TR: Ranier

[Joey Joe Joe Junior Shabadoo]

So this past weekend my girlfriend and I knocked another off the to-do list and climbed Rainier, aka Tahoma, aka One Big Bitch. Now before you ask the sarcastic questions about where are the skis, we didn't take them on this trip. While I do find ski-mountaineering vastly superior to regular mountaineering when the mountains are covered in snow, I do still enjoy climbing big heaps of rock even if I have to walk and not ski back down them.

So considering it had been over 3 years since I had been on a glacier or rope team and my girlfriends apprehension about having never been on either, we opted for the hand-holding summit climb offered by RMI Guides. Not exactly a big adventure (I mean it's just a 14'er with more snow right? ) but certainly a bit of work. So without further delay some pretty pictures.

The big one herself from just above Paradise

Looking up towards Camp Muir. It is on the obvious bench at the top, far to the left and just out of sight.


Two of our guides(background) and two crazy Norwegians in our group(foreground). I will get to their story in a minute.

My lovely girlfriend, Lowell Skoog, another guide(with the socks) and some more Norwegians.

Lowell is the slightly less famous brother of Karl Skoog, who was killed about 9 monthes ago skiing in Argentina. Lowell has climbed Rainier about 12 times already but was on this trip to help document the Norwegians on what was, for them, a personal history trip. The Norwegians were all nephews or grand-nephews of a skier named Sigrid Hall who was killed back in 1932 during a race they still have sometimes from Camp Muir (I think) down to Paradise. He got lost in some fog and crashed on the rocks around Little Africa on the Muir Snowfield. So a bunch of them got together to climb Rainier and see the spot where their Uncle died. Kind of added a cool historical element to our climb and I felt lucky to meet Lowell on a trip like this, considering when we got to the summit he spread the remaining ashes of his brother Karl. He was a really nice guy and didn't mind me badgering him with questions about him and his brothers exploits in the Cascades.

From Muir looking up towards Cathedral Gap

Sunrise at 13k feet the next morning.

We left Muir at around 1 a.m. Sorry for the lack of actual climbing pic but we did most of it in the dark and they don't give you much time at the breaks. The keep an excrutiatingly slow pace to make sure everyone(read sea-level folk ) don't get whacked by the altitude and still make the summitbut that means pretty quick breaks

Adams at sunrise

The girlfriend and I on the top of Columbia Crest with Mt. St. Helens in the background.

Looking over towards Liberty Cap, which is where Liberty Ridge tops out. It is definitely on the tick-list now.

And the official after picture from Camp Muir.

The hike all the way back down to Paradise on the same day(some 9000ft of elevation loss) was probably harder than all the climbing combined. Good thing I got healthy knees. The last 45min of hiking on paved and rocky trails in plastic mtneering boots was a brutal insult that still has my feet screaming at me. All in all a fun trip but next time we will bringing our skis.

[mtnbikerskierchick]

Nice TR! Rainier is a fun climb! Next time I do it I want to bring my skis Thanks for sharing the pics! Looks a lot cooler there then here!

[Lani]

Right on mang, congratulations. I was up there Sunday. Cruised to Muir, drank a beer, skied the Paradise Glacier...

[Rontele]

Excellent TR. Pretty lucky to share that experience (inlcuding the spreading of ashes with Lowell)

[PNWbrit]

Nice

The Skoog brothers and Norwege guys hook up probably made enduring RMI worthwhile.

[Lani]

?uestionable in this beholder's eye, any reason for enduring and paying RMI.

[GoldMember]

Great TR! Even without skis, I have a great appreciation of the climb. We're thinking a Rainier climb/descent next year for our big adventure. Nice pictures and great narrative!

[Joey Joe Joe Junior Shabadoo]

Nice TR! Rainier is a fun climb! Next time I do it I want to bring my skis Thanks for sharing the pics! Looks a lot cooler there then here!

Ironically they were in the middle of a heat wave and it was like 97 in Seattle on Friday and felt at least that hot on the snow while the sun was up. Yeah, RMI was less than ideal but for my girlfriends first time it made things a lot easier and less stressful on moi, plus getting to meet Lowell was pretty sweet. Next time we will be doing it sans guide and with skis.

[Lani]

Word, no disrespect to you on the RMI tip. By this time of year, skiing the upper parts of the mountain is far less than ideal.

