Chris Keefe Posted July 3, 2015 Posted July 3, 2015 Trip: Mount Rainier - Emmons Glacier Date: 7/1/2015 Trip Report: Timeline 6/29 TH to Glacier Basin – 3.2 mi, 4320-5900 6/30 GB to Camp Schurman ~3 mi, 5900-9440 7/1 CS to Summit to CS to TH ~3 mi, 9440-14411 Summit day: Leave CS 0030 Summit 0630 Leave summit 0645 Arrive CS 1045 Leave CS 1505 Arrive TH 1930 Snow Conditions on 7/1 (0030-0500): Snow firm, with one short section (150 yards?) of brittle icy crust (0500-0830): Snow beginning to soften, but still quite firm (0830-1000): Snow pack firm under a softening layer of corn (2-4 inches) (1000-etc): Corn layer continues to penetrate deeper. Crampons no longer beneficial. One major glacial settlement event noted around 1200 hours. Weather/Other Conditions Hot and clear for the duration. Solar stills very effective at CS, melting 1-1.5 liters/hour. Heli drop at 1630 blew a little silt in. Tents on rock at CS were unlivably hot from ~1000-2000. South-facing tents may have been cooler b/c more breeze. Some biting flies at GB, but not too bad. Rodents very active there. Food storage at both GB and CS is in shared black screw-top bins. Bring a stuff-sack you can put your food in. At GB, they're located on a side-trail on climber's right near the end of camp. At CS, the bin is on skiers left of the ranger station, on the way to the bathroom. Glacier Conditions: Though unseasonably exposed, the Inter Glacier is still very mild. Crevasses are few, far between, and easily avoided. We roped up midway on the climb, and went unroped on the glissade out. Keep your eyes open if you choose to go unroped, as some new cracks appear to be forming in/near the second half of the ascent route. The Emmons is very exposed but still quite passable. There are tons of gapers, 3-5 hairy crossings, and many small cracks to end-run, cross on bridges, or hop. The short step between the Inter and Camp Schurman is getting a little tricky, especially where the glacier approaches the ridge. Route-finding: The constant parade of guided groups makes for an easy path to the summit. The only significant route-finding question we ran into was the bergschrund crossing. Our party had no experience on the Emmons, and with many people talking about "traversing far right toward the saddle”, the long boot track out over the saddle was intriguing. It became clear pretty quickly, that the main trail up a steep step was much more direct than the low traverse to the saddle proper, which another party was using to access a sub-summit. Take the high road if conditions allow safe travel there. Gear Notes: Snow conditions were beautifully firm on our summit day, and we wore crampons round-trip. The decision to start around midnight, and the steady pace we kept, paid off in getting us off the glacier before it got soft. Heat on the descent and cold for a few minutes at the summit, were the only significant comfort issues. I run hot, and was able to do the climb in relative comfort in a nylon buttondown tee, a thin softshell (top and bottom), liner gloves and a buff. A hardshell or puff was helpful at stops over 7 minutes. With more wind, precip, or an injury/delay, it would have gotten very cold, fast. Carry enough warm gear to keep you safe if things don't go according to plans. I drank 3.5 liters on the summit climb, and appreciated every drop. Other party members drank 1.5-2 and did alright too. Approach Notes: Camp Schurman was booked solid on Monday night. The overnight at GB was a welcome surprise, and made for a nice 3-day trip. Things quieted down at Schurman on Tuesday night and Wednesday. The morainal debris between GB and the toe of the Inter is very slick in some places, and very loose in others, making for treacherous walking. The fourth member of our party was forced to turn back after re-spraining an ankle crossing the runoff channels just before the toe. Hope you're feeling better, Jon! Members of my party drank untreated water from the many creeks between GB and the Inter, with no digestive issues reported so far. Caveat emptor. Quote
ScaredSilly Posted July 4, 2015 Posted July 4, 2015 That boot track to/from saddle could well have come climbers coming off Liberty Cap. Many skip the main summit and head down the Emmons. Quote
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