Tahoma Ski

During our recent spell of high pressure a group of local climbers made a rare winter ascent of the Tahoma Glacier and ski descent from the summit. Thanks to Doug Daniell for the report and photos.



I climbed and skied the Tahoma Glacier with a group of four from Seattle
on January 19-21. I wanted to share some conditions information and
beta for a winter approach from the west side of the mountain. We began
our ascent on the 19th from the Westside Road closure near the park
entrance. We were able to skin from the car (~2150') although coverage
was a few inches at best. We eventually joined Tahoma Creek and except
for a few creek crossings found easy travel. Camped to the west of
Glacier Island on a calm, mild night. On the 20th we skinned up on firm
snow to the glacier, passed a few icefalls on the right, and then
traversed left at 9K to a smooth ramp that led to camp at 10K. Enjoyed a
beautiful sunset and alpenglow on the slopes above.





Sometime before 5am on the 21st we roped up, dropped down to the
north to avoid some looming seracs, and then navigated crevasses and ice
debris to the base of Sickle. We decided on this variation to avoid
what looked like large swaths of glare ice on the main Tahoma. In the
Sickle we found good travel on shallow wind-packed powder and firmer
styrofoam, with patches of ice globs especially higher on the route.
Beautiful Rainier shadow at sunrise though we remained in the cold
ourselves. Brought pickets/screws but none were used. Definitely not a
route to tackle with much avy danger - saw lots of evidence of sluffs
and maybe a well-weathered crown or two. The rest of the way to the
summit was a slog as usual. Great views from Jefferson to Baker, though
the Puget Sound was covered in fog and clouds.



The ski down was a hodgepodge of snow conditions - terrible off the
summit, some nice smooth patches below Liberty saddle, fun steep skiing
through the Sickle, thousands of feet of wind-effect down the glacier,
and then occasionally breakable crust down to the creek. Three of us
completed the full descent and one had a major binding failure high on
the route that entailed lots of walking and some improvised ski-strap
solutions to get out by 10pm.





FYI,
snowmobiles are allowed from the road closure on 410 to White River
Campground, Remember to self-register before your climb or overnight
stay whatever your route may be.

Winter Registration Information

Fall is officially here and winter is not far on its tail. Mother nature has already brought rain, snow and high winds to the Mountain -Paradise received about 4 inches of snow over the past 24 hours and we're expecting both significant rain and snow over the next few days. The National Weather System has put out a winter weather advisory for the next few days; we're expecting 6" - 10" of snow from this evening through Wednesday and then the freezing level is rising to between 8000' - 9000' and we could receive potentially 6" - 14" of rain. Sound eeriely familiar...? Check out some of the photos from blogs on the flood of 2006 to refresh your memory. Let's hope no such catastraphe befalls us this year.

Currently, the road to Paradise closes at Longmire only when the freezing level drops to below 4000 ft and precipitation is expected. The gate at Longmire will begin closing nightly at 5:00 pm once the weather turns toward consistent freezing and snow (usually around Thanksgiving or shortly thereafter). The road re-opens in the morning only after our road crew has come through and cleared the road of snow and then deemed it safe enough to drive. There is a sign on the gate, which states the estimated time of opening that day. During the winter, traction tires are needed for travel in the Park at all times and drivers should always carry tire chains in case of road restrictions during inclement weather. For weather forecasts and/or road updates call the Park's information line at (360) 569-2211 and select #1.

Climbing registration processes also change in the winter. While you wait for the gate to open to Paradise, climbers can register and get updated weather and avalanche forecasts at the Longmire Museum - open daily from 9 am until 4 pm. On weekends and holidays, climbers can go to the JVC II, which is open from 10 am until 5 pm. Self-registration is also available up at Paradise (NOT Longmire), located outside on the porch of the old ranger station. However, it is still preferable that climbers register in person to ensure the park has all necessary information about a climbing party and their itinerary, which allows park staff to respond more effectively in the case of an emergency.

Overnight parking this winter up at Paradise is not yet solidified, but most likely there will two locations - one in the upper lot across from the Paradise Inn by the old station and the second overflow lot will likely be in the lower part of the lower parking lot, facing the center island snowbank (same location as last winter). Check back to the Overnight Parking blog in the Access and Roads section for winter parking updates; and if you still have questions, feel free to ask a friendly ranger at the Entrance Station or Longmire Museum for details on where to park at the time of your visit.

