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Monday, May 28, 2012

Cascade trip 2012

Ahhhh, Manfred wants to go!

Some sweet roads with cool vanishing points.

Poaching the park. It had been raining since we arrived so the sprinklers were not even felt.

Killing time waiting for good weather on the coast. Did I mention it was raining?

I love the ocean and sprinted towards it, feeling the sand between my toes. 


Natures Dollar.


Did you know you can drive on the beach in WA? Its considered a state highway as I will later learn.

After mobbing the suby over the dunes, I E-brake slid 180* to a view of a cop with his lights on bearing down on me. I broke a few laws but he cited me for none of them. 


So what do you do during 4 days of rain with no sunshine? Allow Devin to show you.


One of the coolest places to park a car ever. 

Holy s*** we get to head up Rainier after 4 days of rain. Actually, it is still raining but there might be a weather window on Saturday for a summit push. Today is Thursday.

I know you're jealous of them tights! 

                                      
Yeah Camp Muir, first public there!

Pretty wild place complete with Heli pad and numerous shitters.
                                     
Skinned up the the beehive on Friday for some acclimatization and skiing.


The only white frame shades you'll ever catch me in.

Skiing my first Cascade corn!

And walking back to Muir.

Late, chilly morning start.

Beautiful Alpen glow.
                                     

Playing catch-up because I left my water in camp. 

Going for the Ingraham Direct! Disappointment Cleaver was closed, not that we wanted to ascend that route, so everybody was gunning for the Ingraham Direct.

Our CO friends from camp and Little Tahoma in the background.

If you have never tried it, GET SOME!

Splitboard mountaineering.
Broke threw a few snow bridges up to my waist and arm pits but never felt like I was in danger. The big crevasses were exposed and easily navigable. It was just a wind load over the small ones. 
                                   
The summit crater rim. The wind wanted to blow us back to MT!

It was so cold on top that Devin managed 2 or 3 photos from the big heavy camera he packed before his fingers froze and it was time to go down. Better believe we're stoked for the biggest ski of our lives and one of the biggest in the country! We were the only party to reach the summit that day; over 60 people attempted it. Our friends from CO made it as far as 13k ft but hit their turn around time. They were being proper mountaineers; we were jibbing over the crevasses. 

Back at Muir after 6 hours.

Packed up camp and continued skiing all the way to the Paradise parking lot.

Drying out the goods at St.Helens TH.


Deeming the permit unnecessary, we decide to just beat everybody to the top and if we get busted, atleast it will be on the way down. We smiled and waved at the ranger as we skied by hehehe.

Looking up at the Worm Flows.
                                     
Why you need a metal edge on every side of your split board skis.

The inside of the crater is freakin steep! It would be incredible skiing if you didnt collapse the cornice when you dropped in. Not to mention how the hell you would get out.

Marking my name in the 'snowmit register'.
                                     
We actually hauled Jack to the top of Rainier but we were so dehydrated and cold we decided to leave him for later. Sure was tasty on St.Helens.

Two backcountry fools having the time of their lifes!

Thats 60cm...

As far as a snowboard descent is concerned, it doesnt get much more fun than that. 
                                   
Break day at Viento outside of Hood River. The one and only campsite we paid for.



Weather turned sour again and the forecast gave us no hope of it letting up so after spending 11 days in WA with only 2 summits, we decided to cruise back to MT and hopefully find some corn in Yellowstone or the Taylor Fork (which we didnt).