Straight into the heart of the sun! (Stopping at Mt. Rainer for now)
November 29, 2010 4:17 AM Subscribe
... Climbing Mt. Ranier without a guide?
My buddy 'n' I are ultramarathon runners in good enough shape to run 50 miles reasonably fast without anything too crazy happening. Which is to say, we're not superstars or anything, but we're fit and experienced on treacherous terrain. (We've both done Zane Grey, if you know that race...) I'm a 5.10-ish rock climber, he's a professional tennis instructor.
... so... given that... is it crazy for us to climb Mt. Ranier without a guide after taking a day or two of basic classes? Anyone have experience doing the same?
My buddy 'n' I are ultramarathon runners in good enough shape to run 50 miles reasonably fast without anything too crazy happening. Which is to say, we're not superstars or anything, but we're fit and experienced on treacherous terrain. (We've both done Zane Grey, if you know that race...) I'm a 5.10-ish rock climber, he's a professional tennis instructor.
... so... given that... is it crazy for us to climb Mt. Ranier without a guide after taking a day or two of basic classes? Anyone have experience doing the same?
You seem mostly focused on your levels of fitness, but I'd be far more concerned about your levels of experience in mountaineering. Do you have any significant backpacking experience? Especially in cold weather? Any mountaineering experience?
Highly-Recommended reading before attempting any serious mountaineering:
Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills, which is currently in its 8th edition.
This is THE bible of mountaineering, and if you're planning on doing any serious mountaineering, especially unguided, I recommend you read it cover to cover at least once.
Another thing to note: Ranier is high enough that altitude sickness can be a serious concern. Some of the people who are most likely to suffer from altitude sickness problems are ambitious people in really good shape because they think the fact that they can go hard and fast at sea level means they can do the same in the mountains. Not saying this necessarily applies to you, but when at altitudes above 8000 feet, take it easy. Good fitness is no substitute for taking it slow and getting acclimatized to altitude.
Good luck on your expedition, just remember to take it easy and to get the required knowledge beforehand.
posted by Diplodocus at 4:48 AM on November 29, 2010 [1 favorite]
Highly-Recommended reading before attempting any serious mountaineering:
Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills, which is currently in its 8th edition.
This is THE bible of mountaineering, and if you're planning on doing any serious mountaineering, especially unguided, I recommend you read it cover to cover at least once.
Another thing to note: Ranier is high enough that altitude sickness can be a serious concern. Some of the people who are most likely to suffer from altitude sickness problems are ambitious people in really good shape because they think the fact that they can go hard and fast at sea level means they can do the same in the mountains. Not saying this necessarily applies to you, but when at altitudes above 8000 feet, take it easy. Good fitness is no substitute for taking it slow and getting acclimatized to altitude.
Good luck on your expedition, just remember to take it easy and to get the required knowledge beforehand.
posted by Diplodocus at 4:48 AM on November 29, 2010 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I second everything Diplodocus says. The book is a great resource.
posted by exogenous at 6:23 AM on November 29, 2010
posted by exogenous at 6:23 AM on November 29, 2010
You might want to read over some of the S&R reports (they only go through 2004) - not so much for the OMG Yer Gonna DIE!! aspect of them, but for the descriptions of the terrain, and equipment used by the climbers.
You're a rock climber; have either of you ever done any technical ice climbing? Used crampons? Know how to self-arrest if you start to slide? Rainier's not all that "safe" in the summer; if you're inexperienced, I wouldn't even think of it at this time of year.
posted by rtha at 6:26 AM on November 29, 2010 [1 favorite]
You're a rock climber; have either of you ever done any technical ice climbing? Used crampons? Know how to self-arrest if you start to slide? Rainier's not all that "safe" in the summer; if you're inexperienced, I wouldn't even think of it at this time of year.
posted by rtha at 6:26 AM on November 29, 2010 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I think, like any popular mountain, in the best of conditions two inexperienced climbers would have no trouble. Not taking into account the altitude issues, in peak season with good weather the main route (Disappointment Cleaver) is pretty easy to follow with enough people on it that one would find it easy to get up and down. Have all the gear, know how to travel safely on a glacier, get an early (like, 1:00 AM) start on summit day and get down before it gets too warm on the mountain.
