Climbing Mt. Rainier

I set out from Bend, Oregon, this past Wednesday morning and began the five hour commute up to Ashford, Washington. The whole time I was driving, I fretted about the weather. Rainier, like most big peaks, is known for unpredictable and rapid changes in its atmospheric attitude. Looking back on my experience, I feel like I cheated a little: We summited with cloudless skies and mellow winds. For many climbers, the weather is an obstacle to surmount not unlike the glaciers and vert that make Rainier the challenge that it is.

When I pulled into Ashford I was thinking about all of the climbing legends who’ve been through this place: Ed Viesturs, Mark Twight, Jim, Lou, and Pete Whittaker, among many more. Rainier is a test piece. It’s the place where countless climbing careers begin, and some tragically end. As Twight says “the mountains have teeth.” One of the worst accidents in US mountaineering history happened right here in 1981, where 11 people were killed when the Ingraham Icefall fractured and avalanched down the glacier. It was the very same route we’d be attempting.

My friends and I went with the four-day climb through RMI (Rainier Mountaineering Inc.), which dates back to 1969 and was one of the first guide services operating in the vicinity.

#climbing #mountaineering #outdoors #rainier #sports #adventure

License code: 9IVKCMGYJXZNZTCH

Thumbnail photo by Lucas Davies on Unsplash

[nickrrob]

A few folks have been asking which gear didn’t pass the RMI check: Brent advised that we go with full length zips on the rain pants, as an example. I had 3/4 zips which are very difficult to delayer over boots and crampons. My "heavy" gloves were also not insulating enough. I also brought a summit pack which Brent told me to leave in the hotel room 😂

[sirdudeness]

This is the best documentation of a Rainier climb I’ve watch. No annoying YouTube music and great narrating.

[atticusfinch]

For those who’ve never been to rainier, it’s hard to understand the gravity of this climb, I remember straddling the side of one of the paths around the paradise area And looking up at all of the lights of the climbers and what looked like little fires blending in with the stars in the night sky. Going to rainier is like entering an oil painting.

[Pharmerlynda]

Awesome video, I’m about to go up in the next few days. My first time was with RMI. Only advice i have is Alpine ascents does their skills training up high which gives you more time to acclimatize. You practice on the cowlitz glacier above camp Muir. I’ve tried this twice before and weather screwed us and various points. To anyone who wants to do this last week in July and first week in august IS the best bet for summit.

[geodude]

That was quite incredible. Thanks for making this for us who want to live that vicariously.

[scottbeutler]

Having a go at it tomorrow. Getting excited and a bit nervous. I did Mt. Baker about a month ago in some harsh weather. Got up at 11:30pm to climb, got back to the car at 11:00pm. It was brutal!

[cinupina]

Thank you for posting this beautifully edited video. It looks like my trip with RMI overlapped with yours. I summitted on June 2, and the group was led by Dave Hahn. I can't tell what date yours was, but my grey pack and white/red helmet are there in the video at 3:18.

[patsalas]

Really nice video...I worked 2 summers (1969 and1970) at the national park inn at Longmire....Lou Whitaker used to come into the inn often . He had just started the climbing school.❤

[YetiAdventure]

Incredibley well put together and detailed work here Nick. This is one of the best Rainier films we've seen on here. Congrats on your summit!

[crsasoccerchamp]

Awesome video! I was there with Brent and the RMI team the week just before and you captured a nice shot of the platform I dug and tent I set up and stayed in at 4:45! Definitely quieter at night than sleeping in the bunkhouse :)

[haplesstoad]

Excellent video and narration thank you! I actually jumped when you were describing not being able to see the bottom of the crevasse just as your crampon was loudly scraping across the ice. 😂

[leohoedl]

Thanks for letting me live vicariously through this video. I have attempted Rainier twice and both times had to turn around due to weather. Just got back from Ashford today after the second attempt and was feeling bummed about it. Watching this made me feel a bit better though. Third times the charm.

[GootermonteJournal]

Going to go climb with my friend after we graduate high school

[nickrobinson]

Great video man. Straightforward. Clear. No fluff. Good quality audio/video. Thank you.

[MrCbrehaut]

Nice video. Congratulations.

I did it in two days on June 30/July 1 with my five friends. It is a very tiring trek back down to the car. We only had 3 hours of sleep at Muir the day before.

[UnmannedExplorations]

Going for a summit attempt with Alpine Ascents starting late May. I hope weather can hold out for us for sure! Great video!

[sweeabn]

I think this is the best of these videos for Rainier. :)

[comeconcon]

Mt Tahoma as native Americans used to call the volcano. a lot of climbers have lost their lives trying to reach its summit when they miss/lose their footing.

[HomeGypsy]

My daughter’s doing a 5k this week on the lower flanks of Rainier. I thought I’d send her this (after watching it) to let her see how it was so recently to climb to the summit! I can’t even imagine how it would be to cross those crevasses by flashlight! Thanks for sharing!
From Albuquerque
🌶🐈🌶

[CowboyGoose]

I live in Ashford. This was such a cool little video to watch😊