Beta on Camp Muir Needed

Hey Maggots,

A friend and I are planning on some early season turns (depending on weather) on Rainier in two weeks, our mid-semester break. October 22nd/23rd, in there is the plan. Has anyone skied it so late in the year? How much vert can you usually ski around then, assuming no big snowfall in the next 2 weeks.

I've done some searches, and will look at other spots on the internet, but ANY info is very helpful. Are there good places to camp down low- like a campground or somthing? How's the hike up? Thanks! -kb

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Originally Posted by kb1dqh

How's the hike up?

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This is about the only thing I can comment on. Once you hit the permanent snowfield it's basically just a fairly constant, low angle slog. You get up to around 9,000' feet or so and you start to feel the altitude, but then you see Muir and realize it wasn't so bad.

My guess is you should be able to ski from Muir (~10,000') down to Pebble Creek, which is somewhere around 7,000'.

Here's a map showing compass bearings to Muir:
http://www.nps.gov/mora/general/maps/mapcompass.pdf

http://www.cascadeclimbers.com/threa...077#Post402475

I went up there on Saturday and what looked like promising conditions (six inches of fresh between Paradise and the glacier) was blown off by the time we got up to the glacier. We only skinned up to 9000 feet as snow conditions and visibility were not good. But 2 weeks could hold a lot of promise as far as snow goes. You should be able to do it as a day trip from Paradise.

Thx for the info all. Last question. What is the slope of the snowfield- anything about 25 degress up to 30? Steeper? Just trying to figure out what avalacnhe conditions might exist if it snows before. Thanks!

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Originally Posted by kb1dqh

... What is the slope of the snowfield- anything about 25 degress up to 30? Steeper? ...!

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Closer to 25 than 30 degrees. There are a couple short sections that you might get to slide, under the right conditions, but they are easily avoided.

check here http://www.turns-all-year.com for almost daily reports from Muir.

Be very careful of white out up there. Lots of people have got into trouble and veered off onto the glaciers. It's easy to do, especially on skis. Weather can be very bad at any time of the year. I got caught up there in the heaviest snow storm I've seen anywhere in the world in August a few years back.

While you're cursing every step up think of this guy - http://climb.mountainzone.com/2004/s...cent/index.htm - Paradise to the true summit in 3hrs 33 minutes. Paradise-true summit-Paradise in only 4hrs 59 minutes He "knocked off" Paradise to Muir in 1hr 34mins.

edit: read this - http://www.offpistemag.com/themag/fe...hindsight.html - to realise what can happen on even the dog route of such a big mountain.

Go to cascadeclimbers.com's boards and ask for conditions in either the freshieszone or the Rainier forums. You'll get the beta you need.

Oh, and Chad Kellogg's climb is undocumented and therefore only worth his word, which many have said is cheap (don't know the guy myself).

drC