I want to summit rainier.

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - I want to summit rainier.

Posted: 12/4/2007 9:23:39 PM EDT

I have only regular hiking experience in AZ.

What do I need to do to accomplish this? How much money/skill/etc?

Posted: 12/4/2007 9:25:25 PM EDT

[#1]

Helo?

Posted: 12/4/2007 9:32:43 PM EDT

[#2]

with my legs.

Posted: 12/4/2007 9:35:55 PM EDT

[#3]

You can pay a bunch of money to a guide service to get you up there:

http://www.rmiguides.com/rainier/summit_climbs_4day.html

http://www.mountainguides.com/rainier-programs.shtml

Posted: 12/4/2007 9:35:56 PM EDT

[#4]

Depending upon time of year, route, etc, the climb can be either fairly difficult and technical, or a really long uphill walk that anyone in good shape can handle.

Most of the guide services provide basic instruction in all of the required mountaineering technique, then it's a long steep slog over ridge after ridge, until there you are. The biggest issue for some people can be the altitude.

Of course, it's been many years since I've done it. Before St Helens blew its top, which was our yearly warm up climb in May.

Posted: 12/4/2007 9:38:00 PM EDT

[#5]

www.rmiguides.com/rainier/programs.html

Posted: 12/4/2007 9:43:36 PM EDT

[#6]

Last climb was on the Kautz Glacier route, unbelieveable views, shear glacier cliffs, deep blue crevasses. Truly spectacular.

Only did the climb with my normal climbing partners, never have used on of the guide services.

Posted: 12/4/2007 9:46:49 PM EDT

[#7]

Quoted:
Last climb was on the Kautz Glacier route, unbelieveable views, shear glacier cliffs, deep blue crevasses. Truly spectacular.

Only did the climb with my normal climbing partners, never have used on of the guide services.

Is it a 'technical' climb?

I don't want to use a guide service (cause it's too expensive).
But I also don't want to die, and I have zero experience.

I am a mule, I'll go forever. But I want to be semi-smart about it (mitigate the risks as much as my budget/mind will let me).

Posted: 12/4/2007 9:49:53 PM EDT

[#8]

Quoted:
Depending upon time of year, route, etc, the climb can be either fairly difficult and technical, or a really long uphill walk that anyone in good shape can handle.

I'd prefer this, just because I don't have the time or money to invest in "learning" and "equipping" a new hobby (climbing).

Posted: 12/4/2007 10:21:52 PM EDT

[#9]

Solo climbs are very dangerous even for experienced climbers, you should have a partner for any climb that crosses a glacier or snow field.

My brother and I climbed most of the cascade peaks, but we still practiced fall and arrest at the beginning of every climb.

I would reccomend at least a climbing class, they did not used to be expensive but I don't know what the current prices are.

Posted: 12/4/2007 10:28:47 PM EDT

[#10]

Go in August/September next year if you do not want to use a guide service. Between Paradise and Camp Muir (10000 ft) you should be able to use sneakers or light hiking boots at that point in the year. I used to work for Lou Whittaker and RMI.

Posted: 12/5/2007 8:48:55 AM EDT

[#11]

Rainer is a life taker. (Ok, Californians that wear sweatshirts but still)

Wait until summer.

Climb Hood, Adams, Old Snowy, or St. Helens first.

Posted: 12/5/2007 10:00:47 AM EDT

[#12]

I took a combo class and guided trip up Hood a few years ago. I have a ton of bigwall experience from my days in Yosemite but up to that point I had very little mountain experience. IMHO, if you have very little experience at something like this, take a class. If nothing else, you might be able to help someone else out of a jam if they fuck up. Altitude is nothing to screw with and people die on Hood and Rainier every year. A co-worker lost her son and husband on Hood about 10 years ago because they were noobs and started up around 6am and tried to come down in the late afternoon around 6pm when the snow turned to slurpee. They fell, tried to self-arrest and couldn't stop. The bodies are still up there..

Posted: 12/5/2007 10:15:32 AM EDT

[#13]

I did it in 1984 because my 12 year old shamed me into it. Nice trip in the summer, and the view is outstanding.

Posted: 12/5/2007 10:35:48 AM EDT

[#14]

Quoted:
I did it in 1984 because my 12 year old shamed me into it. Nice trip in the summer, and the view is outstanding.

I think I was still pooping my pants back in '84!

