[TR] Mt Rainier- Emmons glacier 6/15/2005

[genepires]

Climb: Mt Rainier-Emmons glacier

 

Date of Climb: 6/15/2005

 

Trip Report:

Went up to rainier last week. Conditions on the mountain are cold and excellant.

 

Conditions:

The trail is snow free to past the glacier basin campground and till about the sma elevation as the start of the inter glacier if you stay in the trail. The snow near the creek is melting out fast and getting thin enough to hear the roar of the creek underneath.

 

 

The ranger climbing report mentions needing snowshoes for the inter glacier and it would be helpfull but not worth the weight. We had shin and knee deep postholing the whole way to camp sherman. Getting down to the emmons is 90% snow covered.

When we got to Sherman, it was deserted except for David the ranger and he was busting out soon. There was lots of snow walled camping spots which is an indication of what life has been like up there. We proceeded to move up the emmons flats for some unknown reason.

Got another uncivilized wakeup call of 11:30pm for a alpine start of 1:20am. (this is a guided trip BTW) Great crampon neve to the summit. Lots of snow cover and a fairly straight line up the glacier. Up to the corridor then when at the top of that, trend right to another straight shot up to the schrund. Pass it on the right and up to the crater. There was many wands already left behind from the corridor to near the top. About four cracks are poking through and might involve bypassing by next weekend. But my guess is that for the next month, it should still be in excellant shape. One could also go straight up from the corridor to the summit as well but there is a boot pack the way I mentioned.

One bit of beta for anyone going up there soon. Expect some extreme (for cascades) cold temps and wind. Everyone had semi frozen water bottles on the summit. I have only done rainier in the summertime, but this was very winter like.

 

 

]http://www.cascadeclimbers.com/plab/data/503/925IMG_2919-med.jpg' alt='925IMG_2919-med.jpg'>]http://www.cascadeclimbers.com/plab/data/503/925IMG_2930-med.jpg' alt='925IMG_2930-med.jpg'>]http://www.cascadeclimbers.com/plab/data/503/925IMG_2932-med.jpg' alt='925IMG_2932-med.jpg'>]http://www.cascadeclimbers.com/plab/data/503/925IMG_2936-med.jpg' alt='925IMG_2936-med.jpg'>]http://www.cascadeclimbers.com/plab/data/503/925IMG_2935-med.jpg' alt='925IMG_2935-med.jpg'>

 

Gear Notes:

regular glacier gear.

 

Approach Notes:

snow free till inter glacier area, then knee deep stuff till sherman, then firm snow to the top.

[genepires]

alright, how the heck does one add pictures? My pictures were in gallery.

[iain]

Would it still be a fun ski?

 

You need to enclose your images with , and you only need one set around each image link. I was going to post them for you, but the images in the gallery are huge.

[iain]

Now I see you were just linking the thumbnails:

 

 

 

 

 

[Divot]

Good TR, thanks....

[tubby12]

We went up Emmons Glacier Memorial Day weekend camping at Sherman, and building one of the walled communities. The snow conditions were a little firmer at the time, but the climb went similar to your description, including frozen water bottles!

 

Nice photos though, you must have enjoyed being above the clouds.

[thelawgoddess]

[layton]

Way to guide the gnar Gene!!!!

 

btw, for folks that don't know, Gene is the baddest motherfucker on this site.

[genepires]

You are too kind Mike. I wish I climbed half of the stuff you do. Maybe I should get a non summer job.

 

Rainier is kinda "gnar" for a guiding gig. Lots of work but I have to give big congrats to all my "peeps" on that trip. They sucked it up real good and kept the momentum, even when we were all freezin our kiesters off and tired. One of them lives here in seattle and works at the childrens hospital. She dug deep to get to the top.

 

They all deserve a good beer

 

gene