Rangers staffing the Museum at Longmire and the JVC are helpful, informative and eager to assist with your needs, but they may not be a climber. Unfortunately, climbing rangers are not on staff regularly this time of year either, so before you come to the park, be sure to check this blog for updated climbing information and route conditions. For questions and/or issues regarding this blog or related to climbing at Mount Rainier, call the Climbing Program at (360) 569-6009 or contact Mike Gauthier at the email provided at the bottom of this page. Any general inquiries or questions specifically related to park policy or procedures can be directed to the Longmire Museum at (360) 569-2211, extension 3314 or by email at MORAinfo@nps.gov.

Enjoy the Fall while it lasts and since sunset is now MUCH sooner, be sure to start those hikes and climbs earlier to take advantage our limited daylight. See you on the Mountain!

Dove

Hay for Horses

Tuffee helping Lee unload hay for the horses.

ATV Time

We took the ATV's out the other day after a rain, to see how bad a shape the roads were in. Nothing to bad but a few were washed out some.

Wisconsin Dells Fifty Years Ago

Postcards. On the left is "Swallows' Nests, Wisconsin Dells. In the summer hundreds of swallows make their homes in holes in the sandstone cliff." And, at right is "Motor Launch on the Wisconsin River."

In a previous post I mentioned that my grandpa Vic and Aunt Shirley Phend had taken my brothers and me on a trip to the Wisconsin Dells. That was fifty years ago this week and it made the "gossip" column of the local newspaper! I'm not sure why they decided to take us along, Mom says they asked us to go simply because they thought we would enjoy the trip. We did, though now the details are a bit fuzzy. I think we were the only ones they ever took on a trip with them. I wonder if we were that ornery that they were put off doing it again? Mom did say that grandpa told her that he had to threaten us a few times to settle us down but that overall 'we were pretty good kids' so maybe they just never took another trip together. I do remember that us kids usually got along well, especially Jack and me, and that Doug was the instigator of many of the things that got us in trouble over the years. Of course, I would never start anything ;-)

In July 1957, Jack was the youngest and would turn 8 years old on the 8th of July. Doug had turned 10 in March, and I was 9 years old.

As with many of my later trips, I kept a record, sort of, of the towns we passed through. I just love the spelling of some of them. . .


The postcard below was written to my aunt Pat, one of Mom's sisters, but was apparently never mailed. That's not my signature, my Mother wrote my name in later. It says: "Dear Pat,We got to wisconson at 6:30. We went threw 31 towns. It took us 9 and a half hours to get there. It took us 350 miles to get there. How are all of you. I am fine. We went sight seeing and we went on a boat ride and we saw some Indinas."
My sister was only three years old at the time, so she didn't get to go along. This card was sent to her: "Dear Terry, I am fine. How are you. We are going to see some Indians tomorrow and we are going to take a boat ride.From Becky and Jacky.

One Question Answered

After one day at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, I've already found the answer to one question "left over" from my Switzer research!



As noted in the post Not One, Not Two, Not Three, but Four of Them! (about half way through the post) there was a question regarding which Jacob Switzer was the owner of 80 acres in the W ½ of the SW ¼ of R2 T12 S16 in Fairfield Township, Columbiana County, Ohio.



The answer came in a deed record (volume 64 page 397 of FHL film 926962) in which Isaac Switzer and Christiana his wife, Benjamin Switzer and Lidia Ann his wife, Levi Switzer and Hannah his wife, Peter Keck and Delia Ann his wife, James Crooks and Eliza his wife, Anna Switzer and Sophia Switzer of the county of Columbiana sold the parcel “containing 72 acres of land owned and lately occupied by Jacob Switzer deceased” to Christian Kiser for $3420 on April 6, 1860.



So now we know that this land belonged to Switzer Family Number 4 :: Jacob G. and Catharina and not to “my” Jacob. In addition, it confirms the names of his heirs and provides the names of the spouses of the married children, which would be nice for anyone researching this particular family!