Climb: Rainier-attempt on Fuhrer Finger

Date of Climb: 12/29/2004

Trip Report:
Expecting bad weather not earlier than Wednesday noon Aaron G. and I tried to run up the Fuhrer Finger. Left Paradise at 10.30 yesterday in perfect conditions; we hiked up the Nisqually glacier to 9500ft (4.30pm) where we dug a platform on 35 degree slope protected by a rock outcrop almost below the finger. The plan was to start climbing at 10pm under full moon and meet sunrise on the way down from the summit. Well, it did not work that way. It started snowing at about 8pm, by 9pm we could see cloud deck just a thousand feet above us lighted by the moon. So at 10pm we decided to abandon and started packing out under increasing snowfall and spindrift. Way down was simple - most of the time we followed our tracks. Heard a huge ice avalanche rambling down from Kautz ice cliff.
Few notes:
Nisqually glacier was in very good shape - we had zero problems navigating it.
All the way after descending to the glacier from Glacier Vista point we were postholing, sometimes few inches, sometimes knee deep.
Beckey says there is a good bivy site at 9500 near the finger - we did not find it. It's all steep snow slopes, rockfall debris and steep walls, so we had to dig a platform.

Anyway, it was a nice day on the mountain

Good effort guys. A whole new year of climbing ahead of us. Plenty of time left to make another winter try. As always, any pics?

Sounds like you guys made a good call by bailing when you did. I was up at Muir at about 1400 and it looked as if those staying on the mountain that eve were in for a rough night. How well can you see the approaching weather from down there?

I think sky view would be somewhat comparable to the one at Muir hut, may be even better.

Good effort!

Always good to play it safe on FF...especially in winter/spring with new snow or when avi is present. At least 4 climbers have died in the Finger over the years due to avi issues.

Old climbers get more routes done.