CLIMB MT RAINIER

I have thought about climbing Mt. Rainier for many years. So on May 18, 2003 I found myself on a plane flying to Seattle to attend Rainier Mountineering Incorporated (RMI) 5 day mountaineering seminar. I had no mountaineering experience so even the terminology for rope team travel, anchors, knots, crevasse rescue, rope climbing, route finding and basic glaciology was new.

We ascended in sun and 12-20" snow from the Paradise parking lot at 5400' to Camp Muir at 10,030' on the edge of Cowlitz Glacier. The weather quickly deteriorated into high winds and snow for the next 3 days. Seven westerners and I learned and practiced mountaineering skills under the watchful eye of four experienced guides.

Because of conditions the prospect for a summit attempt looked bleak until the weather cleared early Friday morning our last day. At 3:30 a.m. three rope teams of four started the 4500' climb to the summit with backpacks, helmets, head lamps, avalanche beacons, climbing harness roped in, crampons and ice axes.

Everyone was treated to a beautiful clear sunrise before we were engulfed again in the clouds and wind. Progress was slow and laborious as we had to scout and break trail through the deep snow up the steep crevassed slopes. We made good progress considering the conditions and reached the 14,410' summit in 6:30 hours. It was windy with little visibility so we started down after a short break.

It started clearing as we descended and got warmer. The deep wet snow on the steep slopes made it difficult requiring the clearing of the crampons with each step to prevent slipping. As the snow got warmer and grainier we removed the crampons on the lower slopes. Nearing Camp Muir we were alerted by the roar and watched a spectacular avalanche roll down and plunge over a high cliff.

The walk down from Camp Muir was hot and difficult as we trudged through 12-20" snow often sinking in to our knees. Despite sunburned lips and noses we were a happy bunch and fortunate for the opportunity to summit.

May 18, 2003 Sunday Fly Baltimore via Chicago to Seattle

Got up at 3:15. The Airport Shuttle $22 I reserved on the Internet arrived 5 minutes early at 3:55 with a couple already in the van. We arrived at the airport about 4:25 and there was a line of 15-20 people in front of me. Ticket agents arrived and started processing people at 4:30. United Airlines has self check-in machines which I used. I inserted my Mastercard and the machine responded with my e-ticket itinerary which I verified. My boarding passes and baggage claim strap were printed and I was on my way through security.

My plane left at 6:10 EDST UA flight 411 in seat 22A from Baltimore Washington International (BWI) to Chicago O'Hare arriving at 7:06 CDST. I left at 8:05 CDST on United Airlines flight 755 in seat 35C from Chicago to Seattle arriving at 10:14 PDST.

I claimed my hockey bag and discovered that most restaurants were inside security. My choices were Starbucks coffee which I don't drink and a small stand called Food on the Go. I paid $10.80 for a ham and cheese sandwich, pink lemonade and a large chocolate chip cookie. I watched people until 12:30.

At 1:00 PDST I caught Rainier Shuttles $37 (360 569-2331) with three other people on the 3rd floor of the main parking garage on island #2 to Ashford arriving at 2:45 PDST.

I checked into Whittaker's Bunkhouse room 5 a double costing $75 plus $7.50 tax. The bunkhouse is located at 46^o 45' 45" north by 122^o 02' 18" west at 1350' elevation. I repacked my backpack and checked my climbing boots, crampons and other climbing gear. I returned to the lobby for a large vanilla ice cream cone $2.71 and talked to climbing legend Lou Whittaker. We talked about Mt. McKinley (Denali), about how a guide reported the coldest climb in 10 years last week and that the weather was improving all week.

Walked about 100 yards to the Highlander Restaurant for a draft Alaskan Amber, ham and potato soup, halibut, broccoli and baked potato for $15.15 including tip. I was too full to eat the blackberry pie a la mode. Back at the bunkhouse I called Anne on our 800 number then went to bed a little past 9:00.

May 19, 2003 Monday Hike Paradise to Camp Muir

I got up at 6:01 to clear skies, frost on the cars and grass and snow on the tops of the surrounding mountains. Walked to the Highlander again for a glass of orange juice, milk and an omelet with onion, mushroom, cheese, home fries and a biscuit for $13.65 including tip. Walked to the Summit Haus to pick up my lunch of a ham and cheese sandwich, oatmeal cookie, orange and Snickers bar for $7.50.

