Mount Rainier Summits This Weekend!!!

[brian_m]

I just got home from Rainier this weekend and it appears there were 2 soloists that summitted and possibly a party of 2 that I last saw at ~13,000ft. The soloists got Gib Ledges and the Direct route. I am not sure what route the party of 2 took from Muir but we saw them above Gib Rock. Snow conditions on the mountain were great today (sunday) but the wind was very strong. Many summit attempts were turned around or never even got out of camp due to the winds. One party in Muir broke 2 tent poles Sat. night in the wind. On a positive note... big thanks to the Park Service for the excellent renovation on the public shelter at Muir. Lots more light and the bunks are much more inviting than before! Thanks to MRNP for the update to the 90 year old shelter.

[Pochi]

I am the solo climber on Gib ledges. There is one more solo climber from Gib ledges. The other 2 are from Oregon. They were climbing on Ingraham Direct. I came back on ID route snow was power. They were kicking steps pretty hard. I dodn't know they made it or not. When I cam back from summit around 11am they were still 13000ft?

Great weekend for Rainier climb.

[brian_m]

Congratulations Pochi!!! You're right, it was a great weekend for Rainier. Sounds like you are the 3rd summit of 2006.

[Pochi]

I put my name on the summit book this time.

[MountaingirlBC]

awesome! Can't wait to get up there. Any pics?

[Pochi]

Here is my short trip report.

Saturday

Left my car at 9:30am met 2 climbers from Oregon who were gotin to climbing Ingraham Direct.

I took my snowshoes, but never wore them. The trail was packed all the way to Muir rather icy in the morning getting up to Pan point.

Got to Muir 12:30pm. Enjoyed nice weather, talked a lot of people. There were 6 people in the hut. The other solo climber, me, 2 from Oregon, and the other 2 were just there.

It was windy all night because I could hear from inside of the hut.

 

Sunday

Every one got up 2am. I was ready to be out of the door around 3am.

It was warmer than what I expected. No climbing with a down jacket. The wind died down a bit but had some gusts. The steps were made up to Beehive, from there I was kicking steps very soft powdery snow up to just below the notch(Camp Miserly?) I was sweating from kicking steps. The other soloist caught me around 11,000ft so I let him kicking steps.

The ledges has some steps. The snow on ledges were very soft rather sugerly snow. About the half way, the steps went down the slope rather than staying close to the Gib Rocks. But that is a totally wrong way. I don't know who made that steps, but if people follow that, it'll be a big trouble. Gib chute to 12,600ft was perfect condition you can ever ask for. It's not too soft, it's not too icy.

From 12,600ft to Summit the snow condition was perfect again. There were a few crevasses to negotiate, but it is not too bad. The crater was nice and not too much windy. The other solo climber and I went to the true summit, and put our name on the summit book. He skied down from summit through Gib Chute(Crazy). I descended on Ingaraham Direct. ID has horrible snow condition to climb up. Coming back on the route was sweet. I was punch stepping down on power snow without bulging snow my crampons. But climbing would be an ass kicking. The Oregon team was still climbing when I came back from summit around 11am at 13,000ft.

I don't know they made it or not. I hope they did.

[ridgeline]

Pochi Nice job.

Did you attach photos? I can not seem to download them...

[CascadeClimber]

awesome! Can't wait to get up there. Any pics?

 

I'll have a TR up in a day or so, but here are two pics, both from the top of Gibraltar Rock:

 

Looking down at the team of two in the Ingraham

 

Looking up at the upper mountain

 

The ID team joined the red line along the lip, just out of frame to the right.

 

L

[Pochi]

Thank you for posting pictures. I just could not figure out how. Thank you again for taking pictures of me on the summit. It was great time.

[AllYouCanEat]

Way to ski Gib Chutes Loren. I was so close to heading up rainier, but decided on Logan instead. It looks like you had a great day.

[DirtyHarry]

Yeah, saw those pics on TAY. Fuckin sweet. Nice work.

[Mike_Gauthier]

Some of the "summiteers" sent me a few notes and images. I've added that information here...

[Mike_Gauthier]

On a positive note... big thanks to the Park Service for the excellent renovation on the public shelter at Muir. Lots more light and the bunks are much more inviting than before! Thanks to MRNP for the update to the 90 year old shelter.

 

Thanks for noticing!

[Reinhart]

The two Portland climbers doing the ID did make the summit and yes it was an ass-kicker post-holing our way up the Ingraham Glacier. Credit has to be given to my climbing partner Greg Nourse for kicking in every step. I was just along for the ride.

 

Pochi - Thanks for leaving us the nice note on the car and for the picture of us on the route. Now I know just how far behind you we really were.

[ridgeline]

I plan on doing Gib Ledges in a couple of weeks and have never been on this route…

 

Can anyone offer any beta or close up pics specific to the ledge traverse?

 

It’s difficult to discern a ledge system from the pics I’ve seen. Some TRs seem to imply it is a sketchy traverse while others sound like it’s rather straight forward.

I assume a party of 2 should go un-roped through the section? Or are there opportunities for rock pro?

 

Any info is appreciated…thanks

Edited April 26, 2006 by ridgeline

[catbirdseat]

No rock pro where you need it. It's pretty straightforward except for one short sketchy spot.

 

Go through there early before missiles start dropping off Gibraltar Rock.

[Kraken]

yeah man, it's a great route, the first one i did on rainier. We didn't place any protection but there were a few points where I did a non chalant belay around a rock through a sketchy point.

 

CBS is right about the rocks...there were a few baseball to basketball sized rocks that came screaming down past us...one baseball sized rock fell inbetween my partner and I , and we were off before it was even that late in the day.

 

Good luck, it's a great route.