Mission Accomplished

Its been ten days now since we got off the summit of Mt Rainier and it is almost sad that its over. Six months of training and buying gear, countless hours on the internet gathering information and blogging is all over now. What a great trip!

The actual summit trip started with gear check at Alpine Ascents International (AAI) in Seattle. We met the other five members of the team that would be going up with us as well as the lead guide. It turns out, Cyrus, Pat and I were the members of the team with the least experience. Two of the other members had already climbed Rainier, 2 more had tried at least once and one guy had even spent a month on Denali and summited! Our lead guide, Matt came off exactly like a mountain guide should... total badass yet very calm and collective. My intuition would later be proven true.

After pulling out all of our gear one by one and getting the ok to climb, we left AAI and went to get groceris. Our menu for the trip would consist of bagels with ham, turkey and cream cheese, cold pizza and random snacks such as chocolate covered almonds and sour patch kids. We assembled our food and went through our packs for the next six hours, making sure everything was perfect. The next morning came and we took a cab to AAI where our gear was loaded into a van and we were shuttled down to Paradise.

After a quick introduction of ourselves and the other guides we started up for Camp Muir. The weather was wet but from rain. The guides kept a steady pace and would stop after every 1000 vertical feet which would take about an hour and fifteen. At every break the packs came off, we drank and ate. Around 8500 feet the clouds broke and the mountain started to come into view. Gorgeous! Soon after we would arrive at Camp Muir where we made camp for the night. The guides told us to relax and get settled in while they made dinner.

Muir Snowfield

The mountain coming out

When we were told that the guides made breakfasts and dinner I figured it was freeze dried meals... Wrong. The dinner call was made and we hoofed it to the AAI kitchen tent where hot chicken quesadillas were waiting with rice and beans and fresh guacamole. After dinner we enjoyed the views, snapped some photos and tried to get some sleep. Excitement kept me from getting a good nights rest. As did the ear plugs in my ears.

The next morning brought a completely clear sky with gorgeous views. Breakfast call was made and we were greeted with hot coffee and chocolate, bacon, scrambled eggs and blueberry pancakes. Awesome. We enjoyed our hot breakfast, told dirty jokes and just enjoyed ourselves at 10,000 feet. We were told after breakfast to pack our stuff up and meet by the AAI tent for some snow school.

June 19, 2012

June 20, 2012

Snow school was about two hours and consisted of learned to walk in steep terrain with crampons, self arrest and belay, rope skills and tag lines, avalanche transceivers and glacial safety. It wasn't very in depth but was enough to get us to the top and back safely. After school we saddled up and tagged into each other and started for high camp at 11,300 feet. We traveled across the Cowlitz Glacier, up Cathedral Rocks and onto the Ingraham Glacier where high camp was waiting. We were told to get a couple hours rest at high camp, then we would eat dinner and go back to bed. We were waking up at midnight to summit...

AAI tent next to Cowlitz Glacier. Notice the team crossing under the rocks in the distance

Crossing the Cowlitz

Top of Cathedral Rocks

Ingraham Glacier with high camp in distance. Disappointment Cleaner is to the upper right.

The guides at AAI took excellent care of us. While the team was sleeping they were cooking and even managed to fill everyones water bottle. Dinner consisted of pasta with cream sauce and of course bacon (awesome). We had a summit talk and were back in bed.

The alarm went off at midnight and hot water was waiting for us. Some coffee, a bagel and water was all I needed. My gear was packed and only consisted of food, water and clothing; everything else stayed at high camp. We tagged in to each other and set off in the dark towards what we hoped was the summit. Our path took us up the Ingraham Glacier and across the "flats", then up Disappointment Cleaver. We had our first break there which was brief and cold. We continued up at the same steady pace. The excited kept me going without any problems. My fear of being stricken down in my tracks by altitude wasn't happening. I didnt want to stop for breaks even; Get me to the top!

High Break

Final push

Two more breaks and the final push led us to the east side of the crater. What a desolate world up there. The crater provided a little protection from the elements. We shed our packs and tag lines, through on some warm clothes and grabbed a snack; then we made the 15 minute walk across the crater to Columbia Crest. The only word I can use to describe sitting on the summit of Mt Rainier at dawn is amazing. It was the most amazing thing I have ever done.

Summit with Mt Adams to our back

The trip down went in the exact reverse order and at a much faster pace. We stopped at high camp to get our stuff and fuel up as well as pick up the one team member that had to turn around at the Cleaver. A jog to Camp Muir (literally a jog), some quick lunch and we were off down the mountain. The weather was much warmer so the trip down went slower because the Muir Snowfield was very soft. Each step created a new post hole on already sore legs. After a few hours the lodge at Paradise came into view. I know why they call it Paradise: after descending off the mountain there is no greater site!

The boots and three day old gear came off, fresh clothes went on, the packs were loaded and we were off. Burgers and beers were enjoyed by all after leaving the park and a toast to our trip was made by lead guide Matt. His trip prior to ours brought rain, the forecast for the group going up after us is rain with high winds... We hit the perfect three days for a summit.

Although our trip was perfect for us tragedy did strike the mountain. While we were coming down from high camp to Muir, there was a group that went missing and fell into the Emmons Glacier. We saw the Chinook helicopter get launched but didn't know what was going on. Later we found out that a Park Ranger fell to his death trying to rescue the stranded climbers. RIP Ranger Nick Hall.

Weather moving in

If anyone wants to climb Mt Rainier I recommend getting a guide. I never once felt that I was in danger and the guides at AAI couldnt have made our trip any more enjoyable. It was worth every penny, and the experience is one that I will never forget. We are already looking at our next course with AAI next year; The 6 day Cascades training course. While we were on the summit, we also were able to see our next project in the world of mountaineering and climbing: Mt Baker.