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Mt. Rainier, Washington, USA

At 4,394 meters Mt. Rainier is the highest mountain in the state of Washington and the most heavily glaciated peak in the lower 48 states.


2008 Trip Report

In the spring of 2008 I signed up for an 8 day mountaineering course with Alpine Ascents International which is based in Seattle. The course consisted of 8 days climbing and camping on the mountain while practicing various mountaineering skills including winter camping, self arrest, walking and breathing techniques, rope work, glacier travel, crevasse rescue, and ice climbing.


Thursday July 10, 2008

The class met at the Alpine ascents office in downtown seattle at around 6am. After getting to know one another a little we had a brief gear check. We went over the gear list to make sure everyone had what they needed, and pared down our packs a little by sharing some equipment like tents, stoves, and cookware. Then we divided the team gear between our packs. This included fuel, ropes, shovels and pickets.


Gear check

After the gear check we loaded up our packs into the van and headed out to Mt. Rainier National Park. We took highway 410 around the north and west sides of Rainier to the White River Campground (4300') where we unloaded our gear and registered with the park rangers. Leaving the van in the parking lot we began up the trail which follows a feeder of the white river east to toward glacier basin (5900'). Parts of the trail were washed out because of spring flooding along the river and so we had to climb over piles of trees that had been uprooted and tossed into piles due to extreme river bank erosion.


Just before glacier basin is a small camping area where we stopped and set up our tents for the night. A short walk down a steep bank to the river gives easy access to water. You have to be careful about leaving food in your packs in this area because of bears and mice so after dinner we hung our packs on the tall poles that have been installed in the camp area for this purpose.



Friday July 11, 2008

Snow school and hike to Winthrop.


Saturday July 12, 2008

Crevasse rescue.


Sunday July 13, 2008

Crevasse rescue.


Monday July 14, 2008

Ice climbing.


Tuesday July 15, 2008

Hike to camp Sherman.


Wednesday July 16, 2008

Summit day.


Thursday July 17, 2008

Hike out.