There
are many
routes that can be used to reach the summit of Mount Rainier.
The route of choice for this trip used a southerly approach that would
get us to our desired base camp, Camp Muir. For the southern and
eastern routes, the climb generally begins at Paradise. From the
Paradise parking lot (5420'), the Skyline and Pebble Creek trails lead
up the mountain, and both are paved or well maintained. The Pebble
Creek trail ends at the base of the Muir Snowfield, and Camp Muir sits
atop of this snowfield (10,100'). From Camp Muir, several routes
to the summit may be taken. The Disappointment Cleaver route is depicted
here, along with the Ingraham Direct and Emmons glacier variations.
We had originally intended to ascend along the Disappointment Cleaver route,
as it is one of the most popular and widely used. However, upon evaluation
of the glacier conditions during the climb, we deferred to the Ingraham
Direct route (also we missed the turn). The Ingraham Direct is a
Grade I/II route (strenuous, rock and icefall, 35 to 40 degree snow and
ice slopes, altitude) and had been the most traveled route to the summit
in past weeks. A clearly marked, well-defined boot track was in place
all the way to the crater rim. This route also avoided the traverse
to the Disappointment Cleaver and the notorious rockfall hazard associated
with the cleaver. However, the Direct was the scene of a serious
accident in early June involving natural, spontaneous icefall. Further,
a section of the boot track above Ingraham Flats is routinely swept with
icefall, even in the morning. Climbing parties are advised to "move
quickly through areas exposed to icefall and seriously consider their level
of acceptable risk before exposing their team to objective hazards."
The Ingraham Direct cuts right above 12,000 feet to join up with the Disappointment
Cleaver route near the top of the cleaver. After reaching this point
and passing above the Ingraham headwall, our route diverged far to the
north in order to circumvent several gaping, uncrossable crevasses.
Our path continued above the Emmons glacier before returning to a southeastern
point on the crater rim. Ten members of the OP trip reached the summit
that day, and they included: Shane McDonald (trip initiator), Dee Dawson,
Brian Gard, Annette Jasso, Jarod Dunnohew, Natalie Jussel, Bob Marcinko,
Margo Lasky, Todd Overman, and Andy Pack. Meanwhile, two members
of the OP trip had decided not to make the summit attempt. Shannon
Reid, who had recently undergone knee surgery and had only intended on
reaching base camp, remained at Camp Muir as base camp manager. Paige
Meshishnek, who was feeling a bit under the weather, has climbed on Rainier
twice before and once had gotten sick, forcing her entire group to turn
around (it is standard practice for an entire rope team to turn around
if one member gets sick). She didn't want to be responsible for turning
another group around, and we were appreciative of her decision.
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