Camp Muir Gear Notes

[idahoara]

I'm hoping to hike to Muir this coming Saturday, as a trainer for Mt. Adams (non-technical south route) at the end of June. I've been there before (last August), but never this early in the spring/summer. It seems like quite a few people take their skis/snowboards this time of year and ride down (which sounds pretty damn amazing), but having never done that before, I have a few questions: do people tend to hike up in their snowboard/ski boots, or hiking boots (I have tele boots and good 'ol hiking boots)? Also, if my main goal is as a trainer for Adams, maybe I should walk down for the training (which doesn't sound nearly as fun as skiing). Thoughts on that?

 

Okay, just a few more questions:

- Has anyone felt the need to use crampons on the way to Muir yet this year?

- What time have folks generally started up Muir from the parking lot, and what time did they reach the camp?

 

TIA!

 

[fenderfour]

If you have telegear, why don't you skin up to Muir?

 

The trail section at the start can be hiked in tennis shoes with your tele gear on your back. Once you get to snow, skin away.

 

Muir is reached in 3 hours or less if you are fit. Typical times are 4-5 hours.

[idahoara]

Hmm...skinning; yet another option. If I tele, I was planning to carry the gear just to get in the hiking training for Adams. Does it seem silly to carry the tele boots + gear, and wear other shoes?

 

Also, did I interpret you correctly to say that the start of the trail is already exposed near Paradise?

[fenderfour]

Carrying the gear isn't silly if you are skiing down.

 

I haven't been there yet this year, but I imagine at least part of the trail is bare. There are a ton of people hiking it and it has been warm lately.

[Couloir]

Definitely tele if your comfortable with that. It will also give you a chance to climb in your tele boots to make sure they fit well. I say this because if you've only skied with them, climbing in them is another story. Experience has painfully taught me this.

 

For sure skin up if you have skins. If you need to buy them, plan ahead so that you can fit them to your skis or have the shop do it. It's definitely the way to go. It's a good way to travel and you'll get just as good quad work by skiing down as you would walking in really soft snow. Which does suck.

 

Crampons probably will not be necessary, unless you'd like to try them with your tele boots as practice. It's always a good idea to be swift and comfortable with your gear BEFORE your main trip.

[idahoara]

The more and more I think about it, the more I want to tele. It just sounds too much fun! I don't have my own skis/skins yet, so I'd probably rent some for the weekend, or borrowing my husband's which I think would be much too long.

 

Although, I'm not sure I'm ready to hike to Muir in my tele boots. They are pretty damn comfy, but the Muir is not where I want to push that.

 

I am planning to bring crampons just in case (and to play around with them if the snow is crusty enough). I've never put them on tele boots, though, does that seem to work pretty well?

 

 

[Reid]

I went up this last Saturday and had to carry the skis for 5 mins tops. On the way down I was a little smarter in choosing a route and skied the whole thing. But by this next weekend there may be one or two patches exposed.

[Toast]

I hiked up Friday and boarded down. It was super hot and had been all week. I hiked up in mountaineering boots only because I just bought a new pair and wanted to test them out. Otherwise, my snowboard boots would have been fine. If the we get a cold snap, you might want to rethink that. Tele boots would kick step fine, regardless. Snowboard boots would take twice the effort if the snow is hard in the morning. That's only the case for pebble creek, a short but steep section.