Tubus Cargo racks carry skis like they were made for each other. solid bayonet type mounting both vertically, like i hauled them this time, and also off the back- bayonet mount wedges them in SOLID. (pic upper left and center)
lighter leather telemark boots, lots of pertex and silnylon in the kit, wool, Trangia, no tent just a tarp. Experimented with moving the fully loaded touring bike across the snow with skis on. Worked very well downhill
but not so easy upgrades. (pic lower left).
My drill was: 20 miles of riding or so up to the pass, 3000 vertical feet of climb, m/l, to 5432 feet, that first afternoon, set up a tarp camp in a tree hovel (pic right), skied the first night, then dinner and off to bed.
the next day, I got up in the morning, brewed coffee, took a few quick yoyo ski laps, then back to the trees and the hovel for breakfast. Then a nap in the sun ,and more skiing till lunch. After lunch, a little messing around with the bike, more skiing, catching afternoon rays and just soaking up the mountains grandeur, then dinner and a quick sunset ski before hitting the sleeping bag at dark.
up at 5, repeat. Then a screaming bike descent back off the mountain and out that third afternoon. I had enough food for another day, but had to come back to go to work....shucks.
boy, how to describe it.. i combined mountain approach bike riding thru boreal forests and virgin timber stands up into the alpine zone in the park. in the National Park, not on Mount Rainier proper, but east of the volcano by about 7 miles. great views of Rainier when it was out.
I was going to ride more of the roads in the park, but the road to Sunrise was strictly closed, and the road around to Paradise was also closed due to rockfall. I was actually going to sneak down the road and take a look, but some pesky rangers swooped up just as i was checking the maps, so my plans for some rock slide/skiing/bike photos were quashed by a couple of overzealous LEOs. Maybe next time.
I have to confess, i love backcountry skiing as much as i love bicycling, and to combine the two in one trip was a definite PLUS. three good days of skiing in June, and great road riding to boot -
I was pushing it up to 40 miles an hour some of the downhills, skis up behind me like a flagpole, grinning hugely as i shot video one handed during the descent.