But what if you don't have the best of conditions? You almost certainly won't. You'll be on a vast field of snow and ice for a good chunk of the climb. There are no points of reference. What looks like 100 yards could be half a mile when there are no trees to tell you how far things are. Add a cloud and suddenly you can't tell up from down because everything is white. Add some strong wind and maybe a stumble into a crevasse and now you've got a seriously fucked up situation. How are your route finding skills? How do you find your way down when the whole world is white and you can't see your buddy on the other end of the rope? The route will no doubt be wanded, but all you need is one or two missing wands and you're lost. I mean Lost. Lost of the type where you're 100 yards of route but you might as well be on the moon.
Even the "dog route" has its dangers. There is one part of it they call The Bowling Alley because when the snow gets soft (as it tends to do about mid-morning during the summer) the rocks and ice get loose and tumble down to the glacier below, right past where the route goes. Back in the 1980s Peter Whittaker (son of Lou, who founded RMI, and a world-class mountaineer) lost eleven clients when a section of the glacier broke loose. This is not to scare you so much as to point out that serious shit can happen to anyone at any time.
There is nothing technical on that particular route, but there is glacier travel. If you take the intro class from RMI they'll cover crevasse rescue but it'll assume three or four on a rope. Are you and your buddy going alone? Say one of you falls into a crevasse, the other self-arrests the fall. Now you're on your stomach, ice-axe and crampons the only thing keeping your buddy from falling further into the crevasse. How do you get him out? With a third party, one man can hold him while the other rigs up a pulley to haul him out. With two inexperienced climbers you're going to have a real tough time of it. Yes, there will be other climbers who will come across you and who will help, but one of the things climbers take pride in is being self-sufficient.
Altitude is weird. Everyone seems to be effected by it differently and there's no telling who will do what until you get there. In my (guided) climb (which was part of a five-day seminar, so we had time to acclimatize a bit) some people hardly felt it, one guy keeled over twice on the way to the summit, with most of us in between. I was in reasonably good shape (not marathon good though, you'll probably fair better) and on summit day, above about 12,000 feet, I was nauseous, I had a headache, and just touching food to my tongue sent me into dry heaves. To this day I cannot even look at a Powerbar.
You say you're a 5.10 climber. Is this gym climbing or outdoor lead climbing? If it's lead climbing then you obviously have some skills with rope and other climbing gear. This will help you somewhat but there are additional skills needed for snow and ice travel. Again, they'll teach them in the class but a day or two instruction isn't really much time to practice. You might know how to tie a bowline, but can you do it with mittens on, in the dark, when your hands are half numb? If it's gym climbing, well, then sorry to say but this experience will in no way help you on Rainier.
Have you and your friend ever climbed anything together? What if you're 100 feet from the summit and one of you insists on going down? Are you going to turn around? Knowing your partner is a big part of climbing with someone.
Is this a two-day climb? Will you be staying at Camp Muir or tenting somewhere? Are you familiar with mountain camping? Four friends of mine did the summit on a perfect day only to come back to find their entire camp had blown away while they were gone. They spent the night in a snow trench huddled under a tarp. Are you prepared to not lose your mind if something like that should happen? Would you know to dig a trench in the first place?
I guess what I'm getting at is there is no right or wrong answer to this question. Yes, you could climb Mt. Rainier with very little experience. People do it all the time. By the easiest route it's really nothing but a long uphill slog with a few hazards along the way. On a sunny day in peak season you can follow the well-trod path in the snow all the way to the top and then butt slide most of the way down. The experience comes into play when things aren't 100% perfect. Most days on Rainier, or any mountain, aren't 100% perfect.
