Forum Index > Trip Reports > Mt. Rainier, Emmons Glacier Ski, 6/30-7/2/2013
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Jim Dockery
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Jim Dockery
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PostThu Jul 04, 2013 3:52 pm 
My friends Eric and Craig had unfinished business to settle with Mt. Rainier. Both had climbed the Emmons glacier route many years ago, but neither had skied it. John organized the trip, but came down with a bad cold and missed out (sorry man, hope you enjoy the TR).
Craig & Eric
Craig & Eric
We headed up late Sunday afternoon to avoid the weekend crowds. We had a 2.5 day old folks easy going schedule that worked out perfectly. Hiking into Glacier Basin for our first night many tired skiers passed us heading out.
Glacier Basin trail
Glacier Basin trail
We had a good night without many bugs. Didn't get a break of dawn start, but timed it just right to climb the Inter with a slight warm breeze that kept us cool.
Climbing Inter Glacier
Climbing Inter Glacier
Climbing Inter Glacier
Climbing Inter Glacier
Climbing Inter Glacier
Climbing Inter Glacier
The traverse around onto the Emmons was easy, but exposed on steep snow. I would have wanted crampons if it was harder.
Traverse to Emmons Glacier
Traverse to Emmons Glacier
Traverse - Little T
Traverse - Little T
We arrived early in the day with the idea of perhaps making a foray up onto the glacier for an afternoon run, but gusty wind, melting water, eating, drinking, napping, and an intense Farkle game kept us busy.
Sherman hang
Sherman hang
Upper Emmons Glacier
Upper Emmons Glacier
We'd seen a big chopper flying around and were hoping it wasn't a rescue. A ranger told us it was the summer resupply day so we enjoyed the show as an expert pilot in a smaller chopper swooped in a number of times with a short line drop off, then picked up trash and privy cans.
Chopper coming in
Chopper coming in
Chopper taking off
Chopper taking off
We all slept well and woke up just before first light at 4 a.m. Skiers have it easy compared to climbers since we want the snow softer for the descent and don't have to worry about crampons balling up.
Sunrise at Sherman
Sunrise at Sherman
Sunrise at Sherman N
Sunrise at Sherman N
Sunrise at Sherman E
Sunrise at Sherman E
Eric and I started out skinning and made it about half way, but Craig didn't have ski crampons so booted. It wasn't too windy when we left camp, but increased with elevation. It wasn't cold though, so it was more of an annoyance pushing us around, esp. when with skis on the pack.
Sunrise on Emmons
Sunrise on Emmons
Munchy break on Emmons
Munchy break on Emmons
We all felt fine, but went progressively slower with altitude, which made me feel like I was trapped in a climber's Zeno's paradox. When we finally reached the summit the wind was so intense we couldn't stay for long. We sat in the lee side of the final mound to buckle our boots and prepare for skiing then walked the last 100 feet. It felt like if we let go of a ski held vertical it would have flown off never to be seen again. I didn't even stop to snap a summit shot, but hustled down to look back and shoot Eric and Craig as they skidded down the icy lumpy snow. I didn't take my big glove off and ended up with a finger in every shot!
Skiing from Rainer's summit
Skiing from Rainer's summit
We traversed over toward the Winthrop to avoid a steep icy slope on the ascent route, then traversed back and found a way that didn't require removing the skis (tiny mandatory air jumping one crevasse).
Above the Winthrop
Above the Winthrop
Above the Winthrop
Above the Winthrop
Above the Winthrop
Above the Winthrop
Serac cruisin'
Serac cruisin'
Serac cruisin'
Serac cruisin'
Good snow
Good snow
Eric lands the crevasse jump
Eric lands the crevasse jump
The snow was great in the middle of the descent, mushy at the bottom, but all still better than walking!
Craig
Craig
Craig
Craig
Little T
Little T
Back at Sherman we broke camp and talked with a cool father son team from Montana that had done Liberty Ridge on the young man's 21st birthday! I offered them a sip of our last whisky to celebrate. Soon we were on our way skiing down.
traverse back to Inter Glacier
traverse back to Inter Glacier
We didn't have high hopes for the Inter but it proved to be the best skiing of the day. A cloud bank filled the basin as we started down, but broke up as we skied resulting in very cool light. We managed to ski down next to the river almost to camp.
Onto the Inter glacier
Onto the Inter glacier
Skiing the Inter glacier
Skiing the Inter glacier
Skiing the Inter glacier
Skiing the Inter glacier
Skiing the Inter glacier
Skiing the Inter glacier
Down to the river
Down to the river
We changed into shoes we'd stashed at the camp area and cruised down the excellent trail which seemed faster for me on the walk out, but I was feeling a climber's high thinking back to a great day that had it all - good friends, good snow, and fabulous views.
Inter Glacier
Inter Glacier
Inter Glacier
Inter Glacier

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Magellan
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Magellan
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PostThu Jul 04, 2013 4:29 pm 
Great story and pictures, Jim.

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SergioNapelo
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PostFri Jul 05, 2013 6:57 am 
Beautiful pictures!

"I will lift up my eyes to the mountains. From where shall my help come. My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth!" - David, King of Israel 1,000 BC
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DIYSteve
seeking hygge



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DIYSteve
seeking hygge
PostFri Jul 05, 2013 7:06 am 
up.gif

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n16ht5
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PostFri Jul 05, 2013 8:06 am 
awesome, as usual. up.gif

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BirdDog
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PostFri Jul 05, 2013 9:23 am 
Your photos never disappoint Jim. Beautiful! Congrats on the ski.

"There can be no greater issue than that of conservation in this country." Teddy Roosevelt August 6, 1912
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ree
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ree
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PostFri Jul 05, 2013 9:40 am 
Is that Camp Sherman, being resupplied? How do you not ski into a crevasse?? Are there ski tracks you follow?

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Hiker Chick
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PostFri Jul 05, 2013 9:44 am 
Looks like an awesome day!! up.gif

If you think you are too small to be effective, you have never been in the dark with a mosquito. Silence is golden and duct tape is silver. I don't write trip reports.
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contour5
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PostFri Jul 05, 2013 9:46 am 
Very nice!

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SMPaul
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PostFri Jul 05, 2013 9:47 am 
up.gif

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raising3hikers
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raising3hikers
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PostFri Jul 05, 2013 4:36 pm 
up.gif beautiful trip

Eric Eames
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Michael Lewis
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Michael Lewis
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PostFri Jul 05, 2013 6:30 pm 
I MUST learn how to do this some day. You are a master of your craft! Very cool cool.gif

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AbfSailor
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PostSat Jul 06, 2013 8:53 pm 
Well done. I wish I had the knowledge to do something like this, or friends to teach me. Love the pics by the way!

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Jim Dockery
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PostSun Jul 07, 2013 8:12 am 
Thanks everyone. I'm a little dissapointed with myself that I just brought my Canon S90 P&S camera, but it did a pretty good job. Jimbopo & Abf, yes, skiing on the volcanoes is the way to go. I wouldn't do them any other way at this point. On Rainier it's often harder on the way up since you can't skin the whole way, but the fun and speed on the descent more than makes up for it. Ree, yes, that's Sherman being resupplied. Good question on avoiding crevasses - most of the way we try to ski back close to the up track which we hope is safe. When we diverge it's tricky (and riskier), then we rely on experience reading the terrain and the additional floatation skis add. I would never wander around unroped like that without them. The father son team told us they punched through a crevasse on their way from Liberty Cap, then twice more on the decent of the Emmons eek.gif

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