Glacier Vista Snowshoe — Thursday, Feb. 25, 2016

Mount Rainier Area > SW - Longmire/Paradise

Warm sunny day to try this one! I've included 5min of video highlights below the photos. Because there had been a slab avalanche on Panorama Point the day before, I decided to snowshoe on to Glacier Vista instead, a route free of any avalanche slopes. There were indeed pinwheels rolling down both sides of the last stretch to Panorama Point, a warning of wet avalanches. Not too many people out this day. I only saw one other at Glacier Vista and maybe a dozen heading up Panorama Point. It's a nice, steady climb through open forests to treeline and then nonstop views above treeline. Mt Adams and Mt Saint Helens were out and clear. Tatoosh Ridge and the Goat Rocks Wilderness peaks further on were also spectacular. The scenes unique to Glacier Vista are the dramatic cliff faces lining the upper Nisqually Valley. Highly recommended for a clear sunny day snowshoe destination!