This threeday program, via the muir corridordisappointment cleaver on mt. If you are in the area and require emergency or immediate assistance please call 911 or mt. Climbing passes were the little business cardsized vouchers that had been in use since 1995. Above, you see climbers on the muir snowfield closing in on camp muir above. Would like to know whats the best route to take to mt. National park inn is located 6 miles inside the southwest nisqually entrance and paradise inn is located 19 miles inside the entrance. Savor more sweet views before turning around for the return trip, hugging worm flow ridge and retracing your route, back to the trailhead. Remember mount rainier is where everyone trains to climb mt. Gps route or waypoint files these are routes i have actually hiked, except for cho oyu. This journey takes visitors through the eastern edge of mt.
Rainier mountaineering inc rmi grooms this route all season for the thousands of clients they take up mt. Discover the dramatic and rugged beauty of these wilderness areas. If youre reading this blog while planning a climbing trip to mount rainier next season follow these links to view our indepth route briefs on the disappointment cleaver route, the emmonswinthrop glacier route, the kautz glacier route, and liberty ridge. To find the map from seattle to portland via mt rainier national park, start by entering start and end locations in calculator control and select the show map option. Nisqually southwest entrance of mount rainier national park 39000 state route 706 e. Sunday my partner and i climbed ptarmigan ridge from white river over two days. Ingraham glacier or disappointment cleaver route to the mountains summit. Mount rainier standard summit route washington alltrails. The two old park headquarters buildings are now home to the longmire museum of local history. The big payoff here is sunrise point, a turnout with twirlallaround vistas of mount rainier, mount adams and. Map from seattle to portland via mt rainier national park.
Rainier climb is the best introduction to mountaineering. Due to the nature and heavy costs of government and operator permits, alpine ascents international must adhere to a stringent refund policy. As with the rest of the book there is no fluff here. Gps, data, which surveyors can now use to pinpoint elevations with unprecedented.
There are 25 large named glaciers on mount rainier, including the. I am focusing on the muir route disappointment cleaver and the emmonswinthrop since they. Rainier from redmond and from mt rainier to seatac i plan to spend one nite in ashford and drive back the next day to seatac. For example, during the last ice age, from about 25,000 to about 15,000 years ago, glaciers covered most of the area now within the boundaries of mount rainier national park and extended to. The route crests the craters crescentshaped rim, on a clear day revealing dramatic views of spirit lake and mount rainier. This guidebook, written for experienced mountain climbers, offers detailed information on nearly fifty routes. The size of glaciers on mount rainier has fluctuated significantly in the past. It is the southeast side of rainier which would be lower left on this map.
Maps of park and vicinity the park map of mount rainier national park from the park brochure in several formats, along with some trail maps from wayside exhibits. Two years after hurricaneforce winds and rain ravaged hundreds of miles of trail in mt. Mount rainier 14,411 feet is the highest peak in washington, and 5th highest in the conterminous usa. The steeper section of the route is longer in length than on the kautz climb, but about the same in technical difficulty.
Mount rainier national park is open yearround, and a wintertime visit can be just as fun as spring, summer, or fall, especially when it comes to playing in the snow. I am focusing on the muir route disappointment cleaver and the emmonswinthrop since they are used by over 90% of rainier climbers and the ones i did in 2004 with 8 friends using rmi and 2012 and 2015 with friends on our own. I cant tell you how many people have come to me about climbing mount rainier now that i have. Rainier climb and mountaineering course is right for you. Much like the disappointment cleaver and emmonswinthrop, the. A mount rainier pass is available for purchase and is good for one year. Rainierself drive vs tour seattle forum tripadvisor. Alpine ascents international highly recommends trip cancellation insurance for all programs. The combination of high altitude, variety of routes, and unpredictable northwest weather make climbing mt. Unless climbing big mountains is what you do on a regular basis these are the guys you need to call. John and olivia race have a combined 40 years experience guiding climbers to the summit of washingtons mt.
There are generally no technical sections, crevasses are well marked, and the steepest portion on the disappoinment cleaver dc has fixed ropes. Look inside for descriptions of seasonal activities, current events and facility hours. Rainier, the most extensively glaciated mountain in the continental united states, rises 14,410 above the nearby pacific and offers limitless mountaineering possibilities. A climbing guide, 3rd edition mountaineers books by mike gauthier. Rainier gondola were offering all the tools you need to make your next trip to the mountain a reality. See the table below for the full descriptions of routes and their approaches. The most commonlyclimbed route is the disappointment cleaver from the paradise parking lot, via camp muir and ingraham glacier. East on sr 706 through ashford to the nisqually entrance.
Youll start low, in an old growth forest, working your way up valley to tree line and meadows. This is a page from the online guidebook, skiing the cascade volcanoes, a part of amar. The trail offers a number of activity options and is accessible yearround. North cascades mountain guides is among the few companies fortunate enough to be allowed to guide trips to the summit of mount rainier. Rainier is considered one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world, and. Udf packet writing software for direct writing to cd. Mount rainier national park description go northwest. The approach on mt rainier, depends on which route you take. Rainier national park and along two of washingtons most beloved scenic byways, the chinook byway and the white pass scenic byway. Mount rainier also known as tahoma or tacoma, is a large active stratovolcano in the. Rainier climbing guides north cascades mountain guides. Called the dc route, this is the most popular route to the summit of. Rainier national park, the true damage is finally becoming clear.
