Attempting an unguided Mount Rainier Ascent, any tips?

[Gritter]

I will be headed to Mount Rainier for an attempt at an unguided ascent at the beginning of July. I will be going with 3 of my closest climbing friends who I have hiked with for years. This will be our first attempt on Mount Rainier. We want to try it without a guide to test our skills and team ability. Safety will be our top priority. We realize that climbing unguided increases the risk and reduces the chance of success. We have trained by taking mountaineering classes, getting into shape, and constantly practicing as a team.

Below is a full article about what I am doing to prepare:

http://www.newenglandoutside.com/2012/05/how-i-am-preparing-for-unguided-mount.html

Do you have any tips for a first time Rainier attempt?

-Grant

 

[AOC-1]

You don't mention which route your team is planning to climb. If it's the Disappointment Cleaver or Emmons, it would seem that you are well prepared. Follow the boot track, keep slack out of the rope at all times, get an early start to be off the glacier and back at Camp Muir or Camp Shurman by mid-morning. If you're heading up the DC, make sure you have good compass bearings for the Muir snowfield; it's hard to navigate in a whiteout. Be alert for rockfall from other parties on the cleaver itself. Better yet, try to be the first party so there's no one above you on this section. I've seen a few inexperienced parties take long, out-of-control tumbles descending the Emmons. The climber with the strongest skills should be last on the rope on the way down. Sleeping at Muir and Shurman can be a problem with all the activity and noise - bring earplugs. Have a great trip!

 

[Chugach001]

I agree with AOC. Navigation and crevasse rescue will be your two biggest potential issues. Navigation is fairly easy on the trade routes and if you get lost you can just hunker down until a guided group goes by. I suggest a high level of competence in crevasse rescue, can you quickly rig and use a 6:1 blindfolded? With 4 guys you probably will have 3 rescuers but it's wise to prepare like you won't.

And, patience. I'd build in a day or two to wait out bad weather.

Good luck to you and let us know!!!

 

[Gritter]

You don't mention which route your team is planning to climb. If it's the Disappointment Cleaver or Emmons, it would seem that you are well prepared. Follow the boot track, keep slack out of the rope at all times, get an early start to be off the glacier and back at Camp Muir or Camp Shurman by mid-morning. If you're heading up the DC, make sure you have good compass bearings for the Muir snowfield; it's hard to navigate in a whiteout. Be alert for rockfall from other parties on the cleaver itself. Better yet, try to be the first party so there's no oWne above you on this section. I've seen a few inexperienced parties take long, out-of-control tumbles descending the Emmons. The climber with the strongest skills should be last on the rope on the way down. Sleeping at Muir and Shurman can be a problem with all the activity and noise - bring earplugs. Have a great trip!

AOC - Thank you for the advice! As a first timer, stuff like this is pure gold. Have you been up Rainier a few times? We will be attempting the ascent via the DC route, it seems like the most sensible option considering my group's experience.

 

[Gritter]

I agree with AOC. Navigation and crevasse rescue will be your two biggest potential issues. Navigation is fairly easy on the trade routes and if you get lost you can just hunker down until a guided group goes by. I suggest a high level of competence in crevasse rescue, can you quickly rig and use a 6:1 blindfolded? With 4 guys you probably will have 3 rescuers but it's wise to prepare like you won't.

And, patience. I'd build in a day or two to wait out bad weather.

Good luck to you and let us know!!!

Chugach001 Thanks for your reply! I agree that navi and crevasses will be some of the biggest issues. We have practiced crevasse rescue a bunch of times in Huntington Ravine and at Quincy Quarries. I don't know if I am up the level of doing it blindfolded yet but I can see the value in that. I thinks that how Reinhold Messner used to practice.

 

[jfb]

I've done the DC route unguided back in 1983. You seem to be better prepared than I was, so you'll probably have a great time. The only advice I can think of is to try and do some hikes with early starts. For example, try a midnight ascent of the Thunderbolt Trail with 30lb.packs. Good luck!

