Kautz route

[Abucks17]

I was wondering if anyone had any info on this route like times from trailhead to high camp, or any other information one may find important from previous climbs. Also I will be up there on 6/3 anyone else going to be on the route for that week?

[bgratias]

When I climbed it, we took about 5 hours to reach camp below Camp Hazard. It took about an hour longer than our trips to Muir. It was pretty late in the season though, I believe there is an early season variation that may be shorter.

 

It took us around 9 hours to summit, which would be about 2 hours longer than the DC route if that serves as a reference. The ice steps and crevasses are probably less complicated now than when we climbed in late August.

 

Our team wasn't in particularly great shape, so you may be able to do it faster. Have fun!

[cms829]

abucks...we'll be on the fuhrer finger 6/15. So any approach beta would be really appreciated by our group. Last season we got pushed back due to extremely unstable snow conditions on the wilson. After I had to bandage up a split boarder after he got caught in an avalanche, we called it a day and went up the DC.

 

But with that said, we stayed on the nisqually and got onto the wilson well above the fan as there seemed to be a lot of rock fall and def higher avy danger in there. This year i'll be avoiding the fan as well.

Edited May 26, 2010 by cms829

[rocketparrotlet]

Should I do this route in two days or three? I might be going with my dad as a carryover, down the DC.

 

My dad is afraid of this route- he doesn't have any ice climbing experience (I have some, enough to confidently lead the ice steps). I told him that terrain hazards would not be as high in earlier season.

 

We both have glacier travel experience and we both know crevasse rescue and rope management. Would this be a safe alternative to the crowds of the DC? I'd like to take a unique route up Rainier because I want to experience the serenity and beauty of less-traveled routes.

 

-Mark

[Mr. Sam]

This is definitely a good route instead of the DC. Though it can have some relatively steep ice, it is not too bad. We climbed it last year when both pitches were fully water ice and none of us had ice climbed before. A few ice screws protected each pitch; though a second tool helped, it wasn't necessary. I did the second, more difficult pitch with only a mountaineering axe.

 

It's a great route; one I'd definitely keep going back to.

[ScaredSilly]

The Kautz can be a cruise or a slog all depending on snow conditions. We took our time and did it over three days in mid July. Seems like we took five hours to get to a camp at around 8k-9k and then slept in before walking up to Hazard in may be three hours. Not super fast but we got up the next morning left Hazard around 6am, post holed through some sun cups and made the summit around noon including a side trip over to Point Success. We carried over, went down the DC and were back at Paradise by 6pm.

 

Mark - take three days and make it fun. Late afternoon going across the Nisqually is fine the slopes heading up towards the Turtle may be a bit soggy but you are not on them for long. The nice part is that you get a long rest the next day at Hazard which is great for acclimating making the summit day nicer. The infamous ice step is quite moderate for the person who is comfortable with 45 degree glacier ice. We did it with a single 60 cm ice axe. Early season like it will be for a while the step will be snow covered.

 

[Abucks17]

Thanks for all the info guys. Hopefully the weather will hold out and make for a great climb.

 

I will get a TR together quickly after the climb and update the conditions for those of you that will be up in the weeks following my climb.

 

One more thing, should I bring snowshoes for the approach or is it generally melted out enough?

[rpawle]

two friends and I are planning to do the kautz on june 5, but we'll be taking our time so I doubt we'll meet up.

[Jim]

Thanks for all the info guys. Hopefully the weather will hold out and make for a great climb.

 

I will get a TR together quickly after the climb and update the conditions for those of you that will be up in the weeks following my climb.

 

One more thing, should I bring snowshoes for the approach or is it generally melted out enough?

 

Leave 'em at home.

[cms829]

thanks abucks....good luck and i look forward to your TR. have fun

[Abucks17]

two friends and I are planning to do the kautz on june 5, but we'll be taking our time so I doubt we'll meet up.

 

We are going up on the 3rd and taking our time, we may run into you guys, i don't think we are going for a sprint up the mountain.

 

And Jim, that is what i wanted to hear. We used snowshoes this time last year on baker and it sucked

[saxybrian]

You may want to think about floatation as it just dropped like 2 feet of snow over the past 2 days from what I'm reading on NWAC for paradise.