Personally, I would suggest spending a season or two climbing smaller mountains, perhaps some with glaciers, learning about cold-weather camping and heat management, and learning how you and your buddy function together as a team in those situations. Rainier is not going to go anywhere any time soon. Unless it erupts, of course.
And if you do go, be safe and be willing to turn back when things aren't going well.
posted by bondcliff at 6:49 AM on November 29, 2010 [10 favorites]
But what if you don't have the best of conditions? You almost certainly won't. You'll be on a vast field of snow and ice for a good chunk of the climb. There are no points of reference. What looks like 100 yards could be half a mile when there are no trees to tell you how far things are. Add a cloud and suddenly you can't tell up from down because everything is white. Add some strong wind and maybe a stumble into a crevasse and now you've got a seriously fucked up situation. How are your route finding skills? How do you find your way down when the whole world is white and you can't see your buddy on the other end of the rope? The route will no doubt be wanded, but all you need is one or two missing wands and you're lost. I mean Lost. Lost of the type where you're 100 yards of route but you might as well be on the moon.
Even the "dog route" has its dangers. There is one part of it they call The Bowling Alley because when the snow gets soft (as it tends to do about mid-morning during the summer) the rocks and ice get loose and tumble down to the glacier below, right past where the route goes. Back in the 1980s Peter Whittaker (son of Lou, who founded RMI, and a world-class mountaineer) lost eleven clients when a section of the glacier broke loose. This is not to scare you so much as to point out that serious shit can happen to anyone at any time.
There is nothing technical on that particular route, but there is glacier travel. If you take the intro class from RMI they'll cover crevasse rescue but it'll assume three or four on a rope. Are you and your buddy going alone? Say one of you falls into a crevasse, the other self-arrests the fall. Now you're on your stomach, ice-axe and crampons the only thing keeping your buddy from falling further into the crevasse. How do you get him out? With a third party, one man can hold him while the other rigs up a pulley to haul him out. With two inexperienced climbers you're going to have a real tough time of it. Yes, there will be other climbers who will come across you and who will help, but one of the things climbers take pride in is being self-sufficient.
Altitude is weird. Everyone seems to be effected by it differently and there's no telling who will do what until you get there. In my (guided) climb (which was part of a five-day seminar, so we had time to acclimatize a bit) some people hardly felt it, one guy keeled over twice on the way to the summit, with most of us in between. I was in reasonably good shape (not marathon good though, you'll probably fair better) and on summit day, above about 12,000 feet, I was nauseous, I had a headache, and just touching food to my tongue sent me into dry heaves. To this day I cannot even look at a Powerbar.
You say you're a 5.10 climber. Is this gym climbing or outdoor lead climbing? If it's lead climbing then you obviously have some skills with rope and other climbing gear. This will help you somewhat but there are additional skills needed for snow and ice travel. Again, they'll teach them in the class but a day or two instruction isn't really much time to practice. You might know how to tie a bowline, but can you do it with mittens on, in the dark, when your hands are half numb? If it's gym climbing, well, then sorry to say but this experience will in no way help you on Rainier.
Have you and your friend ever climbed anything together? What if you're 100 feet from the summit and one of you insists on going down? Are you going to turn around? Knowing your partner is a big part of climbing with someone.
Is this a two-day climb? Will you be staying at Camp Muir or tenting somewhere? Are you familiar with mountain camping? Four friends of mine did the summit on a perfect day only to come back to find their entire camp had blown away while they were gone. They spent the night in a snow trench huddled under a tarp. Are you prepared to not lose your mind if something like that should happen? Would you know to dig a trench in the first place?
I guess what I'm getting at is there is no right or wrong answer to this question. Yes, you could climb Mt. Rainier with very little experience. People do it all the time. By the easiest route it's really nothing but a long uphill slog with a few hazards along the way. On a sunny day in peak season you can follow the well-trod path in the snow all the way to the top and then butt slide most of the way down. The experience comes into play when things aren't 100% perfect. Most days on Rainier, or any mountain, aren't 100% perfect.
