mr.radon Posted August 15, 2011 Posted August 15, 2011 Trip: Mount Rainier National Park - Paradise - Muir - Nisqually Chute - Paradise Date: 8/15/2011 Trip Report: Had a great day today. Woke up early to get out to Mount Rainier National Park to ski the Nisqually Chute. GPS Data Packed up the car: Drove to the Nisqually park entrance, headed to Longmire then the windy road to Paradise. Awesome drive, almost no traffic...enough said. The windy road to Paradise was a dream, I need to figure out how to keep the skis from banging into the shoulder on those hard right turns. Once at Paradise I pulled out the skis, had a few weird looks. Suited up and made it to Camp Muir in 3 hours flat (in tennis shoes too). More weird looks from the climbers with boots, ice axe and crampones on as I cruised past them in tennis shoes. Yes I got wet feet... My Alpine Touring skis were in the shop so I grabbed one of my good downhill ski/boots and hauled them up. At Muir I shared a couple of beers (see the others chill'in in the background) with the Mount Rainier Climbing Ranger. It was my friend's last day this year at the park as a Ranger, he's heading to some 'stan country to do "hard core" climbing. Hope he doesn't get kidnapped. I met him on Denali in 2002, we made the summit of Denali in a horrible storm, awesome climber. He was down below so I left the "on duty" Climbing Ranger the beers. After about an hour nap I got my 5,000' mid AUGUST ski descent, skiing the Nisqually Chute Was able to get within 250' of the lower parking lot. Its been a super cool summer and a heavy snow pack=SNOW EVERWHERE! Walking back to the car I saw another Z06 in the parking lot! I brewed up a cup of coffee with a portable stove behind the vette while I waited for the snow to dry on the gear. More weird looks and a few questions from people walking by like, "Is that really your car?", "Are you really going to put skis in that thing?", "Are you watching the car for the owner?" I packed up the car, finished the cup of joe and headed out. Well who pulls behind me? The Z06. He followed me for about an hour, till I pulled off to go North and home. The rest of the trip went great. Got about 9mpg driving to the park, 30.4 driving home.... Gear Notes: Downhill skis...wish I had my AT gear... Approach Notes: Tennis shoes... Quote
Dave7 Posted August 16, 2011 Posted August 16, 2011 this bud's for you, skiing corvette guy, with your awesome beard and trip report...you make all skiers and climbers jealous. Quote
JasonG Posted August 16, 2011 Posted August 16, 2011 Wait, was along on this trip? Sounds like a good day! Quote
kevino Posted August 17, 2011 Posted August 17, 2011 Nice. Any pictures of the chute's current condition? I work for the next 8 days but would like to get out there next week. Quote
mr.radon Posted August 17, 2011 Author Posted August 17, 2011 Runnled out, lots of rocks and dirty dust. Skiing was okay, last weekend it was much much better. Still great skiing for Aug. Quote
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