Hi Everyone!
First post. Noob would appreciate some gear advice for climbing Mt. Rainier. Plan to climb in Summer 2005.
I have tons of questions but I'll start with a few...I have a whole year to hound all the good people here.
1. What rope to use for Rainier. I will rope up with my wife. Searching here I learned that 2 is not the best way to go, but that's what we got. Also, some say 8.5 single is alright for glacier travel, others say 8.5mm should not be used single. Please advise on thickness, good brands etc.
2. What kind of carabiners and how many of each kind for each person in a party of two? Thickness, types, preferred models etc.
I'll leave it at this.
Oh, btw, I'm a Pakistani married to an American, and I live in the US. Went to Pakistan this summer with my spouse and we hiked up to Rakaposhi base camp, Nanga Parbat Base camp (Raikot bridge side), and Batura Glacier.
some pics here:
Rakaposhi, Batura Glacier, Nanga Parbat
For those interested in first ascents, the north side of Batura Peak along the massive Batura Ice Floe is still unclimbed (7785m, around 25,500ft)