Personally, I would suggest spending a season or two climbing smaller mountains, perhaps some with glaciers, learning about cold-weather camping and heat management, and learning how you and your buddy function together as a team in those situations. Rainier is not going to go anywhere any time soon. Unless it erupts, of course.
And if you do go, be safe and be willing to turn back when things aren't going well.
posted by bondcliff at 6:49 AM on November 29, 2010 [10 favorites]
I've summited Mt. Rainier without a professional guide, but my group was led by a few friends with decades of mountaineering experience. If you can find a friend with lots of experience to take you, then go for it.
Two first-time mountaineers shouldn't go alone, though. It's easy to run into conditions that will prevent you from making it to the summit safely. One of the most important things an experienced guide can do that you can't is know when you need to turn back.
posted by mbrubeck at 8:51 AM on November 29, 2010
Two first-time mountaineers shouldn't go alone, though. It's easy to run into conditions that will prevent you from making it to the summit safely. One of the most important things an experienced guide can do that you can't is know when you need to turn back.
posted by mbrubeck at 8:51 AM on November 29, 2010
Have you ever done any high-altitude climbing before?
I think you might be well advised to try Mt. Hood first. You can ride a chair lift up most of the way, so you're only doing the last couple of miles of hiking. But it's the highest couple of miles, and you'll find out just how hard it is to do heavy work at high altitude.
The summit of Mt. Hood is 11,250 feet. The summit of Mt. Rainier is 14,400. The air is even thinner at its peak.
In any case, trying to climb any Cascade stratovolcano this time of year would be suicide.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 10:09 AM on November 29, 2010
I think you might be well advised to try Mt. Hood first. You can ride a chair lift up most of the way, so you're only doing the last couple of miles of hiking. But it's the highest couple of miles, and you'll find out just how hard it is to do heavy work at high altitude.
The summit of Mt. Hood is 11,250 feet. The summit of Mt. Rainier is 14,400. The air is even thinner at its peak.
In any case, trying to climb any Cascade stratovolcano this time of year would be suicide.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 10:09 AM on November 29, 2010
I have a good friend who recently climbed Rainier without anyone particularly experienced guiding things. They just kind of went "Hell yeah, let's go!" He and others developed serious altitude sickness and dehydration when their stupid fucking water froze. My friend also got nasty frostbite in his feet--"I can't really feel my third toe" he said to me three days later; it turns out that he actually removed his boots on the descent because they were ripping up his feet so bad. He wound up okay, but it really, really messed him up for a while. It's not something to be cavalier about.
posted by Skot at 11:41 AM on November 29, 2010
posted by Skot at 11:41 AM on November 29, 2010
I don't know if crazy is the right word.... dumb would certainly be fitting, though. Major respect for your ultramarathon running, but experience in glacier travel at altitude counts much, much more than experience as an ultramarathon runner. bondcliff's response above details most of the issues you probably haven't thought about, and wouldn't until you start learning about mountain climbing and glacier travel.
Please don't do this under the conditions you described above. Go with a guide. Trust me, the money will be well-spent. People who fit a similar description often go missing or get seriously injured in the mountains, and Rainier is no joke.
posted by hootenatty at 4:29 PM on November 29, 2010
Please don't do this under the conditions you described above. Go with a guide. Trust me, the money will be well-spent. People who fit a similar description often go missing or get seriously injured in the mountains, and Rainier is no joke.
posted by hootenatty at 4:29 PM on November 29, 2010
Response by poster: Cool... you guys have given me a lot to think about. It sounds like if we could find a friendly, experienced person to roll with and a bit of experience under our belts, we'll be cool. For what it's worth, the folks on the ultramarathon mailing list said more or less the same thing -- get some experience somewhere easier first, then hit Ranier later without a guide. Seems like good advice. Maybe it is a little ridiculous to have Ranier as a main objective when I could hit all kinds of cool places locally to get a taste for mountaineering.
Just to answer a few questions and clarify a few datapoints for anyone interested:
- Yeah... I've been pretty much an exclusive inside / non-lead climber. I'd classify my skills as beginner-to-intermediate, with a goal of learning lead climbing in the next month or two.
