Trip Reports - 8/12/98 Mount Rainier, Washington
 Enlarge photo of Mount Rainier
My Rainier Climb
by Wayne Busch
 August 12th, 1998, I stood atop Mt Rainier, Washington.
While no great event in the annals of mountaineering, it was nonetheless
a great achievement for me. I first visited the mountain in 1991,
backpacking on the Wonderland
Trail. I became possessed with a desire to go to the top, just
to see what it was like up there. Returning to Florida, I came to
realize it would be no easy quest. My plan was start small, and
work up to the challenge - I would first learn to climb rocks,
then move on to mountains. In the seven years since my first visit
to the mountain, I have learned the mechanics of climbing bigger
and more challenging rock climbs. I've climbed in 17 states, visited
places indescribably spectacular, and formed some very deep friendships
with the partners with whom we entrust our lives.
 See
larger photo of the lodge
I did not climb alone. In fact, if not for the urging of my mother,
I may never have achieved this climb. She too had felt the pull
of the mountain, a passion to go up there, and was going
to give it a try. I couldn't let my mother best me, so I had to
go with her. I brought someone else along as well. Jimmy Franco
had spent a miserable week on Rainier one January attempting to
summit in the depths of winter. It opened his eyes to the harsh
world that exists at these altitudes and tempered plans for a climb
of Denali in
Alaska. Cancer took him before he was able to return. It was my
great honor to carry my friends ashes to the summit with me and
leave him to rest there - ( Go to Jimmy
Franco's memorial page ).
 View larger photo of Mom and
Wayne
Our climbing experience began on Monday with our initiation
to the world of mountaineering with RMI's one day mountain skills
course. Rainier Mountaineering
Inc is the principal guide service on the mountain, operating
out of Paradise. We learned to put on crampons, climb with them,
how to arrest a combination of falls with our ice axe, and how to
travel as a roped team. We both passed school, ate a good dinner,
had a couple at the bar, then went to the room to load our packs.
We are to meet at the Summit Hut at 9 a.m. Tuesday morning.
 Show larger image
of group hike
It took about 5 hours to hike from Paradise (5400 ft) up
the Muir Snowfield to Camp Muir at 10,000 ft. The weather was
warm, clear, and calm giving us great views of the mountain above,
the glaciers to our side, and the mountains on the horizon behind.
We are above the clouds, the buildings below grow smaller
and smaller. For a while there is nothing but snow all around.
The the tiny square buildings of Camp Muir appear at the base
of the Cowlitz Cleaver. Then they dissapear as the the terrain
dips and rises above us. The evening is clear, sunny and beautiful
when we arrive at the bunkhouse. We eat dinner then retire to
our sleeping bags to get what rest we can.
 Enlarge photo
of Camp Muir
There are "accommodations" for 21 persons to sleep in
the hut at Camp Muir. You get a foam sleeping pad, and enough room
to lay on it. We ended up on a top bunk near the ladder. Hot water
is available for the evening meal and breakfast, a real luxury.
Be sure to bring ear plugs if you hope to get any rest.
 See larger view
of Mom
We were awakened a little past midnight, and instructed on what
clothing to wear and how to pack our gear. It was a warm, clear
night, the peak of the Persied
meteor shower. Dressing lightly, I grabbed a quick bowl of cereal,
loaded my pack, strapped on my crampons, and joined my rope team.
We would remain roped together until our return.
 View larger image
of Wayne
Scrambling down the rocks above the camp put us on the
Cowlitz Glacier. It was only a few steps before I saw the first
crevasse in my headlamp. There would be many more, some big enough
to have to hop across, plenty big enough to fall into. The moon
was several days past full, but bright moonlight on the snow was
enough to show the way without a lamp. Once across the great ice
flat, we started up the the cleaver of rock to Cadaver Gap. It was
tricky going, climbing the loose scree and rocks in crampons, in
darkness. Then we passed to the other side and out onto the Ingraham
ice flat at 11,000 ft. We took our first break here. The lead guide
explained that the next section above would be the longest and toughest.
My mother, and three others, chose to return to Muir. Teams were
reformed, and we set off for Dissapointment Cleaver.
This next section departed from the flat section of
the Ingraham Glacier into the jumble of giant seracs and crevasses
at the base of the steep section of the glacier above. We traversed
left and upward to gain the base of Dissapointment Cleaver.
It was a long, slippery, steep climb up the spine of the formation
with lots of loose and falling rock. Then up a series of steep switchbacks
on the snow to finally get a break. It took about an hour and a
half to get through this section. From here to the summit we would
encounter a series of long traverses up the smooth steep snowfields
which continue to the summit.
 See larger image
of high traverse
The terrain was easier now, thought the effects of altitude
were becoming more pronounced. I was suffering no ill effects thanks
to vigorous pressure breathing, though others were starting to get
the headaches and nausea that altitude can induce. The sun had come
up while we were on Dissapointment Cleaver painting the snow brilliant
pink, then yellow, then blazing white. It warmed considerably once
the sun rose a bit, and the snow became more slushy. One foot in
front of the other up the steep snowfields until finally the crater
came into view..
 View bigger image
of resting climbers
We arrived at the summit crater around 8:30 a.m. The true summit
of Mt. Rainier, Columbia Crest, lies across the bowl on the hill
behind us. Most of the climbers were too exhausted to make the 15
minute walk across and sign the register.
 Enlarge Wayne's
summit photo
Yep, that's me at the summit, Columbia Crest. It was
warm, clear and calm. I could see Seattle to the west. Mt. Baker, Mt Hood,
Mt.
St. Helens, Mt.
Adams, and Mt.
Jefferson were all clearly viewed.
 View larger photo
of us waiting
Our descent was delayed by the necessity of a detour
around a crevasse. We'd jumped it on the way up, but it was larger
now, and the guides fixed ropes and built a new section of trail
up and around the end of the great fissure. Beyond it came the descent
of the snowfield above Dissapointment Cleaver. It was hot now, the
slushy snow provided little bite for the crampons. As the last man
of our team of six stepped onto the rock ledge of the cleaver, a
3 x 5 foot boulder roared down the trail we'd just come off of and
implanted in the snow next to us. The pace quickened.
Mom had spent the morning at Camp Muir. We paused here
to gather our remaining gear, get rehydrated, and bit to eat. Down
the snowfield, onto the trail, and back to Paradise. If felt good
to get out of those plastic climbing boots. We celebrated with a
beer in the Glacier Lounge, a hot shower, a meal in the dining room,
and a comfortable bed. Good climb! What's next?
Go to Jimmy Franco's memorial page
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Enlarge photo of Mount Rainier
View larger photo of Mom and
Wayne
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of group hike
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of Camp Muir
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of Mom
View larger image
of Wayne
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of high traverse
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of resting climbers
Enlarge Wayne's
summit photo
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of us waiting