Rainier 2015: Summit and Fun
This trip report is for my climb of Mt. Rainier in Washington State, Washington. At 14,409 feet, it is the highest volcano in the lower 48 states of the US and the most popular way of training for higher Himalayan peaks. I summited with friends on July 8, 2015. I rolled over in my sleeping bag at 10:30 pm on July 7, 2015, hearing voices over the wind flapping the tent against me. It was time to climb Mt. Rainier. My close friend Barry Johnson had set this objective a year ago and trained diligently to get prepared. Fresh off my tragic experience attempting Lhotse in Nepal only two months earlier, I had committed to climbing with my friend but now had serious second thoughts about getting back onto the snow slopes. I hedged my decision for weeks. Barry waited for me to decide but had already assembled a solid team. As the aftermath of the deadly earthquake that took almost 9,000 lives in Nepal and our team doctor at Everest Base Camp quieted, I finally made the decision I needed to climb again, not only for Barry but for myself. This would be my third climb of Rainier, with summits in 2004 and 2012, so I knew to sit on the left side of the airplane as we flew from Denver to Seattle. About 30 minutes before landing, the huge volcano appeared on schedule. I’m always amazed at the sight of Mt. Rainier from the air—it is large, foreboding, snow-covered, and well, it demands respect that seems to be waning for all mountains across the planet. While Barry got our rental car, I retrieved our two duffel bags. We had compared gear lists for weeks with those of our teammates. We were determined to keep the weight down as we knew it was a short trip but a long summit day in potentially difficult snow conditions. One of Barry’s pilot friends, Terry and his partner, Lisa, met us at a tiny motel in Enumclaw that night. We had a fun dinner in town and, the following day drove to the ranger station at the White River entrance. There, we met up with our fifth member, Sarah, an impressive 26-year-old just starting her career as a guide for RMI on Rainier. This was not a guided climb but a group of friends with a common goal. Hiking In We confirmed our permit and listened carefully as the Ranger spoke of open crevasses, climbers punching through snow bridges and soft snow conditions. Oh, and bears and foxes. We left prepared but thoughtful of what was to come. Barry was typical, blasting out Rush songs with no warning whatsoever. At the parking lot for the Glacier Basin trail, we spread our gear out to look for duplication but also to make sure we had the essentials: wands, rope, harness, pickets, screws – everything needed to attempt this 14,409’ hill of snow safely. We packed up and headed up the trail. I’m always impressed with the enormous vertical trees surrounding Rainier. Each one has a story to tell, their trunks strong and seemingly impervious to the winds. The small streams cross the trail with the single-minded objective of joining up with a larger flow down below. But as we made the first of several switchbacks, we were greeted with a prize: Rainier, with all her glory, emerged from behind the forest. The Emmons Glacier stood out, as did the Winthrop, Liberty Cap and the summit. The crevasses were visible from here, looking like a heap of jumbled ice cubes, cracks and lines that dared the brain to make sense of them, but more to the point, dared the climber to test them. We arrived at Glacier Basin camp in a couple of hours. We had purposely set a relaxed schedule, spreading the entire climb from start to finish over four days. We were not out to prove anything with speed, times or bragging rights. Our team objective was to summit, but our objectives varied greatly. Lisa wanted to get to Camp Schurman to relax and reflect, but not to summit. Terry, like Barry, wanted to make his first summit of Rainier to test themselves for perhaps bigger climbs one day. Sarah wanted to climb with friends, not as a junior guide under the ever-present eye of members and senior guides. I wanted to reconnect with the sport I love, my passion. I wanted to hear my crampons crunch in the snow, watch the sunrise, and feel the cold wind against my cheeks. I wanted to climb. And I wanted to see my friend summit and then return home to tell his family of his experience with the wide eyes of a child who had just done something special. To Camp Schurman After an uneventful night at Glacier Basin, we packed up and made our way to the base of the Inter Glacier—the gateway for this route. Only about 25% of all climbing on Rainier is done by the Winthrop-Emmons route, but it accounts for half of the deaths due to the dangerous crevasses. With this in mind, we began our climb with an eye to the crevices. The ranger had told us there was one large open crevasse about halfway up. Making decent time ascending the glacier, we soon crested the Inter near Camp Curtis. We took time for a long break and a huge lunch—we were in absolutely no hurry and enjoyed the views and the company. Lisa was generous with her gouda cheese, naan bread and salami. We took full advantage of her generosity! Soon, we moved on and slipped a short distance down the scree-filled dirt hillside to the Emmons Glacier. Terry flaked out the climbing rope, and soon, we were roped up as a five-person team. Barry took the lead. I clipped in behind my friend, Sarah, who took the back. We came to our first snow bridge, Barry’s and Lisa’s first ever. With care and smiles, we