avnerma Posted May 14, 2008 Posted May 14, 2008 I am going up to Rainier on Friday Saturday this week. One of the standard routes from Muir is the plan. I am getting worried with the heat wave mainly because of likelihood of avalanches. I actually came across the link this out: http://www.nwac.us/products/SABSEA . They talk about general backcountry conditions in Washington and elevation 7K and below, so not quite what I, but steel, it's hard to imagine the mountain is not losing stability by the day. Any thoughts? thanks! Quote
pup_on_the_mountain Posted May 14, 2008 Posted May 14, 2008 I'm sorry, but I have to say that its always a gamble to make plans well in advance (and book your flight tickets) when it comes to climbing Rainier. Gauthier's blog has a word of caution about the warm spell and possibilities of avys in to this weekend (sort of echoing what NWAC has to say). If you were local, I would've said go somewhere else. Since you're flying in, I'll say go up to Muir and check out the conditions (and talk to the rangers). Start real early, and be off the mountain before it really warms up (so, get back to camp by 8 AM-ish, or even earlier). You can hope that at least the chances of getting caught in a whiteout will be lesser... Quote
mattp Posted May 14, 2008 Posted May 14, 2008 I'd go with Pup's advice. Look out for the Pan Point hill on the way from Paradise to Muir, and above there I'd be surprised to hear of an avalanche before 7:00 a.m. Don't completely ignore the hazard, though; this is the warmest weather in forever and it has been a long, cold, and funky winter-spring. Quote
KaskadskyjKozak Posted May 14, 2008 Posted May 14, 2008 I was planning on heading up the FF route this weekend myself, and the avy forecast has put me off. Fri is the worst day forecast for heat and should have some nasty avy conditions at worst and sloppy postholing at best. I may still make a run on Sat/Sun or Sun/Mon depending on the weather. I think Fri just looks like a bad idea. Then again, I am local, so I have the luxury of waiting... Quote
JayB Posted May 14, 2008 Posted May 14, 2008 Other folks may have different experiences, but most of the time when I've been out and about on Mt. Rainier, there's been a pretty healthy debris fan below the FF by the first week of June or so. I'd let that thing get the big flush out of the way before hitting it during a warm spell. Quote
KaskadskyjKozak Posted May 14, 2008 Posted May 14, 2008 Other folks may have different experiences, but most of the time when I've been out and about on Mt. Rainier, there's been a pretty healthy debris fan below the FF by the first week of June or so. I'd let that thing get the big flush out of the way before hitting it during a warm spell. the problem is weather in june sucks ass. Last year I was denied in june both weekends I set aside for FF. Quote
cms829 Posted May 14, 2008 Posted May 14, 2008 i hit great weather last year the 3rd weekend in June. aside from the wind anyway. headed back to do FF in a couple weeks. starting the 14th Quote
KaskadskyjKozak Posted May 14, 2008 Posted May 14, 2008 i hit great weather last year the 3rd weekend in June. aside from the wind anyway. headed back to do FF in a couple weeks. starting the 14th hmm. I recall that weekend sucking last weekend in the forecast. we climbed SilverStar instead as a consolation prize, and the weather sucked the whole way driving up (Sat). Last year Memorial Day weekend would have been awesome. Oh well, 3-4 more weekends left... Quote
avnerma Posted May 15, 2008 Author Posted May 15, 2008 we decided to go for it. that is speak with the rangers at paradise and get some TR perhaps. then at muir talk with whoever will be there. if guided teams are heading we may decided that's good enough for us. if not - we will not risk it. thanks for all the comments Quote
dreimer Posted May 15, 2008 Posted May 15, 2008 I'm going at least to Muir Friday morning. I'm not ready to summit quite yet. I hope the extra warm weather holds off most of today, so tomorrow is perfect. Quote
avnerma Posted May 21, 2008 Author Posted May 21, 2008 a quick update. we made the summit on saturday May 17. the warmest day probably. the climb was un eventful. left 1:30AM and made the summit 7:15AM. The snow was very soft on the way down, but was perfect on the way up. the bottom part of the DC seemsed like it could avalanche quite easily (but I am far from being an avalanche expert) so we crossed what seemd to be the exposed part really fast (that was laready at 9:30AM with the sun baking the slope). Oh, one more thing: I somehow managed to lose my camera (small Pannasonic lenox color silver) near camp muir. It had a black case, and holds a dzen or so pics of the climb... If you happen to find it please bring it back to the ranger at camp muir or paradise. Thanks Quote
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