[TR] 3 Days at Muir

[snowball]

Trip: 3 Days at Muir -

 

Date: 2/24/2008

 

Trip Report:

Sun (24):

Weather was cloudy in the morning (thru 9am), then blue skies (10am-3pm), then (4pm-on) low-cloud layer formed 7000-9000ft everywhere(4pm-) but sky was clear above 9000ft . In general, above 9000ft, the it was clear bluw skies and starry night. Could clearly see the summit.

 

Got a hook-up climbing permit at longmire station and hiked up to muir with 3 or 4 days of provisions... hoping to meet another climber interested in climbing to the top. Met a climber from my last winter attempt in 2005 in the parking lot. He had just come down that morning from muir in blowing snow/white-out. I saw a trend forming.... Met some other climbers in the parking lot too. They were in the early morning snow/wind and bailed on their climb as well, but after coming down the sky had cleared. On my way up to muir, i was scoping out conditions on Gib Ledges and Gib Chute. The ledges are mostly dry but do have snow on them in sections. Gib Chute (to the left of it) is fully formed--unbroken snow from Nisqually Glacier to the top of Gib Rock. When i got to muir, i bet a solo climber Bob from Arkansas. He was feeling sick and was going to down in the morning. Pleasant fellow.

 

Mon (25):

Weather was as follows. Light snow/wind in the morning until 9am again. Then it cleared and revealed a cloud layer below 9000ft in all directions. Blue skies and no wind (10am-sunset). In general, above 9000ft, the it was clear skies and starry night again. Could clearly see the summit again(!).

 

Bob left muir to go down to Paradise around 9am in a somewhat limited visibility with sun poking thru here and there below 9000ft. I hung out at muir hoping another climber would come up (and hoping to join them to the summit if possible). To keep myself busy, i shoveled out a good section snow on the south side of the muir hut to let light into the the 2nd window. Was in my base layer only and got lots of sun that day. If there was an ideal day to climb... this was it. Sunny slopes on the mountain all the way to the summit under blues skies. No other climbers came up that day.

 

Tue (26):

Weather was light snow but with moderate winds (20mph?) in the morning until 9am. Sky cloudy around the mountain with winds persisting for the rest of the morning and into the afternoon. The cloud layer had now lifted to above 14000ft and revealed some bluwe skies but a lenticular cap remained on the mtn. Summit sporadically was visibile with high winds blowing snow eastwards above 12000ft. The high winds and cloud cap would make me say that it was prolly not a good day to summit.

 

Seeing no other climbers coming up, i packed up and left muir around noon. Saw a skier-girl skinning up to muir around 7000ft. Ran in to some other skiers around 6000ft. Drove back to bellevue that day.

 

 

NOTES:

Sorry no pics. (I took some photos with my film camera.) After thinking about it, i feel that the climbers that came down the mtn on sunday morning actually had a good shot for the summit if they had started late (9am) to let the winds/snow dissipate, since it totally cleared up for the rest of the day. FyI, i plan to be in the seattle area thru march 10 or so... who knows. Shoot me a msg if u wanna climb.

 

Approach Notes:

Snow shoes or skis recommended. Goggles were a definitely helpful.

Edited February 28, 2008 by snowball

[Chad_A]

Good for you for sticking it out up there, David. Here's to another shot at it for ya.

[TREETOAD]

Oh it's lonely at the top, way to stick it out.