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[TR] Mt, Rainier - Edmunds Headwall 7/3/2009


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Trip: Mt, Rainier - Edmunds Headwall

 

Date: 7/3/2009

 

Trip Report:

The west side of Rainier draws the eye of any ambitious ski mountainer; steep, technicaly demanding, a large approach and plenty of objective hazard - all ingredients for a large scale adventure. The experience of my ultra epic a couple years ago on the same route left me with a dormat reserve of motivation to get up there again and do it right. Last week the right elements came together so Ryan and I headed up to meet Sky and Eric for an atemptt.

I will not touch too much on the details of the approach other than that the road was gated 5 miles before Mowich Lake, Ptarmagain ridge was a biatch, and we brought skins for easier snow ascention and to mix up muscle usage.

By late afternoon we found Sky and Eric, comfortably loungeing on the soft sands and jagged rocks of a shelf overlooking the HUGE Edmunds drainage in increasingly pinkening light. They only half expected us, as even though we mentioned we planned on a rendevous - the nature of the approach does not allow for certain passage.

Rainier occupied the entire Eastern horizon, The Edmunds Headwall an impossible idea, Much of the upper headwall glared dark and streaked - evil evil ice, but there was a thin ramp of white on lookers right - we shall see...

 

Sky contemplates his future -

 

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The morning came windless and warm, and we quietly made a few last minute packing adjusments and began our ascent up 2k of low angle glacier. The promise of quality ski conditions through this section was sealed, a slight stroke of comfort to our minds faceing the stresses above.

 

Once above the bergshrund the slope angle and exposure increased steadily. Needless to say - there was no room or place for fear.

The climbig was quite enjoyable, and there was no rockfall! I made the switch to double axes as I gained the very steep upper slope just past the bergshrund.

 

The next section was a relitevly narrow VERY exposed chute holding mostly ice, with an option of snow on the extreme left. The ice felt secure fun and fast, so I got groovy on the ice. The upper chute ramped out towrds the top. The top was very narrow ridge seperating the Sunset Ampitheater from the Mowich Face, the views opened up and we sloged on over the low angle 13k+ terrain to Liberty Cap.

 

We Skiied off Liberty Cap on slightly Pentinetentified snow to the thin Ridge overlooking Mowich Face. I remmember thinking - Holy shit, that exposure is absolutely terrifying as I looked down on our planned ski descent as Sky chuckled acknowlodgeing what must have been my obvious expression.

 

We worked our way down the upper chute, skiing sideslipping, and downclimbing a little. At the bottom and to the South of the chute there was a flat bench - Ahh safety, yes, for a little while. The exposure down fall line face was extreme.

 

Sky and Eric decided to head down, while Ryan and I thought it best to wait for a few minutes to soften the slightly crusty slopes, as it grew direct in position. We had concerns about the glacial ice under the shallow snow... Our concerns were valid, and meticouls skiing was nessecary for the very steep 500' or so above the bergshrund.

 

Below the Bergshrund The slopes were ripper! Although a fall would probably sill have resulted in death from a long slide over cliffs.

I brought a "helmut cam" and recorded our descent.

 

[video:youtube]

 

This is a video of the lower glacier back to camp, with a bunch of gerneral TR pics and some music.

 

[video:youtube]

 

It is hard to describe my experienced elation that afternoon in camp. I felt we had done something pretty cool is the best way to describe it. The slopes turned red and pink as the sun lowered and we admired the mountain, it was obvious to tell that we were all very happy and loveing life.

 

The slAy Team -

 

Ryan " L "

 

2636934480103935217S600x600Q85.jpg

photo by Eric

 

Sky "The Sickness"

 

2809364780103935217S600x600Q85.jpg

Photo by Ryan

 

Eric " E$ "

 

2522610020103935217S600x600Q85.jpg

photo by Sky

 

Thanks Bros, this is one I won't forget.

Edited by danhelmstadter
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