Posted: 12/5/2007 11:06:13 AM EDT

[#15]

Quoted:

Quoted:
I did it in 1984 because my 12 year old shamed me into it. Nice trip in the summer, and the view is outstanding.

I think I was still pooping my pants back in '84!

You probably still do drinking that wanna be beer coors lite.

Posted: 12/5/2007 11:21:46 AM EDT

[#16]

Quoted:

Quoted:
I did it in 1984 because my 12 year old shamed me into it. Nice trip in the summer, and the view is outstanding.

I think I was still pooping my pants back in '84!

You probably still do drinking that wanna be beer coors lite.

Piss myself maybe! That stuff flows through you faster than water!

Posted: 12/5/2007 11:40:58 AM EDT

[#17]

If you don't know what you are doing you should hire a guide. Mt. Rainier is not to be messed with -- it is considered good practice for Everest, if that gives you any idea. Make sure you are in good shape, have good equipment, training and climbing partners.

This website seems to have a nice FAQ

Good Luck!

Posted: 12/5/2007 12:14:58 PM EDT

[#18]

Quoted:

Quoted:
I did it in 1984 because my 12 year old shamed me into it. Nice trip in the summer, and the view is outstanding.

I think I was still pooping my pants back in '84!

Dino poops his pants now. It's the circle of life, simba.

Posted: 12/5/2007 12:38:46 PM EDT

[#19]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Last climb was on the Kautz Glacier route, unbelieveable views, shear glacier cliffs, deep blue crevasses. Truly spectacular.

Only did the climb with my normal climbing partners, never have used on of the guide services.

Is it a 'technical' climb?

I don't want to use a guide service (cause it's too expensive).
But I also don't want to die, and I have zero experience.

I am a mule, I'll go forever. But I want to be semi-smart about it (mitigate the risks as much as my budget/mind will let me).

It is not a technical climb in the sense that you will be scaling cliffs, using chocks and nuts and ascenders and descenders, and so forth. At least, it doesn't have to be. Mostly snow and ice, cold, wind, altitude, and such. Which does not make it a stroll in the park--mare of a challenge than Fuji, say, but not like K2 or El Capitan, either.

If you have zero experience, the park rangers will almost certainly try to convince to go practice somewhere else, possibly even with a guide.

Posted: 12/5/2007 3:26:36 PM EDT

[#20]

Guide services are a good way to go. RMI is one of em, but I would recommend one of the others. Especially, if you can go up the Emmons route. Solo climbing is a no go without permission from the climbing rangers and I can tell you that you won't get permission. Going with experienced friends is the best way to go. Start conditioning now. Lots of cardio. Mt. Adams, the South Spur route is a good non technical (no crevasses) climb. You will hear people say that Rainier is a long walk up and it is not very technical. Some routes can be. Then again, those same routes can turn to bad ju-ju due to weather, avalanche conditions, route conditions. YOU DON"T WANT TO SCREW AROUND ON RAINIER!! Trust me, I have lost friends on Rainier and have spent A LOT of time there. Check out The Mt. Rainier Climbing Guide (may not be the correct title) by Mike Gauthier. He is the lead climbing ranger up there and knows the mountian. His website has some good info www.mountrainierclimbing.blogspot.com. Another good book just about general Rainier stuff is, The Measure of a Mountain, by Bruce Barcott. Feel free to send me a message if you want more info.

Posted: 12/5/2007 3:35:20 PM EDT

[#21]

Quoted:

Quoted:
I did it in 1984 because my 12 year old shamed me into it. Nice trip in the summer, and the view is outstanding.

I think I was still pooping my pants back in '84!

Dino poops his pants now. It's the circle of life, simba.

Posted: 12/5/2007 7:00:15 PM EDT

[#22]

Quoted:
If you don't know what you are doing you should hire a guide. Mt. Rainier is not to be messed with -- it is considered good practice for Everest, if that gives you any idea. Make sure you are in good shape, have good equipment, training and climbing partners.

This website seems to have a nice FAQ

Good Luck! + 1 I have a cousin who is going to Everest this spring. He started with
a small mountain then Kilimanjaro then Rainier to get ready for Everest.

Posted: 12/5/2007 9:30:42 PM EDT

[#23]

You know, you might also consider just climbing Mt. St. Helens. How often do you get to climb to the rim of an active volcano? It's a humbling experience to stand on the lip of that crater and stare down into the steaming, rumbling maw of the volcano.

It's not a technical climb; you can pretty much just grunt your way up there. Go when there's snow on the mountain because climbing on loose ash can get tiring.