Trip Report: The Groms Nissaqually Chutes Tour Mount Rainier, Washington June 19, 2025 Blog Article

Author and photo credits:  Jesse Thompson

Just over 3 weeks after our first actual backcountry tour with the TJT (9) And LK (12), the grom tour team came back to Paradise with a less vertical but more consequential objective in mind. Both boys really showed their resilience and stamina the weeks before touring all the way to camp Muir for their biggest day on skis in their lives  to this point. At that time we camped amidst the snow banks in the lower lot and easily toured right out of the parking area. Panorama point was fully covered and TJT cut a fine skin track with crampons on up the main face of it, surprising a lot of adults who for some reason were opting to boot pack next to the glissade lines( I don’t understand it but to each their own ). We’re definitely teaching a skis on feet methodology until it’s  obviously to bad to skin.

Touring with seriously younger kids is proving to be a very interesting head space as a parent. For the last 4 seasons with TJT  we have stayed within the exceptionally safe confines of the ski area and skimo races where weather and difficult conditions could be a part of the learning experience because of the relative safety of the surroundings.  Finally breaking out and touring in the mountains definitely gives you pause and makes you really carefully consider your objectives, conditions, weather, and all the factors with a much more critical eye than just going with a buddy. As Dads I think the both of us are really trying to curate a really progression approach to the efforts we agree to. the level of stoke and actual technical skills by these 2 youngsters is soo high its easy to get carried away with big plans. 

This time the parking lot was fully melted out. and we felt like we had a brief but solid window of weather to depend on but no more. Temps in the mid to upper 40’s, and a causal 7:30 am  start.  While we could get skis on at the edge of the parking lot. I felt bad for LK’s brand new ultra 82 , and TJT’s ultra 77 set up as the amount of dirt, pine needles and crap in the snow was atrocious.  That said it was great to have the boys on proper kit and props to LK for once again going up on Rainier in a brand new set up he’d never skied before. The previous trip for him on rental gear had proven 2 things , 1 he had the attitude and effort to earn some dedicated gear and 2 the rental gear he was on was not going to make that cut.  TJT had at least the luxury of some time on snow lift served to get himself sorted with his upgrade at the end of the area ski season. We were able to ski uninterrupted the base of Panorama and made the decision to ascend with the mountaineering groups up the melted out trail back to the snow line, rather than attempt what was left of the snow in the main face.  The boys thought that booting with skis on packs was pretty cool. As with everything with kids  they are   essentially hobbits and elevensies had to be eaten at that point regardless of the stops and calories ingested before it.

Above panorama was mostly all skinning with a few steep rolling drops that were really fun steep skinning, on side hills  to ascend and  practice on with minimal consequence. that said the boys did exceptional. Beyond that we ascended to a rock band just parallel with the chutes for luncheon!  Fed watered and sorted we headed into the main chute.

Honestly i’ve skied the chutes in great conditions and this was anything but. Huge suncups some half of TJT’s height covered the entrance with a proper littering of small and medium size rocks all perforating the already cupped surface. the temps had stayed stable and reasonable low so we got a nice soft 2” or so  surface with firmer snow underneath. While the ski itself was really just summer combat skiing the attitude of the 2 youths was infectious. at one point saying they could care less how bad the snows just that the worst skiing was “NO SKIING” that and while the snow was incredibly dirty it seemed to lack the pollen of weeks prior which had coated our skis like some black tar peanut butter making it impossible to move.

Bottoming out in the trench at the base of the chutes the boys had already decided that for a break they would practice self arrests and ice ax skills (TJT got to give his first ice ax a break in) giving the dads a fun break before slogging the 3-400 feet back out to the base of panorama point and dodging hikers and rocks on the way back to the parking lot.

As of June 19th I’d say this side of the mountain is cooked! and best left to the mountaineering groups and day hikes that paradise is known for in summer.  We’ll turn our attention to the north east side of the mountain  and look for snow on one of my favorite later season skis the Interglacier in early July.

You’d think at this point that both boys would change, eat and crash into a pile of human goo, but these don't seem to be normal human children as they ripped off around the trees and bushes below the parking lot, spent an hour on the climbing wall at Whittaker's waiting for food and true to form TJT would not even think of napping in the car on the 2 plus hour drive home. One could be so blessed to be such a tired dad for these reasons, but i cant say ill be sad when he can drive to.