MOUNT RAINIER SUMMIT
17.3 miles | 9,100 elevation gain | 14,411 ft
Overview: Following an unsuccessful attempt in 2010, we returned to Mount Rainier with a renewed sense of purpose and a much more favorable weather window as compared to the previous year. It was a hard bought battle to the summit, but the full team of five ended up making it to the top and back in one piece. It’s an experience and an adventure that I will also remember and one of the hardest physical achievements of my life.
June 26, 2011 | Mt, Rainier National Park
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CHALLENGE MAP
DAY 1: Paradise to Camp Muir
Paradise: We used the Paradise parking lot as our starting location and after securing our permits, set our sights on Camp Muir.
Endless Slog: We lucked out with overcast skies on the first leg of our ascent which kept us from having to deal with the relentless berating from the sun as we slogged up the mountain in soft, wet snow.
Sun Comes Out: After two hours of climbing, we finally caught our first glimpse of the mountain and the insane task ahead of us. From here on out, the sun would never leave us alone.
Gibraltar Rock: This iconic rock formation is a beacon leading up to Camp Muir, and our base camp for a few days. We arrived tired and humbled.
DAY 2: Camp Muir
Camp Muir: Day two was filled with blue bird skies and a favorable weather window which allowed us to rest and relax for our climb the following day.
Practice Run: We spent the morning practicing our rope skills and rehearsing our progress as we travel in a 5-man rope team.
Awaiting Sunset: The views from Mt Rainier are unparallel to anything else in the lower 48. You truly feel as if you are on another planet when you’re up there.
Down Time: To avoid the relentless sun, we spent a lot of our down time hiding in our tent, just shooting the breeze and passing the time away as we melt snow into water.
DAY 3: summit
2:00 AM: I love getting up early and mountaineering starts are some of my favorite. You know you’re in for a big day if it requires you to get up 2:00 AM to get started.
Departing Camp Muir: Snapped a quick photo with Mike and Don prior to departing Camp Muir. The team assembled quickly and we got out on the mountain in good time.
Disappointment Cleaver: We passed several other teams on the way up and blew through Cadaver Gap and Ingraham Flats in less than an hour. It was still pitch dark as we topped out on Disappointment Cleaver and we were moving at a good pace.
Sunrise: We parked ourselves on the side of the trail and watched the sunrise for a few minutes. No one said much, but we were all in agreement that this was a special moment to be able to experience.
Summit: It was not easy and ended-up taking longer than expected, but we made it to the summit and immediately passed out for an hour inside the crater.
Wrong Way: We were exhausted, thirsty and pushing hard to get back to Camp Muir, only to find ourselves down a dead end. We should have crumbled, but instead we immediately turned around and just kept right on moving; never skipping a beat.
Back to the Parking Lot: Those final few miles coming off of Mt. Rainier were some of the suckiest of my life. I was a shell of a human exiting the mountain that day.
Looking Back: Of all the adventures I have been on, this trip sits at the top as the most physically taxing of anything I have ever attempted. But I loved every minute of it and I would gladly go back again tomorrow and do it all over again.