[Theodore]

How are the crevasses early season? I've never done any glacier travel, but have a fair amount of snow experience. Non guide do-able for a first timer to Rainier?

Nice pics BTW! Its on my short list of climbs to do.

[The AD]

So what's the problem with RMI?

[Mofro261]

How are the crevasses early season? I've never done any glacier travel, but have a fair amount of snow experience. Non guide do-able for a first timer to Rainier?

Nice pics BTW! Its on my short list of climbs to do.

I answer your question with the Finger.

http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...ad.php?t=56026

awesome TR last month from Sphinx.

[Lani]

That depends on whom you ask, Theodore. A good option for a non-guided first timer would be to get with a charitable soul who has knowledge and experience. Read all about rope systems for glacier travel, prusiks, crevasse rescue; practice techniques until you're sure you understand them.

Time vs. money, which would you rather invest?

No practical problem with RMI. They get a lot of people up The Mountain. But you're stuck with a group of people you don't know and a set itinerary.

[Lani]

I answer your question with the Finger.

http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...ad.php?t=56026

awesome TR last month from Sphinx.

That Sky dude is a motherfucking gaper. I used to see him when he had a season pass at Alpental three years ago. He was always wearing his randonnee gear, didn't even have a burly downhill setup.

Don't even get me started on Sphinx...

[bcrider]

Hi sky!.................errr I mean Lani.



PS. Cool pics and TR Joey!

[Joey Joe Joe Junior Shabadoo]

Dynafits at a resort? What a geek! If you see that gaper ask him if he ever did a TR on the East Face of Chair peak. From the pics I have seen of it it looks like it must have been a sweet line.

[PNWbrit]

How are the crevasses early season? I've never done any glacier travel, but have a fair amount of snow experience. Non guide do-able for a first timer to Rainier?

Nice pics BTW! Its on my short list of climbs to do.

A lot of problems on Rainier seem to happen with people visiting the area on a tight schedule. I'm sure summit fever during questionable weather conditions combined with lack of experience causes the overwhelming majority of accidents.

It can be just a simple grind up an established boot pack in good weather but even in mid summer weather can be truly horrible and life threatening.

The franchised guiding system on Rainier sucks but they are remarkably efficient in getting people up and down mostly alive.

[Mofro261]

That Sky dude is a motherfucking gaper. I used to see him when he had a season pass at Alpental three years ago. He was always wearing his randonnee gear, didn't even have a burly downhill setup.
..

Hey, all of us gapers have to start somewheres.

And no Joey, Alpental is not a Resort.

[Lani]

But Debbie's is a state-of-the-art high-speed quad, Mofro!

[Lani]

Good reasons for Skoog to climb with RMI:
http://www.turns-all-year.com/skiing...p?topic=5159.0

[Mofro261]

But Debbie's is a state-of-the-art high-speed quad, Mofro!

and my dog (Butch, springer/black lab mix- RIP) could beat the quad to the top. But he couldn't beat chair2 up the Fan.

okay,okay, maybe its gonna be a resort- they're installing a heated patio right now.








EDIT: sorry to hijack the thread JJJJS. Nice pics and thanks for posting.

[house]

The hike all the way back down to Paradise on the same day(some 9000ft of elevation loss) was probably harder than all the climbing combined. Good thing I got healthy knees. The last 45min of hiking on paved and rocky trails in plastic mtneering boots was a brutal insult that still has my feet screaming at me. All in all a fun trip but next time we will bringing our skis.

definitely agree with you there. and a good reason to have skis waiting for you back at muir!

[PNWbrit]

okay,okay, maybe its gonna be a resort- they're installing a heated patio right now.





EDIT: sorry to hijack the thread JJJJS. Nice pics and thanks for posting.

Holy shit he's not joking!



Looking forward to a typical 33 degree heavy precip day at Alpental chilling out around the "fire"pits which in practice just resemble expensive puddles.

sorry for hijacking the hijack

[Meadow Skipper]

Nice TR J4S, way to go! That was pretty cool getting to talk with Lowell Skoog, of all people, on your Rainier climb. But next time, take skis.

[SLAYER]

I highly recommend spending at least a couple of nights camping out at Camp Muir on your next trip. We spent 3 days there and I wish we could have spent more. Made our trip much more memorable. I remember getting back to Muir after ticking the summit and watching all the RMI groups heading back down to Paradise. Talk about torture. Your pics bring back some good memories and reminds me that I need to get back up there again.