The following excerpt on the FOUR-DAY SUMMIT CLIMB is taken from Rainier Mountaineering Inc.’s web site (www.rmiguides.com).

FOUR-DAY SUMMIT CLIMB

The Four Day Summit Climb is our most popular program. This climb is ideal for first time mountaineers, as well as experienced climbers who are in great physical condition. Mountaineering skills learned during Days One and Two will prepare climbers to safely attempt an ascent of Mt. Rainier with a guide leading their rope. Our route ascends either the Ingraham Glacier or Disappointment Cleaver and utilizes Camp Muir, allowing us to climb with less group gear and lighter packs. The program consists of a Pre-Trip Orientation, Mountaineering Day School and a Summit Climb.

CLIMB ORIENTATION & CLIMB SCHOOL

Day One is an afternoon orientation presented by your RMI guides to prepare you for your upcoming adventure. Day Two is Climb School offering the aspiring mountaineer a comprehensive overview of various techniques that begin to meet the challenges set forth by this magnificent mountain. It serves as a great introduction or as a refresher if you haven’t been in the hills for a while. You will find that our guides are excellent teachers, relaying this information to you in an easy to understand yet comprehensively challenging manner. On this day, you will be introduced to a number of skills, from the simplest techniques of efficient mountain travel (rest-stepping and pressure breathing) through cramponing, roped travel, and ice axe arrest practices.

Day two is an all day Climb School. Participation in the Climbing School is required. During the Climbing School you will be asked to demonstrate that your fitness will allow you to climb safely, and that you are able to perform the new climbing skills proficiently.

Our first priority is the safety of our participants to the best of our ability, and we will continue to assess each team member throughout the course of the school and the summit climb.

ADDITIONAL DETAILS

The hike from Paradise (5,400’) to Camp Muir (10,060’) is nearly 4.5 miles, and will take us most of day 3 as we begin our summit climb. The hike travels through the spectacular alpine zone, which later in the season is bursting with a fantastic flower display, and onto the Muir Snowfield, named after John Muir who climbed the peak in 1888. The Snowfield is climbed for some 3,000 vertical feet, opening up grand vistas of the wooded lowlands and flanking glaciers. Groups typically climb for about an hour and then break for 10 to 15 minutes.

Once at Camp Muir, the climb leader will address the specifics regarding the rest of the climb, including route conditions, food, equipment, clothing recommendations, and any further questions you might have. Accommodations at Muir consist of a small mountain hut with bunks and sleeping pads. The Muir hut is locked during the climb, so items not needed for the summit bid may be left behind.

Early the following morning we don ropes, crampons, helmets, and grab our ice axes. After this alpine start, our teams begin the rising traverse across the Cowlitz Glacier and then ascend the pumiced switchbacks of Cathedral Gap. This allows us to gain the mighty Ingraham Glacier, from which we will then access either the Ingraham Glacier or Disappointment Cleaver routes; the actual route choice will be determined by many factors and will be left to the professional discretion of your guides. The steeper Ingraham Headwall or Disappointment Cleaver will be the physical crux of the route. The remaining slopes and hours are whittled away as we zig and zag through the crevasses of the upper mountain. It is truly a spectacular climb, and one that you are likely to remember for a while to come. As we make our ascent, we climb steadily for one to two hours at a stretch followed by a 10 to 15 minute break.

The summit of Mount Rainier is very spectacular. A large crater dominates the summit, with steam rising out of the cavernous summit vents. The bare ground near the summit, even in the winter, will be warm to the touch. We always hope to cross the quarter-mile wide crater so as to tag the high point on the other side, Columbia Crest, at 14,410 feet, the highest point in Washington. After spending some time on top (depending on the weather), we begin the descent to Camp Muir. This takes about half the time of the ascent, and definitely requires some effort. Once back at Camp Muir, the group will take a break to pack for the hike down to Paradise. Once arriving at Paradise you will be able to check into your rooms and enjoy a great dinner and celebration with our Honorary Chariman Lou Whittaker!

*The duration of the climb depends on many variables including snow conditions, the time of the year, the route conditions, the weather during our climb, the temperature, etc. Those variables often affect our arrival time to Ashford, which might vary dramatically from climb to climb. For this reason we do not recommend scheduling an airline flight before midnight on the last day of your climb.