These trips are low ratio, small group expeditions led by some of the most experienced guides in the business. Climb rainier muir mt rainier 3 day muir climb alpine ascents. I am focusing on the muir route disappointment cleaver and the emmons winthrop since they. This program is a must for all prospective denali climbers. Jackson memorial visitor center i1 youll find extremely informative exhibits on the history, geology, flora and fauna of mount rainier. Travel guide to washingtons mount rainier national park. Cellular reception is available now at most places above.
Lahars, or volcanic mudflows, are rapidly flowing slurries of mud and boulders that destroy or bury most manmade structures in their paths. Disappointment cleaver route guide national park service. On march 2, 1899 president william mckinley authorized the creation of mount rainier national park protecting 235,625 acres, including over 35 square miles of glaciers blanketing the mountain. The vicinity map of mount rainier vicinity showing highways and communities near the park. A new climbing fee payment system is now in effect. Parties who have strayed even a few hundred feet off route have ended up hurt or killed in avalanches, or over cliffs. Rainier is arguably the best alpine climb in the us lower 48 states. Rainier in washington, usa, including liberty cap, many. On peaks like rainier and hood the route can change year to year due to snow conditions, so other than the start and summit points the route may vary.
I can t tell you how many people have come to me about climbing mount rainier now that i have. The mount rainier national park tahoma news is printed each winter, spring, summer and fall. Everything to know about mount rainier national park. Rainier summit climbs and courses with international. The normal route to the summit of mount rainier is the disappointment. Head west along the rim to the true summit, a 14 mile away at 8,363 feet. Best drives around mount rainier the seattle times.
Quality route descriptions already exist so this is more of a conditions update than anything as well as some thoughts that i. There are many easy hikes on paved paths that will bring you in what feels like an arms length away from the peak. Some of the gentler routes can take hikers way up the snowfields to camp muir. Continue through the nisqually entrance of mount rainier national park. Mount rainier national park description of the park. Mount rainier national park has great road access from all directions in the summer, however many of the roads are closed in the winter. Rainier guest services, llc is the authorized concessioner for food, lodging and retail in mount rainier national park. The mount rainier night sky map 350 kb shows how mount rainier national parks dark skies compare to locations in seattle, tacoma, yakima, and throughout the puget sound region. Our plan is to drive there ourself, but the thought of a tour interests me. Click on the link below to read the most recent edition online or receive a printed copy when you arrive at. We took the disappointment cleaver route on the right west side of the mountain in 2004 and the emmonswinthrop glacier route in 2012. Now baker is a big mountain, and at almost 11,000 feet, it is not immune to. There are many great routes on rainier, and any ascent is a true classic. The mountain can be approached from all sides, but we have chosen the paradise camp muir ingraham direct approach, which is by far the most popular approach on mt rainier.
This program is only for those with prior alpine climbing experience looking for a more challenging route and skills training on mt. It seems like there are sill a lot of snow in the area. This page contains photos, route descriptions, and other information about ski mountaineering on mount rainier 14411 ft 4392 m in the cascade range of washington. Find all the necessary information on climbing the rainier s famed glaciers including logistics, regulations. Mt rainier 3d print map mt rainier washington mappery. You can see the distance from seattle to portland via mt rainier national park. The inner glacier has few crevasses so not everyone ropes up for it. The essentials guide fred beckey, alex van steen on. Together they have guided almost 250 groups to the summit of mt. The flat floor of the puyallup river valley near orting, washington, is formed by deposits of the 500yearold electron lahar, which surged down from mount rainier in background. Soon youll be above the vegetation zone on a moraine, getting ready to step onto the inner glacier. Witness oldgrowth rain forests, waterfalls and impressive vistas along this beautiful drive.
Mount rainier is the highest peak in the state of washington and is. Our schedule can save you up to two hotel nights, since our trips do not leave. I the picture above above while flying into seattle in 2004. Mount rainier national park is located in the westcentral portion of washington state and is about 23 hours from seattle, tacoma, yakima and portland. There are 25 large named glaciers on mount rainier, including the enormous. I guess the cd is mount rainer because the first line in the message is. Tacoma branch seattle program center seattle program center bookstore tacoma. Printed highresolution mount rainier map posters and other products are available at the mount rainier maps store. Participate in one of the many rangerled programs andor get hiking information on trails for every endurance level.
Mount rainier route conditions august 5, 2010 youtube. Mt rainier is the highest peak in washington state. Mount rainierdisappointment cleaver the mountaineers. Check out the current route conditions on mount rainier as whittaker mountaineering owner, peter whittaker, descends the mountain from the summit to camp muir. This means that you can save files from any application onto the cdrw. In both climbs, we wanted a more personal experience without the structure and time pressure of a commercial program.
If you would like more information, contact mount rainier climbing rangers at 360 5696641. Begin this mountain adventure in the mountain community of ashford located on state route 706. This could vary slightly from the list below depending on the route, guide personal preferences. Gibraltar ledges and disappointment cleaver routes out of camp muir. Rainier in washington, usa, including liberty cap, many glaciers, and little tahoma peak.