Mt Rainier 7/16-7/20

jasoncapecod

Well-known member
Since Dick Bass wrote Seven Summits , I have been a armchair mountaineer. At the age of almost 52 I decided to get my ass out of that chair.
I signed up to climb the mountain with International Mountain Guides (IMG). I enrolled in the 3.5 day Disappointment Cleaver Route. To some a walk up. If you think 12 miles and almost 9 k vert a walk up.
I arrived 2 days before the climb so I could go on a acclimatization hike to Camp Muir. From the base at Paradise Muir is 4.5 miles and around 4k vert away..
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Made it up in 4.5 hrs which according to local hikers was a great time.
Now on to the climb.
1st day 8 climbers and 4 guides hike to Camp Muir. We spent the night
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Day 2 is spent training and then 1100vert hike to Ingraham Flats.
But first you climb Cathedral Gap a 1000 vertical feet of loose rock with crampons on..This is were it gets interesting.
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Once at Ingraham Flats we go to bed at 5pm and get up at 11:30 for the push to the summit..But first the crux of the climb..Disappointment Cleaver. Another 1200 verts of steep snow and rock. You slip you will probably die..
Well long story short.. I made it to the top of the Cleaver and had to turn around..50mph winds during the climb beat the crap out of me physically and mentally.
Four out to 8 climbers made the summit and all came down saying I made the right decision.
All said and down it was life changing experience...

I have more pics that I will post , for some reason it is not allowing me..
 
Ingraham
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Descending I'm in the middle
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the end
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jasoncapecod":12fate2w said:
Four out to 8 climbers made the summit and all came down saying I made the right decision.

Good decision making, including turning around sometimes, as well as knowing your limits is a huge part of mountaineering. It's not only about making the summit. I've turned around on some big climbs myself.

Nice work in going for it at all.
 
EMSC":qcq71p96 said:
Good decision making, including turning around sometimes, as well as knowing your limits is a huge part of mountaineering.

+1 What he said.
 
Way to get after it! Tell us more about why life changing? Nothing but kudos and respect for your effort even though you fell short of summit. I had the opportunity to climb to the top of Highland Bowl at Aspen Highlands this past winter, but bailed on the full hike and just skied the bottom half of the bowl. It was only ~700 vertical feet, no wind, and much lower elevation than what you attempted. Mentally, in truth, I was defeated before I even started due to lack of self-confidence. Not about the skiing, but about the climbing. I had anxiety that I would get physically exhausted on the climb and not be able to go up, down, or ski out of it. What kind of additional flatlands training did you do before tackling Rainier? How did you handle the altitude?
 
Way to get after it! Tell us more about why life changing? Nothing but kudos and respect for your effort even though you fell short of summit. I had the opportunity to climb to the top of Highland Bowl at Aspen Highlands this past winter, but bailed on the full hike and just skied the bottom half of the bowl. It was only ~700 vertical feet, no wind, and much lower elevation than what you attempted. Mentally, in truth, I was defeated before I even started due to lack of self-confidence. Not about the skiing, but about the climbing. I had anxiety that I would get physically exhausted on the climb and not be able to go up, down, or ski out of it. What kind of additional flatlands training did you do before tackling Rainier? How did you handle the altitude?

The sense of accomplishment and the camaraderie that you develop with strangers, is something that is hard to put into words.
As far as training goes, I run around 12 miles a week or so, hike 2000 vert local hills with 40# on my back. The real kicker is regular regime of T25..
I was lucky,not once did I have any altitude issues. If you stay very hydrated and eat properly , most people will do ok with altitude.

Another thing I found that helps is being comfortable in your own head. You go for hours at a slow pace with just your thoughts..
 
EMSC wrote:Good decision making, including turning around sometimes, as well as knowing your limits is a huge part of mountaineering.



+1 What he said.

not once did I regret my decision nor was I ever look down upon by any climber or guide...The guides kept saying it's about the experience, not the summit..
 
jasoncapecod":22kshqik said:
50mph winds during the climb beat the crap out of me physically and mentally.
That was my issue on Shasta in 2011. Our guide routed us up a leeward exposure from ~11,500 up to 13,000. We had to cross back into the wind to get on top of the West Wall the last 100 feet. The guide had to come and get my pack for that part. We did not climb the last 1,000 vertical to Shasta's summit due to fog and deteriorating weather.
jasoncapecod":22kshqik said:
I was lucky,not once did I have any altitude issues.
Neither did I, in terms of overt symptoms like headache of digestive issues. However I think for the sharp difference between the comfort level at a slow and steady pace vs. the total exhaustion when I had to fight the wind, being at 12,000+ feet was a contributing factor to that.

You had to work much harder than I climbing down all of that vs. skiing down. Also, isn't there some technical climbing with ropes on Rainier? My understanding is that Rainier is not considered as attractive to backcountry skiers as Adams, Hood, Shasta etc. because ropes are required above 10,000 feet due to the heavy glaciation.
 
That was my issue on Shasta in 2011. Our guide routed us up a leeward exposure from ~11,500 up to 13,000. We had to cross back into the wind to get on top of the West Wall the last 100 feet. The guide had to come and get my pack for that part. We did not climb the last 1,000 vertical to Shasta's summit due to fog and deteriorating weather.
The guide wasn't taking my back.. Many a time a well planted ice axe held me to the mountain.
Note the size of the pack..I'm on the far right
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Also, isn't there some technical climbing with ropes on Rainier?
The Park Service will not let you climb un roped above 10k. We crossed many a crevasse , some we even need to cross on ladders.


However I think for the sharp difference between the comfort level at a slow and steady pace vs. the total exhaustion when I had to fight the wind, being at 12,000+ feet was a contributing factor to that.

I totally agree
 
Were they surprised that a guy with a NY accent was such a badass?


Admin":5t32zpxv said:
EMSC":5t32zpxv said:
Good decision making, including turning around sometimes, as well as knowing your limits is a huge part of mountaineering.

+1 What he said.
Admin still beating the Switzerland horse. :lol:
 
jimk":2hh6j8ax said:
Mentally, in truth, I was defeated before I even started due to lack of self-confidence. Not about the skiing, but about the climbing. I had anxiety that I would get physically exhausted on the climb and not be able to go up, down, or ski out of it.
It's often been said that climbing (esp rock climbing) is 80% mental. That aspect can shut you down just as effectively as physical or technical problems.
 
jasoncapecod":q2ionzfu said:
not once did I regret my decision nor was I ever look down upon by any climber or guide...
I've seen that attitude (being looked down upon because you opted out of something) far less in climbing and mountaineering circles than in skiing. Doesn't mean there aren't assholes in those endeavors as well, but it's harder to be a poseur than in skiing imho.

jasoncapecod":q2ionzfu said:
The guides kept saying it's about the experience, not the summit..
There's that whole avoiding death thing, too!
 
jamesdeluxe":3txzfdqg said:
Admin":3txzfdqg said:
EMSC":3txzfdqg said:
Good decision making, including turning around sometimes, as well as knowing your limits is a huge part of mountaineering.

+1 What he said.
Admin still beating the Switzerland horse. :lol:
Um, I didn't think that was any overt reference to the Switzerland thread - it's spot on correct. In fact there was someone that I used to ski and climb with whose lack of mountain sense frustrated and annoyed the hell out of me.
 
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