By the time we reached the lower TH, it was already 10am! Blue sky ahead :) The trail heads up to your left, gentle grade, all in the forest. It was open enough that it took me awhile to find a spot for bio break. It was warm, I stopped 2 more times to remove a layer. We were both down to base layer. I didn't see the junction to the upper trailhead on the way up (saw the sign only on the way down). We passed 4 skiiers. It's not fun walking on cruchy snow in skis. Once, there was some obscured view of Lake Cushman through trees. Right before this open meadow, be careful of a big hole to your right. It was already ~11:30. After inquiring condition from a guy heading out (in microspikes), we took a longer break to stash our snowshoes, and changed into crampons. You can clearly see the hikers on the steep avalanche chute (pink line on the photo).
The avalanche chute is very steep, but the snow is solid. No avy danger. Up to where the rock is (where this photo was taken), the snow was soft enough. Good footholds. Also plenty hikers were ahead of us, creating these footholds. The slope eases out for a little, and gets very steep again. Around this time, clouds rolled in, and snow started falling, and wind also picked up. Some turned around here. I stopped here to put on a thin fleece and rain jacket. I was just complaining it was too hot in the sun 5 minutes ago! The snow was harder above here, making steps is harder. We followed a pair of skiers. The young lady was kicking the slope hard. Their ski boots made good footholds. My right crampon fell off. The strap was broken: some Chinese junk. It took me awhile to re-tie it onto my shoe, but not very secure. My left one held well.
Above the avalanche chute is a large plateau. Very beautiful here. Saw brief sunshine again, and I was sweating. Cross the plateau following footsteps. Snow was soft-ish here. Without snowshoes, you'd sink outside of the beaten track. Clouds rolled over us again, but V was determined to go to summit today, and he was charging ahead.
After another bump, you can finally see your destination. Once on the ridge, it's a short walk left to the summit. 1pm! Took a few photos before the clouds engulfed us. The two skiers who were kicking steps also arrived. The guy posed photo with his ski with a bright orange "SICK DAY" skin. It was a bit windy. V. went down. The guy who were on micro-spikes and no ice axe also arrived, and immediately he turned back. I waited for a bit, ate a sandwich, watching the two skiers getting on to their skis. The girl had some problem with her frozen binding. However, the clouds only got worse. I got cold and gave up. On the way out, I had trouble seeing where I was supposed to go. Almost a whiteout. Light snow was falling, and wind was also kicking off snow from the ground. Rejoined V at the plateau, and we headed down together from there. Saw another group heading up. Once below the big plateau, no more wind.
I was much slower on the way down on the avalanche chute, because I couldn't trust my mini-crampons. Next time, bring real crampons. Still there were people going up. Back to where we stashed our snowshoes. Another break. Sun came out, but still not as good as when we arrived. Couldn't see Mt. Rainier any more. ~3pm, packed up, and hiked out in spikes. Saw one more hiker coming in around the junction to upper TH, this late.
Back at the car, saw an Indian girl walking up the road on her own, V asked if she was alright. She said she just wanted to see what's ahead. Nothing really. She was wearing the same boots as mine, even identical color. 3 more cars parked further down the road. By now the snow was softer and dirtier.
On the train home, I was reading a book, and overshot one stop. Had to get on the return train. It's good that the lightrail runs every 15 minutes. Total today, maybe 8 miles, 3500'. V's AllTrails says it was over 4000'.