- My buddy and I have never shared a rope... we have, however, run very long distances together and I trust him. We live in area where we can get pretty good pack-carrying experience fairly easily (PHX - we've got Camelback mountain in the neighborhood.) We've also got a number of cool practice mountains relatively close, such as Humphreys up in Flagstaff.
- I'm actually not that worried about altitude. I've run at altitudes over 10,000 ft without too much trouble and been up to 12,000 a bunch of times. I feel it, for sure, but so far, no major problems.
- It's not so much that ultramarathoning / climbing are directly applicable, it's more of a general experience of making somewhat coherent decisions under dubious conditions.
- We'd go during the popular time of year, when there are a lot of other people on the mountain.
- I'm a little reluctant to join a group because it's expensive and we're capable, at least theoretically, of climbing way faster than other people.
- I just ordered "Mountaineering: Freedom of the Hills." Thanks! Totally the type of recommendation I've been looking for. Other resources like that would be totally welcome.
Thanks folks... and if you have other experience either with / without a guide, I'd love to hear it.
posted by ph00dz at 5:48 PM on November 29, 2010
Just to answer a few questions and clarify a few datapoints for anyone interested:
- Yeah... I've been pretty much an exclusive inside / non-lead climber. I'd classify my skills as beginner-to-intermediate, with a goal of learning lead climbing in the next month or two.
- My buddy and I have never shared a rope... we have, however, run very long distances together and I trust him. We live in area where we can get pretty good pack-carrying experience fairly easily (PHX - we've got Camelback mountain in the neighborhood.) We've also got a number of cool practice mountains relatively close, such as Humphreys up in Flagstaff.
- I'm actually not that worried about altitude. I've run at altitudes over 10,000 ft without too much trouble and been up to 12,000 a bunch of times. I feel it, for sure, but so far, no major problems.
- It's not so much that ultramarathoning / climbing are directly applicable, it's more of a general experience of making somewhat coherent decisions under dubious conditions.
- We'd go during the popular time of year, when there are a lot of other people on the mountain.
- I'm a little reluctant to join a group because it's expensive and we're capable, at least theoretically, of climbing way faster than other people.
- I just ordered "Mountaineering: Freedom of the Hills." Thanks! Totally the type of recommendation I've been looking for. Other resources like that would be totally welcome.
Thanks folks... and if you have other experience either with / without a guide, I'd love to hear it.
posted by ph00dz at 5:48 PM on November 29, 2010
- Yeah... I've been pretty much an exclusive inside / non-lead climber.
Yeah, this will in no way help you on Rainier.
- My buddy and I have never shared a rope... we have, however, run very long distances together and I trust him.
That's good. Experience with your partner is key.
We live in area where we can get pretty good pack-carrying experience fairly easily (PHX - we've got Camelback mountain in the neighborhood.)
Carrying a pack uphill for long distances is the single best thing you can do to train for what is essentially a very long uphill climb with a pack. If you can get experience walking in plastic boots and crampons (not front-pointing, but walking uphill) and self-arresting with an ice axe, you should.
- I'm actually not that worried about altitude. I've run at altitudes over 10,000 ft without too much trouble and been up to 12,000 a bunch of times. I feel it, for sure, but so far, no major problems.
It didn't hit most of our group until over 12,000. Sounds like you'll be as good as anyone but don't assume you won't feel it.
- It's not so much that ultramarathoning / climbing are directly applicable, it's more of a general experience of making somewhat coherent decisions under dubious conditions.
Not that I've run any marathons, ultra or otherwise, but a white-out is just about the most insane thing to be in the middle of. It can be a lot of fun if you know where you are and you have your wits about you but it can be scary as shit if you don't. Sometimes you hit both these points in the span of 30 seconds.
- We'd go during the popular time of year, when there are a lot of other people on the mountain.
Just remember, they're all going for the summit too. Don't count on them to help you out. You might be able to find another couple and pair up with them though.
