The Kautz
This morning I looked back at where we've been around this time of year in the past and saw that usually we're on the road heading south to either the Sierras or Utah. Funny, again we were making plans to do just that, but may bail and hang around here instead. Anyhow, the closest we came to being at Rainier right now was way back in early Feb, 2011 (except for last year when our old snowshoes finally gave out on our way up to Mazama Ridge).
This one is for my backcountry skier friend Martin ... check out the turns at lower left of center. This time of year I think most head over via the Nisqually and Wilson by dropping down near Glacier Vista above Paradise (an obvious track where I actually stopped to talk with some skiers returning that way on this very day). But, in spring, I think some just head up to the Turtle (left of center) via Comet Falls and Van Trump Park, or do a loop (with 2 cars).
The climb looks deceptively ez (up the Turtle), but in reality teams must scale the Kautz Ice Cliffs from nearby Camp Hazard in order to get up onto the Upper Kautz Glacier and continue to the summit.
The Kautz
This morning I looked back at where we've been around this time of year in the past and saw that usually we're on the road heading south to either the Sierras or Utah. Funny, again we were making plans to do just that, but may bail and hang around here instead. Anyhow, the closest we came to being at Rainier right now was way back in early Feb, 2011 (except for last year when our old snowshoes finally gave out on our way up to Mazama Ridge).
This one is for my backcountry skier friend Martin ... check out the turns at lower left of center. This time of year I think most head over via the Nisqually and Wilson by dropping down near Glacier Vista above Paradise (an obvious track where I actually stopped to talk with some skiers returning that way on this very day). But, in spring, I think some just head up to the Turtle (left of center) via Comet Falls and Van Trump Park, or do a loop (with 2 cars).
The climb looks deceptively ez (up the Turtle), but in reality teams must scale the Kautz Ice Cliffs from nearby Camp Hazard in order to get up onto the Upper Kautz Glacier and continue to the summit.