Who has summited Rainier?

[billandwende]

I have decide to climb the rock and am looking for people who have done it. I just want to pick your brain a bit via PM e-mail or best of all face to face during a surface interval.

I've been kicking this one around for too long. I need to get this done in the next few years while I still can. Gear will run me just over 3k and am wondering what I can cut. Not only to save scuba units but also to cut weight. Guide service is about 1k as well. So 4k total is a lot to do something that may not be as fun as it seems. So would like input of those who have been there. Not those trying to sell me the goods to get there.

[Marc]

I have decide to climb the rock and am looking for people who have done it. I just want to pick your brain a bit via PM e-mail or best of all face to face during a surface interval.

I've been kicking this one around for too long. I need to get this done in the next few years while I still can. Gear will run me just over 3k and am wondering what I can cut. Not only to save scuba units but also to cut weight. Guide service is about 1k as well. So 4k total is a lot to do something that may not be as fun as it seems. So would like input of those who have been there. Not those trying to sell me the goods to get there.

I have been up a few times. Send me a PM.

[ljjames]

Do it, you won't regret it if you are not a regular climber tho, don't skimp on gear and avalanche training.

www.cascadeclimbers.com has a great 'used gear' forum

http://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthr ... _Yard_Sale

plus a lot of great info

I've purchased everything except my rack (cams and stuff for you boys getting ready to giggle) there, TONS of gear over the past 10 or so years... it's a good group

[Dmitchell]

I know a guy on another board that did it twice last week and 4 times so far this season. He's rangering up there for the summer.

[Burntchef]

tried once and was allmost literally blown off, spent the whole night just keeping the tent and gear in one place. have summited mt.adams twice and st.helens twice as well all snowboard descents. wish i had some gear to loan you but sold everything to support the helium habit.

have fun, be safe and take lots of pics.

[Gooch]

We've done St Helen's a few times but its pretty tame. Mt Adams would be the next one I want to try but I hear its at least a two day event (I think hood is the same but a harder climb). Rainer sounds like a real adventure though. I had my niece climb the south sister and she said it was great but a tough climb. Good luck and keep us updated!

[Burntchef]

We' Mt Adams would be the next one I want to try but I hear its at least a two day event

sort of, you get to the snow line and camp then we would wake up at 3am and start climbing. i have some awesome pics from that one. will try to post.

[billandwende]

Once again this board comes through. Lots of cool info. I am still in the planning stages. This will be for next season. I will brag to no end when I do it though.

What do ya think? A picture at the summit in a NW Dive Club shirt? Or just a few stickers on my gear? Either way I gotta represent!

[CaptnJack]

We've done St Helen's a few times but its pretty tame. Mt Adams would be the next one I want to try but I hear its at least a two day event (I think hood is the same but a harder climb). Rainer sounds like a real adventure though. I had my niece climb the south sister and she said it was great but a tough climb. Good luck and keep us updated!

If you are in good shape you can do the south side of Adams from the car in a day. In my youth, I soloed up and tele-skied down, which was a big time hoot and way more fun than St. Helens or Hood.

[Burntchef]

If you are in good shape you can do the south side of Adams from the car in a day. In my youth, I soloed up and tele-skied down, which was a big time hoot and way more fun than St. Helens or Hood.

do you know about the 333 on adams? 30 feet wide, 30 degree, and 3000 feet long!!! we never found it. not sure if its myth or what. the second best part of the day was relaxing on the summit as other climbers would be just getting to the top ,then we would strap on our boards and wave by. i cant imagine hiking down , an hours worth of turns is a amazing way to end the day

[CaptnJack]

If you are in good shape you can do the south side of Adams from the car in a day. In my youth, I soloed up and tele-skied down, which was a big time hoot and way more fun than St. Helens or Hood.

do you know about the 333 on adams? 30 feet wide, 30 degree, and 3000 feet long!!! we never found it. not sure if its myth or what. the second best part of the day was relaxing on the summit as other climbers would be just getting to the top ,then we would strap on our boards and wave by. i cant imagine hiking down , an hours worth of turns is a amazing way to end the day

I never heard 333 before. I came down the south side which is fairly steep in the middle section. I was intermittently jump turning; it was still a tad icey and there was no way I was pointing straight down that fall line. Some of the Mnteers were roped up and still on their way up, (really really slowly) when I shussed by.
Not hauling camping gear and the hour of once-in-a-lifetime skiing was worth it.

[gcbryan]

There are cheaper and possibly better ways to do Rainier than with Rainier Mountaineering. I used to work in Tacoma and Fort Steilicoom had a month long night class once a year taught by the head of Tacoma Mountain Rescue. Some gear can be rented. The cost of the class was nominal. We started from the Crystal Mountain side (I forget the name of the camp ground) but it's several thousand feet lower than the traditional start. No $1,000 fee. You carry your own food and sleep on Sherman Flats as opposed to having guides carry your food and staying in Camp Sherman.

There were several weekend outings to practice getting out of a crevasse and ice axe self arrest. It may be another option for you if it's still being taught.

[ldevore]

I think it kind of depends on whether you want to take up mountainering as a new hobby, or just want to summit our local snowcone. If you're interested in it as a new hobby, then spend the time taking the classes. I've done a lot with the Everett Mountainiers and found them to be a good group, but as has been mentioned, there are tons of great groups in the area that you can work with. If you don't want to take on a new hobby, then a guided assent may be the right answer with you.

Either way you go, plan on spending several months getting in really good shape. You'll need to work up to a fair amount of elevation, while carrying wgt. For me that meant climbing on weekends and biking and running during the week. Some folks just end up doing laps up and down Mt. Si - it works, but sure is boring!

Lastly, to manage your expectations, you may not summit on your first atempt. In fact, it took me 5 attempts! The weather doesn't always work in your favor (granted, 2 of the attempts were winter summits and had a low probablity of sucess anyway). I've found early July to be the best weather window, but have also been in a snow whiteout on the 4th of July too.

[CaptnJack]

Lastly, to manage your expectations, you may not summit on your first atempt. In fact, it took me 5 attempts! The weather doesn't always work in your favor (granted, 2 of the attempts were winter summits and had a low probablity of sucess anyway).

Yeah I got weathered off Liberty Ridge twice before deciding it was way too much work to value for me!

[AlSchumer]

I climbed and led it many times. Feel free to contact me.

Kind Regards,

Alfred ("Al") Schumer, Chairman
American Alpine Club, Cascade Section
Chairman, Section Leadership Committee

[Diver_C]

Me