EISPIRATEN

Went with Simonov this year to climb Mount Rainier, WA.

I rented a car and we drove to Paradise on Tuesday, June 9th, 2009.
After a night at the Paradise Inn we hit the trail Wednesday morning at 7AM with full packs and got to Camp Muir (10,080 feet elevation) 6.5 hours later.
The weather was good.

Mid-week was key as we got first-come, first-serve lodging at the Public Shelter for the next three nights.
This was good since there were daily lightning strikes and hailstorms in the afternoon and we didn't have to use the tent we packed up.

The weather for the next two days was ideal; little to no wind, clear skies and warm temperatures.
We even had a moon to light up the glacier travel as we hit the trail at 1AM Friday morning.

With the inherent dangers of a two-man rope team it was imperative we climb up the Ingraham Direct with others.
The route will be closed in a few days for the rest of the season because of icefall and glacial movement.
Another two-man team was more than eager to join together, in this case a couple of 1st Special Forces Group climbers out of Fort Lewis, WA.
One even happened to be a medic. Great guys ...



A guided team booting up to Camp Muir


Camp Muir


Inside the public shelter; room for 26 persons on high and low bunks

The Cowlitz Glacier and the path up Cathedral Gap

Heading up the Ingraham Glacier at 03:20AM after crossing lots of crevasses, even one with a ladder inclined at 60 degrees.

Starting to merge routes at the top of the Disappointment Cleaver



Simonov en route, 03:57AM


Approaching the first big snowbridge

The photo doesn't give it justice


04:07AM Friday morning, June 12th, 2009


Simonov crossing over the Bergschrund


Sucking air at 14k

The Summit Crater from the top of Columbia Crest 14,410 feet elevation.

We arrived at 08:30AM in warm weather.

A magnificent view, almost no wind and we didn't even use our down parkas ..

Down we go ..



Snowbridge at an angle, one of two 10-15 foot crevasses ..




Gibraltar Rock and our route up the Ingraham Direct. The ladder is in there, someplace.


Note the High Camp

Lenticular over Little Tahoma as we descend the DC

View over the Flats and 100 foot deep crevasses while descending the Disappointment Cleaver on fixed lines

Simonov

Yours truly

Mount Rainier



Grouse

Wohoo!
Fin.

Amazing Pictures! Looks like a lot of fun. Must be tough to get any sleep with 26 people in that shelter.

Congrats to the both of you! Cool pics.

Thanks guys!

hvydrt wrote: Must be tough to get any sleep with 26 people in that shelter.

Other than a couple of knuckleheads it wasn't too bad for me.

It got real busy after descending on Friday night with the weekend crowd gathering at Muir.
Another dozen 10th SFG guys crammed into the shelter after driving up from Colorado Springs to train.
People would come up to me asking if there was more room ..


Midweek was great, only a handful of climbers from all over the place.
Great folks and good stories.

Great pics brotha! I hope to go with you in two years time.

Got this one in high res?
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v101/ ... C05873.jpg

And cool deal hooking up with 1 SFG guys for the trip up.

TacoDelRio wrote:Great pics brotha! I hope to go with you in two years time.

Got this one in high res?

Thanks brother.
Wish you and zach would have come up too!
I'm GTG whenever you are ..

Hires

wow. awesome photos. must have been serene up there.

Sweet, now it's my wallpaper!

I'll be good to go when school is out, *and* I land a decent paying job. Then I'll be good to go.

Nice pics guys. Super sweet trip report.

I'm so jealous!! ARGH! What sublime conditions. Damn my school schedule. Next time, I go. No matter what.

Moar pics.

Nice work guys, and beautiful pictures!
I'm curious about simonov's vintage ice axe--is there a story behind that?

simonov wrote:Moar pics.

Nice pix Mitch!

Dave G wrote:Nice work guys, and beautiful pictures!
I'm curious about simonov's vintage ice axe--is there a story behind that?

My neighbor has been into winter mountaineering for decades and when he heard I was going to climb Mt Baldy the winter before last he dug the ice axe out of his garage and gave it to me. It's made by Camp and is at least 30 years old.

It's a cool ice axe and a real conversation-starter, but it's also heavy to pack and heavy to carry. I'll probably get a new, lighter ice axe this year and give the Camp ice axe back to my neighbor.

very cool stuff...thanks

Nice climb and awesome pics. Ideal conditions.

simonov wrote:My neighbor has been into winter mountaineering for decades and when he heard I was going to climb Mt Baldy the winter before last he dug the ice axe out of his garage and gave it to me. It's made by Camp and is at least 30 years old.

It's a cool ice axe and a real conversation-starter, but it's also heavy to pack and heavy to carry. I'll probably get a new, lighter ice axe this year and give the Camp ice axe back to my neighbor.

Give it to Taco. He don't even have shoelaces in his gear bag.

nice work great photos.

Awesome pics bro. Now I can't wait to go planning on going next year for my BDAY....

Wow! Now you get to live 10 years longer!! 8) Or you already have. . .

Good on 'ya.

Kim

There have been a couple other trip reports for Mt Rainier on this board.

Here is Fritz' from last June.

In August 2008, Patrick went to Camp Muir with some folks from the OCHBC. One thing that jumps out immediately for me is how many more climbers there are in August than in June. I suppose the weather conditions are more dependable in August, but the route to the summit is deteriorating by then.

In any event, it is clear that Fritz and I enjoyed the best of everything this year, conditions and weather.