[TR] Rainier- Kautz Gl 5/28/2005 - 5/30/2005

[JBC]

Climb: Rainier-Kautz Glacier attempt

 

Date of Climb: 5/30/2005

 

Trip Report:

Myself, my daughter Rachel, and her boyfriend Josh headed out from Paradise to do the Kautz Glacier route. For Rachel and Josh it would be their first time up Rainier. Unlike the weather down below, we had clear skies and LOTS of sun the whole weekend up on Rainier. The cloud deck remained below 7000' for the whole weekend so we were above the clouds. Unfortunately the sun and high freezing level (11000-12000') made for tough climbing conditions. Snow was heavy and soft, and we spent a lot of time post-holing our way up.

 

On Saturday we had sun and high temps the whole way up. Our party checked out and left paradise about 10am We crossed the Nisqually, placing wands in case of clouds/whiteout on our return. At the base of the Nisqually Chute (“Fan”) we unroped and donned helmets. The chute has already melted a fair amount, and there is a lot of loose rock. Another party caught up to us at the base of the chute and both parties moved up together in order to avoid decking anyone with loose rock. AT the top we let the other party pass as we roped up and continued. Trudged up to the cleaver and moved up the soft snow, finally called it a day about 4pm at 8000' where we set up camp.

 

Sunday was a relatively 'light day, moving camp up to 10,000' This still involved 4 hours of heavy going. Both nights on the mountain were warm and the snow was not really consolidating very well, making for tough going during the day. In light of the warm temps and soft snow I decided we would need to start early in order to summit and get back through the steep portion of the Katz Glacier. I did not want to come down the Kautz Chute on warm, wet, and hazardous snow.

 

We awoke Monday at 1am and departed camp a bit after 2. The sky was clear, and there was virtually no wind. I don't recall ever having climbed Rainier without a least some wind. The snow had consolidated and frozen somewhat overnight so we were able to use crampons and move faster than the previous days. Conditions in the morning were definitely better, mostly good cramponing on neve snow, with some sections of breakable crust. Unfortunately our exertions of the previous two days was beginning to tell. We moved on up the cleaver, around, and through the avalanche debris from the ice cliff above Camp Hazard. A bit before 4am at Camp Hazard (11,000') we held a quick and hasty conference. (Hazard is not a place to hang around being directly beneath the large and treacherous ice cliff!) Based on our pace to that point it was looking like reaching the summit and getting down early enough was looking pretty slim so we decided to descend. back to camp. I was not looking forward to bringing two relative novices down the Kautz chute in soft, avalanche prone slop!

 

Upon arriving back at camp we slept until about 8am or so then packed up and headed down. On the way down we saw evidence of a number of wet snow avalanches, and had to cross a couple of avalanche paths above the Nisqually chute. Once we had descended the chute we arrived in the clouds. We roped up and crossed the Nisqually Glacier in thick cloud cover. We crossed the glacier navigating via the boot-track following the wands I had placed coming up Saturday. My daughter Rachel fell into a 'baby' crevasse on the way back. (Not as impressive or scary as it sounds, she only went in a bit above her knee. A number of small crevassed had opend up on the Nisqually since we went up on Saturday. We continued across, up the moraine and arrived safely at Paradise a bit before 3pm.

 

So, not summit, but all home safe and sound. Sometimes when you turn back early you wonder if you did the right thing or if you could have pulled it off if you tried a bit harder. This time there was no doubt, having two novices for partners, and seeing the conditions later in the day on our descent from camp there was no question we had made the right decision. In the words of Ed Viesturs "The primary goal, of course, when you go on one of these climbs is to make sure that you get back home — getting to the summit is optional."

 

 

Gear Notes:

4 screws (unused)

3 pickets (unused)

2 shovesl

Avy beacons

100 wands (30 or so used)

 

Approach Notes:

Snow is melting out pretty fast Mostly trail to the Nisqually Glacier (6000') What snow is there was soft, wet and heavy.

[pup_on_the_mountain]

I think you made the right decision Jim. There is nothing wrong in turning back - especially on a mountain like

Rainier. The mountain will be there and you can always come back.

[passward]

We were the party that hiked the chute with you guys on our way to Fuhrer Finger. We punted too after that wind early Sunday. We were a bit surprised by the continuing wet slides Sunday afternoon - we expected more consolidation after the hot week.

Edited June 1, 2005 by passward

[JBC]

I think you made the right decision Jim. There is nothing wrong in turning back - especially on a mountain like

Rainier. The mountain will be there and you can always come back.

 

Yeah, it is certainly not the first time I have turned back on Rainier. Out of about 10 summits I think I have turned back nearly as many times for various reasons. It has always been there waiting again later!

[JBC]

We were the party that hiked the chute with you guys on our way to Fuhrer Finger. We punted too after that wind early Sunday. We were a bit surprised by the continuing wet slides Sunday afternoon - we expected more consolidation after the hot week.

 

Yeah Sunday was windy! Monday was still as could bethough. The problem with the hot week is that the freezing level stayed high as well (above 11,000'), so no chance for anything to really consolidate. A lot of stuff slid off though!