Summited July 10, 2004, July 31, 2012 and July 8, 2015.
Washington State, US: Mt. Rainier (14,411’/4392)
I have summited Rainier three times, in 2004, 2012, and 2015, summiting through different routes.
Overview
The National Park Service (NPS) has stopped publishing detailed statistics for Rainer, so this is the latest available.
Mount Rainier National Park was established in 1899 and has around 1.8 million visitors yearly, including about 10,000 climbers. Rainier is the tallest US volcano, last erupted between 1820 and 1894. The summit crater is over 1,000 feet wide, and there are three summits, the highest being Columbia Crest, at 14,411 feet.
It has over 35 square miles of snow and ice, including 26 major glaciers. The Emmons Glacier is the largest at 4.3 square miles, and the Carbon Glacier is the longest at 5.7 miles and thickest at 700 feet, reaching as low as 3,500 feet. However, with climate change, the glaciers are thinning.
Like most mountains near oceans, Rainier’s most significant issue is the weather. The primary park town of Paradise receives 126 inches of rain annually. It claims to be the snowiest place on earth where snowfall is measured regularly, receiving 93 feet of snow in the winter of 1971/72. Climbers regularly get stormed out by Pacific fronts that dump rain and snow year-round, making a summit of Rainier special any time of the year.
I think a Mt. Rainier climb is one of the best investments for anyone aspiring to climb higher and more difficult mountains. With easy access, ample guide services, climbing and classes, or going with qualified friends, it can be both a learning and a climbing experience of a lifetime.
Climbing
A detailed look at the statistics provided by the NPS reveals some interesting insights. Over the past 10 years, roughly 10,000 to 11,000 climbers attempted the summit annually, about half reaching it. In 2017, 5,477 out of 11,444 summited Rainier by all routes, or 48%. Sadly, several deaths occur each year.
As you would expect, the prime climbing time is the summer, especially around early June, with 300 to 500 climbers per week, peaking at the end of July with 800 climbers on the mountain each week and dropping off dramatically by late September back to several hundred. While Rainier is climbing year-round, you could be alone from November to May – not a good idea!
Routes
Mount Rainier offers over 60 climbing routes ranging from moderate to world-class. All require proper training, skills and gear. Of all the routes, four dominate the mountain by a huge margin:
Rainier 2011 – 2019 Route Statssources: The National Park Service stopped collecting summit stats in 2019sources: National Park Service, www.stephabegg.com | |||
ROUTE | Total Summits since 2011-2016 | % of Traffic | Range of Summit Success |
Disappointment Cleaver | 45,925 | 72% | 48% – 59% |
Emmons‐Winthrop | 9,506 | 15% | 51% – 59% |
Kautz Glacier | 2,752 | 4% | 44% – 62% |
Ingraham Direct | 1,154 | 2% | 7% – 26% |
others | 5,544 | 7% | |
TOTAL | 63,881 | 100% | 48% |
Guides
In 2016, the three guide companies took 5,110 climbers – 1,841 guides and 3,269 clients. In the same year, there were 10,975 climbers; thus, 7,706 were independent or 70%. Three companies are authorized to guide on the volcano: Alpine Ascents (AAI), International Mountain Guides (IMG) and Rainier Mountaineering (RMI). RMI has a legacy since 1969 and guided over 2,877 people in 2016, comprised of 770 guides and 2,107 clients.
Also, for 2016, the other two guide companies were AAI: 382 guides, 744 clients and IMG: 389 guides, 718 clients. As for summit rates, The NPS did not publish separate stats for guided vs independent other than the generic 46% number for total climbers last published was for 2010 with 4,920 out of 10,643 summiting. The three companies do not make their rates readily available on their websites, which is somewhat strange.
Rangers
Somewhat unique worldwide is the presence of Park Climbing Rangers in the US National Parks. These individuals are there to protect the environment while supporting climbers through education, information and rescues. On Rainier, two permanently staff Ranger Huts are at the high camps of Muir and Schurman. The Rangers do regular patrols each year to reach the summit nearly 200 times. Rainier maintains an excellent website for current information.
A full trip report and updates from during the climb are available on my blog.
My goals are to raise awareness and research funds for Alzheimer’s disease. Please learn more at this link.
Climb On!
Alan
Memories are Everything