Everyone was assembled around 8:30 so head guide Paul Maier 38 from Seattle introduced his assistant Brenda Walsh also from Seattle and junior guides Mike Boughton ski patroller from Snowbird, Utah and Anderson Heagy 20 from Marietta, Georgia. Kelly a young woman is our cook for the week.

Everyone introduced themselves. Bill Hess, Kirk Jonasson and Alie Romberg late 20s are teachers in Auburn, Washington. Zach Crete from Clancy, Montana; Walter Norton about 49 with a family business from Pasadena, California; Paul Skousen an anesthetic nurse in the process of moving from Minnesota to Phoenix, Arizona; and Dan McQueen 64 and retired from Columbia, Maryland.

Paul briefed everyone on the week's agenda then about 9:30 we loaded our backpacks into a trailer and shuttled about 13 miles up the mountain into Rainier National Park to Paradise at 5400' elevation.

Somewhere between 10:30 and 11:00 we started the 4.5 mile climb gaining over 4500' elevation through about 12" snow just a few days old with loaded backpacks and ski poles. Instruction started almost immediately with the rest step (spastic me never totally mastered it) and forced breathing. After 4 stops absorbing instruction on how to care for ourselves, consuming water and our lunches we arrived at Camp Muir 46^o 50' 08" north by 121^o 43' 58" west at 10,030' elevation in 40^o about 5:00.

We spread out in the RMI hut with 3 levels of shelves for sleeping and a capacity of 27. We had a good supper of stew and pears. Joel Chiu an ER doctor from Orinda, California arrived having been hustled up the mountain by another guide. With the team of 4 guides and 8 student climbers complete, the climbers turned in early in the cold hut hoping to avoid the long windy and freezing walk to the john out back. I was concerned about my inability to master the simple rest step. How was I going to learn the myriad climbing skills that would be thrown at me over the next few days?

May 20, 2003 Tuesday Climbing School at Camp Muir

The weather deteriorated over night which I was well aware of due to my three trips to the outhouse. Each trip I had to light my head lamp, don my climbing boots (my only footwear) and hooded parka before going outside and around back usually against a strong wind to the outhouse. The wind was strong blowing snow into our packs stored outside along a stone wall with our ice axes and crampons. Inevitably snow got into our packs even through closed zippers and the webbing on both sides of my pack collected about two pounds of snow. We are socked in with the thermometer reading 20^o.

Got up at 6:20 and soon the pots of hot water and pancakes arrived. I drink several pints of hot chocolate or instant soup at each meal to maintain hydration since I have trouble drinking enough water.

At 9:30 we muster outside in the wind and snow dressed with fleece top and bottom, Gore-Tex pants shell, hooded Gore-Tex anorak, ski goggles and wool stocking hat. We put on our crampons and with our ice axes walked to a steep slope to learn and practice self arrest. We were taught to carry the ice ax on the uphill side by the head with the adz pointed forward and the pick end to the rear. To self arrest the free hand grasps the pointed butt end of the ice ax handle now held diagonally across the chest and you dive to the side where the ax was being held (uphill). The pick end is buried in the snow and you kick your toes into the snow to get a good firm toehold in a three point stance. We learned self arresting on your stomach and back with your head uphill and downhill e.g. all possible falling positions. We had a good workout and learned a lot before heading back to the hut about 12:00 for lunch of stew very thick, hot and very good.

At 2:00 we turned out again. This time we divided into three rope teams of four. I was roped in with Mike, myself, Zach and Anderson. We climbed up a steep narrow rocky ridge along the left side of Cowlitz Glacier in a howling wind driving stinging snow into exposed face areas. Near the top of the ridge we could see a large deposit of snow that was a potential avalanche. We climbed down a short distance off the ridge out of the path of any avalanche to dig snow holes. Each exposed snow layer was tested for density, compactness or weight by using a fist, four fingers and one finger. Next we isolated a column of snow and placing a shovel on top did a series of sheer tests by tapping the shovel to determine the bonding between each layer. This is important to determine avalanche danger as well as setting up anchors.