- I'm a little reluctant to join a group because it's expensive and we're capable, at least theoretically, of climbing way faster than other people.
Keep the idea of "fast" out of your head altogether. Slow and steady will get you up Rainier. Learn about rest stepping. The guides would tell us endless tails of hardcore jocks and runners who were left in the dust by an average shmoe who paced himself. They're selling their service, of course, so what else are they gonna say, but you don't want to go fast. You just don't. On Summit day I think we started about 2:00 AM (after a quick breakfast) from our camp at 10,500 and were on top around 9:30 AM or so.
- I just ordered "Mountaineering: Freedom of the Hills." Thanks! Totally the type of recommendation I've been looking for. Other resources like that would be totally welcome.
A good start. It's total climbing porn though so it'll probably just make you want to go all that much more.
Fitness wise I think you'll be fine, though you might want to do more backpacking uphill.
If I were you I'd start befriending some experienced mountaineers and maybe joining them in a season or two after you've done some backpacking with them. A lot of rock climbers are also mountaineers but the two things are very different, especially when you're talking sport or gym climbers.
You're already ahead of most in that you're in good shape and you know how to push yourself. Now find an experienced climber who wants a couple strong guys on his rope and you'll be all set.
posted by bondcliff at 6:52 AM on November 30, 2010
Yeah, this will in no way help you on Rainier.
- My buddy and I have never shared a rope... we have, however, run very long distances together and I trust him.
That's good. Experience with your partner is key.
We live in area where we can get pretty good pack-carrying experience fairly easily (PHX - we've got Camelback mountain in the neighborhood.)
Carrying a pack uphill for long distances is the single best thing you can do to train for what is essentially a very long uphill climb with a pack. If you can get experience walking in plastic boots and crampons (not front-pointing, but walking uphill) and self-arresting with an ice axe, you should.
- I'm actually not that worried about altitude. I've run at altitudes over 10,000 ft without too much trouble and been up to 12,000 a bunch of times. I feel it, for sure, but so far, no major problems.
It didn't hit most of our group until over 12,000. Sounds like you'll be as good as anyone but don't assume you won't feel it.
- It's not so much that ultramarathoning / climbing are directly applicable, it's more of a general experience of making somewhat coherent decisions under dubious conditions.
Not that I've run any marathons, ultra or otherwise, but a white-out is just about the most insane thing to be in the middle of. It can be a lot of fun if you know where you are and you have your wits about you but it can be scary as shit if you don't. Sometimes you hit both these points in the span of 30 seconds.
- We'd go during the popular time of year, when there are a lot of other people on the mountain.
Just remember, they're all going for the summit too. Don't count on them to help you out. You might be able to find another couple and pair up with them though.
- I'm a little reluctant to join a group because it's expensive and we're capable, at least theoretically, of climbing way faster than other people.
Keep the idea of "fast" out of your head altogether. Slow and steady will get you up Rainier. Learn about rest stepping. The guides would tell us endless tails of hardcore jocks and runners who were left in the dust by an average shmoe who paced himself. They're selling their service, of course, so what else are they gonna say, but you don't want to go fast. You just don't. On Summit day I think we started about 2:00 AM (after a quick breakfast) from our camp at 10,500 and were on top around 9:30 AM or so.
- I just ordered "Mountaineering: Freedom of the Hills." Thanks! Totally the type of recommendation I've been looking for. Other resources like that would be totally welcome.
A good start. It's total climbing porn though so it'll probably just make you want to go all that much more.
Fitness wise I think you'll be fine, though you might want to do more backpacking uphill.
If I were you I'd start befriending some experienced mountaineers and maybe joining them in a season or two after you've done some backpacking with them. A lot of rock climbers are also mountaineers but the two things are very different, especially when you're talking sport or gym climbers.
You're already ahead of most in that you're in good shape and you know how to push yourself. Now find an experienced climber who wants a couple strong guys on his rope and you'll be all set.
posted by bondcliff at 6:52 AM on November 30, 2010
Response by poster: Cool, man... thanks for following up, Bondcliff. I totally appreciate it.
