Trip Date: June 24, 2022
Paradise Glacier Ski Ascent & Descent
Golden Gate
Paradise Glaciers
Muir/Paradise Cleaver
Trip Report Summary
Region: Southern Washington Cascades
Sub-Region: Mt. Rainier Massif
Area: Mt. Rainier National Park
Starting & Ending Point: Paradise Parking Lot at end of Nisqually Road (Elev. 5400 feet)
Way Points: Edith Creek Basin & Golden Gate & Lower Paradise Glacier & Upper Paradise Glacier & Muir/Paradise Cleaver (ski tour)
Ski Run: Paradise Glaciers (ski descent from 8700 feet to 6400 feet)
Approximate Stats: 7.8 miles traveled; 3400 feet gained & lost; 4.3 hours up; 1.4 hours down.
Related Posts
>>> Cowlitz Rocks ski tour via Mazama Ridge–Paradise Glacier – March 7, 2005
>>> Camp Muir ski tour via Panorama Point–Muir Snowfield – June 17, 2000
>>> Cowlitz Rocks ski tour via Mazama Ridge–Paradise Glacier – May 29, 1999
Full Trip Report
On the first truly bluebird Friday of the summer, I teamed up with Chet to ski the Paradise Glaciers on Mt. Rainier. Chet is a local legend in the North-Central Washington backcountry skiing community and was one of my early mountain mentors. I hadn’t done a trip with him since 1978, so it was a treat for me to do this marvelous ski tour with him after 44 years! To facilitate an early start, I car-camped with Chet and his wife, Ann, at Cougar Rock Campground the night before.
We left the busy Paradise parking lot shortly before 7:00am and skinned over to Edith Creek on lumpy, crusty snow. Very quickly, we were faced with the crux of our entire day: surmounting the steep headwall surrounding Edith Creek Basin. It was destined to be a hot and sunny day, but the headwall was still in full shade at this early hour.
After scoping out several options and changing our minds a few times, we began zigzagging up the headwall toward Golden Gate. Chet had brought ski crampons for these situations, and I was wishing that I owned ski crampons. Taking different tacks, we both gained elevation slowly and painstakingly, struggling to gain purchase on the rock-hard snow. Near the top, where the slope becomes a bit steeper, I resorted to desperately slamming in my ski edges and sidestepping straight uphill, knowing that one slip would send me zooming back down to the basin! Chet found that even his crampons were inadequate here, so he chose to remove his skis and boot up, utilizing some old footsteps.
With much relief, we crossed through Golden Gate and made an easy traverse over and down to the Lower Paradise Glacier. My troubles were not completely behind me, however; I had started the day with broken tail straps on both of my climbing skins, and I discovered that one skin had slipped off during our short descent! I went back to retrieve it and then used all of the duct tape in my repair kit to refasten both skins. Fortunately, every aspect of our tour improved greatly after these early problems.
Chet and I proceeded up the Lower and Upper Paradise Glaciers on firm snow that left barely any ski tracks in our wake. For most of the way, it seemed that this glacial playground was ours alone. There had been more than a hundred skiers, snowshoers, and hikers at Paradise, but we did not see another person here for the next 2 hours!
At a point high on the Upper Paradise Glacier, we angled due west and topped out on the Muir/Paradise Cleaver at 8700 feet, directly below Anvil Rock (4.3 hours + 3300 feet from parking lot). Slabby rocks provided a nice lunch spot with views southward to Mt. Adams, Mt. Hood, and Mt. St. Helens. Closely behind us were scores of people marching up the Muir Snowfield to Camp Muir.
We began our ski descent at noon and immediately discovered that snow conditions were perfect: 2 inches of soft, untracked corn over a firm base! We leap-frogged each other down the glaciers, with Chet making big alpine turns and me making big telemark turns. At 76 years old, Chet still moves steadily and smoothly on skis—both uphill and downhill.
Upon reaching the bottom of the lower glacier, we crossed back through Golden Gate and angled down the steep headwall on softer snow. The final part of our descent involved dodging walkers along the trail back to Paradise.
The parking lot was bustling with throngs of tourists when we arrived in early afternoon (1.4 hours from cleaver). Chet had picked this ski trip for this day, and after some initial snafus, it turned out to be a total home run!
Route Map
Photo Gallery
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