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[TR] Mt. Rainier National Park - Disappointment Cleaver-1st time up at 14,410 feet 7/11/2014


Dchromey

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Trip: Mt. Rainier National Park - Disappointment Cleaver-1st time up at 14,410 feet

 

Date: 7/11/2014

 

Trip Report:

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I apologize if this is a month later than the exact climb. College prep has taken over my life. Seeing as society has pushed me back into the crowd. My fun and games is about to be over. I assure you I will be back up on the summit. I got a couple years (2-3) to get my geology degree and then be back in the mountains. ill be living up in Bellingham during the summer but i hope to come down south and get some climbing in for a short period of time. I always have Baker to play with.

For me going with my friends and summiting Rainier is an accomplishment. I'm sure i would get bashed for going up the DC but hey i wanted to get my toes wet before i jump in.

give me your comments of course and opinions but be courteous as you were brought up to be.

One thing that always gets me before a climb is the mental part. Will I make it? Am I doing the right thing? My parents and friends..never got to say good bye to them. A girl i am interested in? never got to tell her my feelings. What if? I put in my music and float away to Rainier.

Leaving the trailhead around 7:00, my pack is loaded and i feel weak already. i try not to think about it and let the music carry me away. Above Pan Point me and the team shuffle the tent and shovel around to other members of my team. I say thanks but words only go so far. I thanked them again as much as i could.

Up the snowfield and onto the Cowlitz Glacier to set up camp. 4 members..2 tents. Nice and warm at Muir.

Went to bed around 6. Im a heavy sleeper so i knocked out. we were going to wake up around 10 but the people next to us just never went to sleep so we were up around 9:30. Left at 11:00 with no crampons on. Got to the flats. The moon was out..no wind..little cool but still great. Put crampons on and kept on climbing. Took a break in the middle of the DC while the guides flew up in front of us. Another break atop the DC (12,300). Found a mouse just scurrying along the rocks! Put on my down jacket and we kept on climbing. there were about 2-3 crevasses to step over or manage before high break.

Stopped at high break to see the sunrise. It was beautiful. Climbing on we were on that long traverse that took a long time. the last turn to the rim was slow for us. Just a lot of breathing. No headaches or AS just lots of breathing.

It felt good to see rocks and step into the crater. I shed a tear when i sat down in the crater. Totally forgot about the steam caves. i was so tired after i signed the register i fell asleep on it :sleep:

We climbed to the summit and then cheered with whatever energy we had! i loved it up there and i will definitely be up there again. I had to use the bathroom (#1) but my harness was all good and tied so i did not want to mess with it :noway:

coming down was good because we had that nice cloud cover. We took our time and strolled into Muir as one of the last teams to arrive. We enjoyed it not having a time schedule on our hands.

Rested at muir for an hour then packed up and ran down back to Paradise in about 1:34. Fastest time ever coming down with a big pack.

I loved it up there. The hardship, the toils and tribulations. It was fun and I'm definitely down to go back up. Kautz? Emmons? next year I'm hoping. Gib Rocks winter/spring? school and climbing just is really hard to mesh.

hope you enjoyed my story. ask questions and i hope the pictures show up

 

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Heading up the snowfield..shes got a cap on

 

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zoomed in view of all the rock that has been coming off of the cleaver

 

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Home for the night

 

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chance of t-storms so we didn't get permits at the flats

 

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looking northwest and up towards Gibraltar Rock

 

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Cathedral Rocks

 

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Busy campsite

 

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Sunrise at High break (13,500)

 

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looking down at the very "Little Tahoma"

 

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Love this photo! Point Success and the moon almost aligned

 

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almost to the end of the big crevasse then one last turn to the rim

 

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Look who i found? Justin Merle of IMG. I saw him at Muir last July

 

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The trench is ready for warfare

 

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Loved this one lots of steam but barely no smell of Sulfur

 

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Looking north towards Liberty Cap

 

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Summit!

 

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Glad to see him back up here. He summitted 9 times!

 

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Back down at the top of the DC looking back up at our route

 

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Looking south to Gibraltar Rock. The guide services still have the ladder on the rocks ;)

 

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Looking back up the DC

 

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Gibraltar Rock was letting off some rock and water

 

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The north side of Cathedral Rocks

 

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she still looks small:)

 

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Checking out the flats and crevasses

 

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Pictures don't do justice. Sit of the worst mountaineering accident in North America

 

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I had to

 

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looking back up at the route. good weather coming down. no wind but clouds

 

 

Hope you liked the pictures and post. Enjoy it and ill see you on the mountain.

Cheers!

 

Gear Notes:

Alpine/crevasse rescue

 

Approach Notes:

Follow the boot pack to Muir and the Flats and to the top of the DC. from there it is wander but do not always trust a fellow boot print around crevasses. Use your knowledge

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