Pro needed for disappointmen cleaver?

[keving]

Me and a guy want to do the dis. cleaver route on rainier. Is it necessary to bring pickets, deadmen, etc? I hope not cause I don't have any of that stuff. How about just an extra ice axe?

[dlofgren]

Necessary for what? Nothing like that is necessary to climb the DC. UNLESS you or your partner drop into a hole, or get into any other sort of trouble. Then yes, pickets are necessary. That's why you see climbers carrying them. However, most of those know how to use them.

Seems to me if you don't have'em, you probably have yet to learn what to do with them, in which case you might as well not carry them. In which case, Adams is a safer alternative until you get the training and equipment. Then more power to you; the DC will be a great climb for you.

[pete_a]

if you don't have snow pro, how would you rescue your partner if he went into a crevasse? it sounds like you are just a team of two, please read this recent thread on the challenges of two person team crevasse rescue:

http://www.cascadeclimbers.com/threadz/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/376980/page/1/view/collapsed/sb/5/o/all/fpart/1

 

if you're not completely prepared to handle that (which it kind of sounds like you aren't), I would strongly suggest a route such as Adams that doesn't require any roping up or travel around crevasses.

Yes, you will not be alone on the DC route, and odds are if you got into any trouble someone would be nearby to help bail you out...but depending on other parties to help you in a crevasse fall scenario is poor form to say the least.

 

An ice axe is not nearly as versatile as a picket when used as pro. Depending on the snow conditions you could trust a picket that is either deadmanned or pounded in vertically, but I would only trust an axe if it was used as a deadman, an axe set vertically and then loaded as your primarly anchor would likely rip right out of the snow.

[Harry_Pi]

Hello capitalist!

The odds of dropping into a crevasse this time of year are pretty much nil on the popular DC route. Only bring a picket if want to look cool and experienced.

Thank you fou allow fou to post.

[dlofgren]

Harry Pi is an optimist.

About five years ago AT THIS TIME OF YEAR I dropped waist-deep into a hole about 100 yards off the summit rim ON THE POPULAR DC ROUTE. Big surprise! Nuff said.

[Bill_Simpkins]

Yeah, I saw someone drop in a hidden slot this time of year about five feet from his tent at Camp Sherman.

Someone got swallowed up and rescued last week on the Inter Glacier in a still-hidden crevasse.

I would say it is a tad too early this season to go unroped.

I'd personally give it another 2 weeks to a month before going ropeless.

Then it's party time.

[Harry_Pi]

Harry Pi is an optimist.

About five years ago AT THIS TIME OF YEAR I dropped waist-deep into a hole about 100 yards off the summit rim ON THE POPULAR DC ROUTE. Big surprise! Nuff said.

Hello capitalist!

That was five year ago, this year is different. From what I understand, the glaciers on Rainier were a maze weeks ago, which lead me to believe that after much hot sun and low snow level, that falling into a crevasse this time of this year is almost impossible.

Thank you for allow imbecelic commie to post.

[dlofgren]

Harry - if you weren't giving a newbie such bad advice I'd stay silent.

 

Please read the following post about a young lady who fell 40 feet into a hole on the Inter Glacier. Not even on the upper part of the mountain!

[TR] Rainier- Emmons (long TR includes rescue) 7/25/2004 (You'll have to go to the Rainier section to view it; I don't know how to post the little icon thing here)

 

Looks like she accomplished the "almost impossible".

[Harry_Pi]

Hello capitalist!

No pro necessary for the DC route this time of this year. Of course climbing is all about odds anyway, right.

Thank you fou allow commie to post.

[Harry_Pi]

Hello capitalist!

Personally, I would bring picket and prussiks just for shits and grins.

Thank you for allow commie to post.

[catbirdseat]

I think what Harry means is that there are few HIDDEN crevasses on the DC. You can still slide into one if you fall, hence the pickets for running protection and the prusiks.

[dlofgren]

I think Harry is posting to be posting, offering nonsensical advice to troll for responses. My bad; I bit.

 

The problem is, a newbie might take him serious.

 

Shame on you, Harry. Go post in Spray where you're not going to hurt someone.

[Scourge]

Don't forget your sunblock, newbies. Just my 2 cents.