As we returned to the hut at 5:00 we found an ice cave dug by the park rangers. Five or six of us crawled inside up a step to a circular room about 10’ in diameter with a vent hole. It was quite warm inside and we were a little nervous as we all had crampons on in the tight space. We had a super supper of chili, rolls and corn bread, chicken soup and hot chocolate. Eight of us ate a large pot of chili and more was brought down from the cook shack.

As is the custom Paul and the other guides came down after supper and we worked on self rescue. We took our 24' Perlon rope and cut it into an 18' and two 3' sections. The 18' section we tied into a loop with two grape vine knots. Then we tied a fixed knot like an 8 or 9 knot to form two loops for a leg sling called a cordelet. We tied the two 3' sections into loops using two grape vine knots to be used as prussic. A prussic is a knot that can be used in place of a mechanical ascender. We tied the bottom prussic to a rope from the ceiling and clipped it to our climbing harness with a caribiner. The top prussic we tied to the rope and hard tied it to our cordelet. We can ascend by sliding the top prussic up, stand up then slide the bottom prussic up. Bend legs and repeat the process. Descending is the same process in reverse. Really neat! All you need is rope.

May 21, 2003 Wednesday Climbing School at Camp Muir

Got up about 7:00 to a pancake breakfast and hot chocolate. It is 26^o outside with variable winds and snow. The weather changed frequently all day as we alternated between peeling layers to covering up with hooded anoraks and ski goggles.

We started the day digging snow holes and establishing anchors. We learned to establish anchors with ice axes and T or I stakes. We also learned the dead man and Saxon Cross with a Clove Hitch anchors with when and how to use each. We also built several tear drop shaped ditches of various sizes with rope wrapped around the island for an anchor. We learned the ERNEST principles when building anchors. Using the anchors we learned the belaying protocol and belayed each other up and down. We established a seat for top belaying with a dead man anchor behind for safety.

After lunch we walked up above a drop-off ledge to learn crevasse rescue. We established ERNEST anchors and then roped up into four person rope teams. The lead person walked off the ledge and the other three arrested the fall. The fourth person then organized the team rescue. The person over the edge was to try to get back to the top of the ledge while the team organized. First you have to establish the condition of the fallen person to determine the urgency of the rescue. You then make sure the person is secured. Next you check the area to make sure no one else on the team will fall into a crevasse. You then establish an anchor and secure the fallen to it. Then you establish a pulley system starting with a C with a two to one mechanical advantage and prussic knots to ratchet the person up. If insufficient you establish a Z with a 3-1 mechanical advantage. If necessary we were shown how to rig a 6-1 mechanical advantage pulley.

After a pasta supper we turned in early anticipating an early call for a summit bid tomorrow.

May 22, 2003 Thursday Climbing School at Camp Muir

The weather got even worse during the night eliminating any chance to summit so we slept in until 7:00.

We went out in the blowing snow and set up rectangular rope courses on a steep incline. We learned to ascend, turn the corner and traverse, turn the corner and descend using our prussic and then mechanical ascenders. Descending we reversed the mechanical ascenders or prussic and used an arm rope wrap to descend.

After lunch we talked about searching for buried victims of an avalanche using out transceivers. We went out in the weather again to practice finding buried transceivers in broadcast mode. We were taught how to do an area search and then use a grid system to pinpoint the buried transceiver.

We had talking sessions every day answering questions and discussing various climbing topics including climbing expeditions of Denali and other mountains.

After supper we went to bed about 7:30 despite the bad weather forecast for tomorrow in the hope that we would get a break.

May 23, 2003 Friday Summit Mt. Rainier at 14,410'

Catnapping in my sleeping bag I could hear the wind abating during the night as the gusts got quieter and further apart. Finally we got the call at 2:20. Outside the sky was clear including the summit with millions of brilliant stars. It was almost perfectly still. We quickly ate and drank as much as we could before packing our backpack with water, cold weather gear and food. I wore climbing boots, wool socks, long john bottoms, fleece pants, long sleeved T-shirt, fleece jacket and light fleece gloves. I then put on long gaiters, climbing belt harness with one caribiner, avalanche transceiver and helmet with head lamp.

Outside we put on our crampons, backpacks and carried ice axes before roping into three teams of four. The first team led by head guide Paul Maier, Bill, Alie and Kirk. Mike led the second team with me, Zach and Anderson. Senior guide Brenda had Joel, Paul Skousen and Walt.