For what it's worth, as I started thinking about this based on feedback, I found a local mountaineering club who are -- at least theoretically -- teaching a basic introduction on some of the Arizona mountains in mid-January. That'll give me a chance to find out more about the sport well in advance of any really big climbs. Plus, it's super cheap... Also, the crew responsible for this class climbs at the local rock gym, so anyone I meet there I can pester on into infinity with any questions I have.
Gawd... you want to talk climbing porn, I've been reading The Alpinist. The stories in there are crazy.
posted by ph00dz at 4:42 PM on November 30, 2010
For what it's worth, as I started thinking about this based on feedback, I found a local mountaineering club who are -- at least theoretically -- teaching a basic introduction on some of the Arizona mountains in mid-January. That'll give me a chance to find out more about the sport well in advance of any really big climbs. Plus, it's super cheap... Also, the crew responsible for this class climbs at the local rock gym, so anyone I meet there I can pester on into infinity with any questions I have.
Gawd... you want to talk climbing porn, I've been reading The Alpinist. The stories in there are crazy.
posted by ph00dz at 4:42 PM on November 30, 2010
Best answer: THE hardcore climbing club in the Northwest is the Mazamas.
A bit of trivia: They named themselves after Mount Mazama.
I don't really quite understand why you want to take on Rainier first thing. Maybe you could try South Sister first?
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 12:26 AM on December 1, 2010
A bit of trivia: They named themselves after Mount Mazama.
I don't really quite understand why you want to take on Rainier first thing. Maybe you could try South Sister first?
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 12:26 AM on December 1, 2010
Response by poster: @CP Thanks for that link. Totally makes me miss living in Portland... I mean, street rambles. How cool is that? I might yet take advantage of some of their hikes because that would totally be the best way to investigate these things, but in the meantime, I'm going to try and get my skills up on some of the local mountains.
Ranier is attractive because it's big and it's not particularly technical. Despite all the warnings, etc..., I keep meeting people who have just kinda gone and climbed it. Now, you could argue that's not the best idea, and you'd be right... that said, it's not really a crazy expedition, especially for someone used to dealing with rangers / experienced people out and about. After reading the warnings here, there's no way I'm going to try it without gaining some confidence somewhere else first, but it totally sounds within the realm of "possible" to be ready for something like that in the early summer.
posted by ph00dz at 5:04 PM on December 2, 2010
Ranier is attractive because it's big and it's not particularly technical. Despite all the warnings, etc..., I keep meeting people who have just kinda gone and climbed it. Now, you could argue that's not the best idea, and you'd be right... that said, it's not really a crazy expedition, especially for someone used to dealing with rangers / experienced people out and about. After reading the warnings here, there's no way I'm going to try it without gaining some confidence somewhere else first, but it totally sounds within the realm of "possible" to be ready for something like that in the early summer.
posted by ph00dz at 5:04 PM on December 2, 2010
« Older yes, it is another digital camera question | Where should I meander on the back of a donkey for... Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.
Climbing Permits
Anyone planning to travel on glaciers or above 10,000 feet must obtain a climbing permit which also serves as a wilderness permit.
Registration with a ranger is required unless otherwise indicated at the registration point
Two people / party minimum
Must be at least 18 years old or have written parental permission
Permits are $15.00 per person / climb, or $25.00 annually
Permits available at:
Nisqually Entrance
Jackson Visitor Center
Paradise Ranger Station
Ohanapecosh Ranger Station
White River Wilderness Information Center
Carbon River Ranger Station.
Safe Climbing Practices
Experience -- conditioning climbs on similar glaciated peaks and participation in mountaineering schools are good builders of experience and judgment. Self-rescue and first aid training are helpful.
Leadership -- the climb leader should have knowledge of the ascent and descent routes and be responsible for the team, which includes keeping the party together.
posted by biffa at 4:25 AM on November 29, 2010