[TR] Mount Rainier - Disappointment Cleaver 08/16/2022

[KaskadskyjKozak]

Trip: Mount Rainier - Disappointment Cleaver

Trip Date: 08/16/2022

Team:  @Stefan B @Thomas G @KaskadskyjKozak

Trip Report:

 

It goes without saying that Rainier is a rite of passage for many alpinists in the PNW.  I myself attempted the Emmons route in 2004 with the Mounties, when I first got into climbing, and got AMS at 12500' and turned around.  I headed back to the Emmons the next year (private party of 4) and bagged it.  I returned a couple more times (2008, Fuhrer Finger, turned around at 13000+, 2011, summitted via the Kautz in late season conditions).  Soon after I had moved on to bigger, better, and well, just different objectives and priorities.  I vowed I'd only go back to Rainier to climb Liberty Ridge or the Tahoma Glacier routes, or maybe do a spring jaunt up the Gib Ledges.  None of those ever transpired.  It seemed every year they never worked out for one reason or another.  The years flew by and I ticked off a long list of other peaks.

My son had been itching for his own Rainier experience.  Last year we went up the S spur of Adams - a good altitude trial.  He crushed it. This year, I said I'd climb Rainier with him, but only if we could get up the Tahoma glacier.  Once again the weather did not cooperate in June.  And soon enough, the window had passed.  Then my conscience kicked in.  Who was it that had stuck with me for thick and thin, year after year, one shitty Bulger choss pile after another?  Who suffered in the heat, smoke, wasp-infested bushwhack approaches, year after year?  So, before my son had to leave for school, transferring to Boulder, CO, I committed.  And fuck it, why not make it fun and relaxing.  I pulled in a third, and planned a day off work and we set the date for a three day ascent via the good ole DC (which I had never climbed, but had descended back in September 2011 after climbing the Kautz).  We had a perfect weather window, and conditions were reportedly still excellent on the route.

We arrived noon-ish, with the multitude of tour-ons and a full parking lot at Paradise on 8/14.  I dropped off my son and partner at the ranger station, then drove around and found a spot in the overnight lot and we registered for the climb.  The ranger didn't seem thrilled about us for some reason, until I filled out my prior experience on Rainier.  Then her mood changed ("nice" was what she said).  We headed up around 1 and found a flattish spot at about 9000' on the Muir snow field in a few hours.

 

We slept in and hiked to Muir early-ish (well after sunrise).  I felt a bit nauseas and lethargic for the first hour or so, but perked up with a second wind at Muir.  We continued on to Ingraham Flats, arriving mid-day.  There was one other independent party at Ingraham from the East Coast who had made several annual attempts on Rainier  with no success.  The rest of the people there were guides and clients.

We crashed early (6 pm) and set alarms for 1 am.  However i woke up at 12:15 hearing the crunch crunch of the first party from Muir and the stoves from our neighbors.  Time to roll, motherfuckers!  I woke up my son and other partner, and we determined to get a move on.  We were boots on the trail, roped up just after 1:30.  The conditions were mild until the top of the DC, where it got windy and cold, but tolerable.  The route was in good shape, with an obvious trail, and only a little sketchiness.  Higher up (13000 and up) it got progressively colder and windier.  It was in this area where we navigated some crevasses and used two ladders set by the guides, protected by pickets. 

As the slope mellowed, the sun came out, and the guided party in front of us stopped twice in a short amount of time for breaks, once for photos.  I cursed them loudly and repeatedly, as well as the cold fucking wind, with half my face freezing from the prevailing wind.  Overhead by a guide, he radio'd the party to step off the trail, and we passed on by.  Moving faster, I got warm quickly and we soon were at the crater rim.  My son and friend wanted a rest stop so we unroped and I continued ahead for the summit.  They joined me within a few minutes.  It was 6:40 am.  We took pics, then dropped to the register and split a bottle of Rainier that my son had carried.  I had more than my 1/3 share.  It was so fucking refreshing.

After copious time on the summit we knew it was time to go.  The descent was smooth and without incident or problems.  We got some cool shots of the crevasses, ladders, and views.

My old body started to feel it after we got to camp Muir and I slowed down.  I knew I'd be sore the next day, but it was more than worth it.  What a way to end a season and send my son off to school!

Gear Notes:
Standard glacier travel gear

Approach Notes:
Mostly snow free until Pebble Creek

Edited March 1, 2023 by KaskadskyjKozak
Proof read. Move photos around.

[olyclimber]

that view down to little tahoma never gets old

[KaskadskyjKozak]

8 minutes ago, olyclimber said:

that view down to little tahoma never gets old

I know, right?  and it looks so tiny, but it takes more than a little effort to get up it as well