Tahoma Glacier Sickle

The Tahoma Glacier provides solitude and stunning scenery as an advanced ski descent down the remote West side of Mount Rainier.

Descending directly off the summit crater, the namesake Tahoma Glacier descends for miles out the incredible Western section of the park. After initial low angle-terrain on variable snow, the route steepens and skiers and riders must find safe passage through formidable glacial serac features via one of two main variations: the Sickle Couloir or the Tahoma Glacier Headwall.

The Sickle follows the prominent gully feature, where one must pass quickly beneath the substantial overhead hazard to descend the upper slopes and access the main glacier ramp. From here many thousands of feet of fall-line moderate terrain awaits, drawing a path around the crevasse fields and following a series of ramps for a consistent pitch all the way down the massive glacier. Several exit variations exist out the Puyallup River, Tahoma Creek or a traverse back around the South side of the mountain.