[williswall]

I spent 5 days recreating on Rainier over the weekend, checking out snow levels and general conditions in some areas (hike/bike/ski). This is a longish video (37 mins) so here's the sections: 0000-0106: Muir snowfield/Paradise (ski), 0106-0230: Road to Reflection Lakes (bike), 0230-1714: Summerland (hike), 1714-2253: Panhandle Gap (ski), 2253-2649: Sunrise Park road to plowing end (bike), 2649-3404: Glacier Basin/Inter Glacier (ski), 3404-3719: Stevens Canyon to Reflection Lakes (bike). I was the first hiker to Summerland and returned the following day to skin/ski Panhandle Gap. Mucho snow, tough hiking conditions. The Sunrise road is plowed to about 1/4 mile short of Sunrise. Ranger report says the trail from White River to Sunrise is dicey, especially by the waterfall (they saw someone slide here (unhurt) and turn around, they went lower to cross). After doing two days in a row to Summerland I can say that, even with a boot pack now travel is kinda nasty for hikers....most of the path is on angular dirty snow.

[zephyr]

Thanks for posting that video. So much to see there. I have hiked up to Panhandle Gap in the later summer. It was very interesting to see it so early in the season. I see that "bridge" crossing Frying Pan Creek below Summerland is as sketchy as ever. Just below that point there was an enormous waterfall if I remember correctly. I would not want to fall off that log/bridge. ~z