 

[Chugach001]

Chugach001 Thanks for your reply! I agree that navi and crevasses will be some of the biggest issues. We have practiced crevasse rescue a bunch of times in Huntington Ravine and at Quincy Quarries. I don't know if I am up the level of doing it blindfolded yet but I can see the value in that. I thinks that how Reinhold Messner used to practice.

In a dark blizzard was always my standard for rope systems. If I could perfect them in those elements I could perfect them anywhere. I got into the practice idling away the hours on forced bivies.

I agree with JFB, I think you'll be fine. You can easily draft guided parties if you want to or not, you'll never be very far out on a limb but can get some distance if you wish. A midnight departure from Muir isn't a bad idea, it will feel great to get to the top of the DC before anyone passes you. You can spend an extra day at Muir acclimatizing and scoping out the traverse to the DC on your rest day then rest up and blast it. Enjoy!

 

[Chip]

Download the entire route before hand to a GPS, even from Paradise to Muir, or wherever. It's easy to get off course, especially in weather. Camping at Muir there's more people/activity. Camping at Ingraham gives you a head start jump on the crowd. Give yourself extra time. With extra time you could do some out and backs and maybe cherry pick your summit attempt. If/when I go again I'd plan probably 5 days on the mountain.

I suggest a high level of competence in crevasse rescue, can you quickly rig and use a 6:1 blindfolded?

I haven't looked, but there must be some pully systems pre-rigged/mechanical available. I could do it at the time under controlled conditions, but in an emergency it'd be nice to be able to whip out something pre-rigged.

 

[hikerbrian]

We realize that climbing unguided increases the risk and reduces the chance of success.

Yes and no. Consider how you define "success" - a good learning experience? A chance to mentally and physically challenge yourself? Real personal growth with respect so self-suficiency? Also, consider how valuable it is that the only people on your rope team will be people you have trained with for years. YOU get to decide exactly what pace you will go at, how frequently you get to take a break, and when you're allowed to take a crap. These things have a material effect on your probability of success. In short, I applaud you for taking it seriously, putting in the necessary time to train, and then going for it.

We went via Emmons-Winthrop in 2004 with a similar level of prep as you describe (on your blog). It was a great experience. Not without adventure, that's for sure, in spite of the fact that it is a trade route. If for some reason you change your planns and decide on E-W, repost and I can give you some specific pointers for that route.

Here are a couple of other points that may or may not be useful to you:

It's common for people to start too fast then burn out. It's less common for people to burn out who go slow and steady. Try for slow and steady. We took a 5 min break every hour, which forced us to eat and hydrate and prevented us from really wearing ourselves out. We went much slower than I've ever gone on a hike, and we still finished in a respectable time.

We packed food and supplies for 5 days on the mountain. We planned to hike in on day one, screw around/acclimatize on the glaciers on day two, summit on day 3, and hike out on day 4. A very reasonable itinerary with plenty of flexibility. And that's exactly how it shook out.

We planned to simply NOT climb if visibility was bad. Of course, one must be prepared if weather moves in while you're high on the mountain, but we planned to wait for a very good weather window in order to minimize risk. This decision is up to you. But if part of your safety system is to be able to follow a trade route, consider the value of good visibility.

Pressure breathe. It's very common to feel a little light-headed at altitude, and pressure-breathing really helped with that.

Hope that helps,
Brian

 

[AOC-1]

AOC - Thank you for the advice! As a first timer, stuff like this is pure gold. Have you been up Rainier a few times? We will be attempting the ascent via the DC route, it seems like the most sensible option considering my group's experience.

Been on Rainier 5 times by 4 different routes. DC route is a good choice and, I think, a more interesting climb than the Emmons. Two more tips that you probably have already: sunscreen, including lip balm with a high SPF number. And go with glacier glasses, not sunglasses. Good luck.

 

[AOC-1]

I haven't looked, but there must be some pully systems pre-rigged/mechanical available. I could do it at the time under controlled conditions, but in an emergency it'd be nice to be able to whip out something pre-rigged.

