Sunrise on Mount Rainier Photography by Tyson Bradley

Description:

     UMA is permitted to guide one climb per season on Mt. Rainier, the premier glacial peak in the lower 48 states. This hulking massif of a volcano is a spectacular, strenuous, mountaineering challenge, and a perfect stepping stone toward Alaska, the Alps, the Andes, and the Himalaya.

     UMA’s 2010 climb will be on the Emmons-Winthrop route on the northeast side of the mountain. It will be a 4-day ascent, June 27-30. The guiding fee is $1500 per person, and does not include transportation to Mt. Rainier. The climb will again be led by UMA senior guide, Tyson Bradley.

Itinerary:

     On day 1 the guide and climbers will carpool to White River Campground. The party will register for the climb with the NPS Ranger, and the guide will do a Pre-Trip Safety Talk, Orientation and final Gear Check.

     Clients will have their own prescription diamox, which they may take pro-actively, and Decadron for Acute Mountain Sickness. The guide will carry other meds. Team food, cook kit, stoves, fuel, tents, and climbing gear (including 1 picket per person) will be distributed, a pack-loading seminar will be given, and we’ll begin ascending.

     The first night will be spent at Camp 1, at around 8,500' on the Inter Glacier. All expedition members will be roped up on crevassed glaciers with a minimum of 3 persons on a rope. Each climber will be equipped with prussiks, pulley, carabiners and anchor materials to build a force-reduction raising system, and to ascend out of a crevasse or bergschrund. All team members will also carry an ice axe in hand on glaciers.

     Day 2 will include a crevasse and glacier travel review, including snow anchors, raising and lowering systems and the opportunity for each client to ascend out of a crevasse (while on a back-up belay.) This will be done in a probed and wanded “safe” area. Also on the second day, the team will break camp and climb to Camp Schurman (9,500’.)

     Day 3 will be the summit push, with a wake-up call around midnight, and departure around 2 am. We will travel roped and the guide will place snow pickets (or ice screws) as necessary to protect travel up the “Corridor”, through the icefalls, and around dangerous crevasses and bergschrunds. Descent will be via the same route (unless we need to alter it slightly to pass other parties.) The team will remain roped back to the high camp.

     On day 4 the team will descend to White River Campground. If weather or other issues turn the team back, or prevent a summit bid on day 3, day 4 will involve the summit attempt and descent.

     Given the variable nature of weather and route conditions on Mt. Rainier, this itinerary / plan must remain flexible and may require revision as the guide addresses each situation.

Dates:

     June 27 - 30, 2010 -- Sunday through Wednesday. Climbers should be in Seattle by Saturday.

Fee:

     $ 1500 pp plus tax not including transportation. Includes food and group climbing and camping gear.

Equipment List:

     Overnight Winter Mountaineering Equipment List

Location:

     Emmons-Winthrop route on the northeast side of Mt. Rainier, Washington. Starting point White River Campground.