.com/CascadeSki/CascadeSki.php?name=Rainier