There are self-ratcheting pulleys designed for gear hauling on big wall climbs, but they are overkill and poorly suited for creveasse rescue IMO. I use a prussic minding pulley like this one:

http://gearx.com/petzl-gemini-prusik-minding-pulley.html

Eliminates the need to have someone stationed at the anchor to keep the prussic knot from getting sucked into the pulley.

 

[Gritter]

Thank you everyone for your in depth responses! Your info has been extremely helpful and your encouragement has reinforced my choice to go unguided! No matter what happens this will be an epic adventure and I look forward to sharing stories when I get back!

 

[Bombadil]

I'd just echo what hikerbrian said--force yourself to stop every 60-90 min for a quick water/snack break (early on this is easy to overlook but later on it gets pretty tough to go an hour straight so slowing down is crucial above 12k when the alt. hits you). I'd plan on the first break being just uphill of Ingraham Flats, but do it before you get to the 90 degree right hand turn (if you visit there in daylight you'll see why). It'll be a long steep push up the cleaver with no place to stop so you'll have to go all the way to the top for a much needed pit stop.

I'd also recommend a small travel sized bottle of sunscreen (SPF 50). Keep that with your lip balm in your pants pocket. Also keep a few snacks in your pants pockets for quick access. After a couple of hours grab some more snacks and restock your pants. Basically you want to reduce the energy barrier so that you can quickly grab a snack and put on sunscreen. Apathy is likely to set in regarding these items so make it as easy to get as possible. It sounds trivial but it really can make a big difference.

Lastly since you're doing the DC route, solo travel up the snowfields is safe. So if you're up there for a few days waiting on the weather and it looks like there might be an upcoming window but you're running low on food or fuel, don't bail on the climb. Just send a single climber down for more food/fuel. I was there for a dayhike on Sunday (only good weather day and had to catch a flight that night), with a light pack you can easily make the round trip journey to the car and back in 5h which I'm sure would be a welcome workout if you've been stuck in the tent for a few days.

As others have said I'm sure you'll do fine, best of luck and enjoy!!
Pat

 

[Gritter]

I'd just echo what hikerbrian said--force yourself to stop every 60-90 min for a quick water/snack break (early on this is easy to overlook but later on it gets pretty tough to go an hour straight so slowing down is crucial above 12k when the alt. hits you). I'd plan on the first break being just uphill of Ingraham Flats, but do it before you get to the 90 degree right hand turn (if you visit there in daylight you'll see why). It'll be a long steep push up the cleaver with no place to stop so you'll have to go all the way to the top for a much needed pit stop.

I'd also recommend a small travel sized bottle of sunscreen (SPF 50). Keep that with your lip balm in your pants pocket. Also keep a few snacks in your pants pockets for quick access. After a couple of hours grab some more snacks and restock your pants. Basically you want to reduce the energy barrier so that you can quickly grab a snack and put on sunscreen. Apathy is likely to set in regarding these items so make it as easy to get as possible. It sounds trivial but it really can make a big difference.

Lastly since you're doing the DC route, solo travel up the snowfields is safe. So if you're up there for a few days waiting on the weather and it looks like there might be an upcoming window but you're running low on food or fuel, don't bail on the climb. Just send a single climber down for more food/fuel. I was there for a dayhike on Sunday (only good weather day and had to catch a flight that night), with a light pack you can easily make the round trip journey to the car and back in 5h which I'm sure would be a welcome workout if you've been stuck in the tent for a few days.

As others have said I'm sure you'll do fine, best of luck and enjoy!!
Pat

Awesome and specific feedback thank you! I will definitely keep this stuff in mind. I have tried to make sure all my jackets and pants have pockets where I can stash snacks for the trip up. I definitely see how having it easily accessible can make all the difference in the world.

 

[Chip]

Gritter, I assume you're familiar with the Blue Bag requirement ? There's facilities at Paradise, above that first real steep stretch and at Muir. Managing/planning your need to use a blue bag is something to keep in mind. Immodium use might be appropriate if you can time everything well on summit day. There are also steam vent caves on the summit you can use/explore, but that's probably not a top priority. We summited the rim (not the actual high point) in a white out/blizzard and a cave was a nice place for a break.