How long does it take to get down from Rainier?

[Eric Anderson]

I've seen the times it takes people climbing the Emmons route from various TRs but how long does it usually take to get down? If people start climbing on summit day around midnight, get there between 7 and 10, do they usually go all the way back down to the parking lot or camp one more night?

[bstach]

Exact time depends on conditions, your skill downclimbing and fitness level. But yes, most parties go all the way to the parking lot after summiting.

[counterfeitfake]

...because you can't wait to gtf off the mountain.

 

I was in pretty good shape, Rainier was my first high climb, I seem to recall leaving around midnight, summitting around 7am, getting back to Muir around 1pm, getting back to the cars around 5pm. The hike down from Muir was pretty brutal.

[sklag]

try the hike in and out success cleaver... with suncrusted snow, unconsolidated powder underneath... I was screaming gtmf out of here...

[genepires]

Like others have said, it depends. If the snow softens up, it can take quite a while to get back to camp at sherman. Especially with the fatigue and soft snow, sometimes we made it back to camp at 5pm. Those were some hard days. There was no way we were getting back to the car that day but our plans were to come back the following day anyway.

 

If you are a fit group and don't dawdle around too much, getting back to the car on summit day is a reality for most. You have to honestly evaluate your team fitness and decide if that is realistic. Also, the larger the group, the less the probability of getting down that day.

 

Give some thought to the idea of the merits of staying one more night after summit day.

-The "success" of summit day is not scarred by the death march of the return all the way to the car.

-You get to see one more sunrise and sunset.

-One more day away from the damn work, phone, TV, radio and other modern day inconvienences.

-You get one more chance to get nailed when the weather window shuts down.

-Another night of camping fees.

-Another day to meet good climbers.

-Descending the lower glaciers when they are frozen over and cooler temperatures for the hike out.

-Another night of freeze dried barf bag and another chokemeal breakfast.

-Maybe your boots and socks have dried out a bit.

 

even if your plan to hike out on summit day, have the supplies to stay another night in case things don't work out. All that it would add is a couple oatmeal packets and maybe a dehydrate meal. Not much weight. And a understanding of the situation for your boss and mate. (if you have them)