It had been snowing and blowing for three days so there was no broken trail up to the summit. Paul led off across Cowlitz Glacier with head lamps winding in the dark in front and back. Paul was breaking trail so the going was slow. We ascended steeply up through Cathedral Gap turning left up along the ridge line on the left edge of Ingraham Glacier. Near the top of the ridge line we turned right to cross the glacier in the flats around 11,200' where we took a food and water break and watch the rising sun. The scene was beautiful as we could see snow capped Mt Adams and Mt Hood framed by a notch in the ridge line.

Our rope team took the lead breaking trail up very steep Disappointment Cleaver onto Emmons Glacier as the clouds closed in and the wind picked up. We stepped across several small crevasses and although concentrating with limited peripheral vision I noticed we crossed some snow bridges that were probably 30' wide and deeper. Briefly I could smell the strong odor of sulfur from the volcanic action. We came to a wide crevasse that we walked along the edge to a narrow spot where we stepped across. At one point we came to a dead end and had to backtrack a short distance before ascending again. As the number 2 man I was working very hard so Anderson and I switched places. As the number 4 it was much easier. We took another break at 12,300'.

Paul's team took the lead again so Anderson and I switched back to our original positions. A pair of Swiss skiers caught us and we followed each other the rest of the way to the summit. This section seemed like the longest and I believe it took us 1:40 hours to get to our High Break at 13,500'.

Our team took the lead again so Anderson and I switched positions again. I was surprised when we summited at 14,410' about 10:00 just behind the Swiss skiers. Paul's team and then Brenda's team soon followed. It was very windy with little visibility and the temperature around the freezing mark. We stayed a little longer than normal taking pictures, eating and drinking.

We started down and the clouds thinned with the temperature rising. The snow got sticky causing us to slip and fall so we had to clear our crampons every step by whacking the boot with our ice ax. While recrossing on of the narrow crevasses, Kirk in the team in front of us broke through to his waist. Mike right behind moved down the crevasse a few yards and started a new crossing. Paul Skousen in the rope team behind us told me that he went in up to his waist. The clouds dissipated at the lower level and it heated up causing the snow to turn into wet snow. We removed the crampons and continued descended in our boots. Things went faster as we took another less steep route arriving back at the Camp Muir hut about 2:00.

We quickly removed our climbing gear and left it in the hut.

We packed our backpack with all our gear and started down using ski poles about 3:00. The going was slow and tiring as we frequently sank into the wet snow up to our knees. The sun was bright and hot so we peeled layers and took two breaks on the 4.5 mile hike down to Paradise. We did manage to slide down some of the steeper slopes on our rears. We got down to the waiting shuttle bus about 5:15. We dumped our packs in the trailer and poured down a soda while riding down the mountain to Ashford. Paul Maier had some Rainier beer waiting for us as we received our summit certificates, we all said good bye and everyone left except Paul Skousen and I.

I met Paul about 7:30 at the Highlander for ice tea, shrimp fettucini Alfredo, bread and blackberry pie a la mode for $19.12 including tip. Back in room 5 at Whittakers Bunkhouse double $75 + $7.50 (360 569-2439) I showered, sorted my gear, packed my backpack and hockey bag. I got to bed about 10:30 but had trouble relaxing and getting to sleep.

May 24, 2003 Saturday Fly Seattle via Chicago to Baltimore

I got up a little after 7:00 and walked to the Highlander for hash browns, eggs, cheese, onion, mushroom, biscuit, large glass of orange juice and milk for $11.11 including tip. Paul and I hung out on the bunkhouse porch until 10:45 PDST when Lolla from Rainier Shuttle 360 569-2331 arrived to take us from Ashford to Seattle Airport arriving about 12:30. I prepaid the $37 fare but tipped Lolla.

At 2:10 PDST I boarded UA938 in seat 25G from Seattle for 3:17 hours to Chicago arriving at 7:54 CDST after 1720 miles. At 8:55 CDST I boarded UA536 seat 30A from Chicago to Baltimore arriving at 11:20 EDST after 621 miles.

Anne arrived about 11:55 and I drove home in the rain arriving about 12:35 a.m. Sunday morning.