Emmons Summit Attempt, June 16-17
6/15/12
WA Cascades West Slopes South (Mt Rainier)
12423
16
A friend and I (from Seattle and Olympia) connected with Michael and Christian from Germany, and Shane from Spokane to make an ascent of Rainier via Schurman. Sunshine on Saturday until we were just about to drop from the Inter to the Emmons. Rain got sideways at Schurman while setting up tents. Fun. Moisture management in the tent until weather blew through and two teams attempted summit around 2am. Woke up to clear skies after 5am and prepared for skiing and/or attempting the summit. The other groups reported that the crux snow bridge over a large crevasse below seracs was taken out by a serac collapse. with that info, we skied up to just out of the serac bowling alley (around 11.5k) and had fast, fun turns down to Schurman under amazing and constantly shifting cloudscapes. Packed up as the weather got finicky, and made tracks down the Emmons, then down the Inter glaciers. Freshly waxed and sharpened splitboard seemed to be the perfect instrument of glisse for the day, especially surfing hero slush down the Inter.
Good effort. We watched the weather over the Rainier summit from Fryingpan Glacier and it had a big cloud most of the day. I wonder whether any climbers were getting through after the bridge collapse as I am planning to go up there in a month or so (on foot, not skis).
Thanks for any info.
Thanks for any info.
author=ps44 link=topic=25169.msg106304#msg106304 date=1340229242]
Good effort. We watched the weather over the Rainier summit from Fryingpan Glacier and it had a big cloud most of the day. I wonder whether any climbers were getting through after the bridge collapse as I am planning to go up there in a month or so (on foot, not skis).
Thanks for any info.
Thanks. No one summitted while we were up there. The guided climbers who arrived when we were leaving didn't seem hopeful. Not sure if they summitted. It looked like there were other routes to be found that looked more suitable for booting than skiing on the upper Winthrop (not using the corridor) if you're willing to do some route finding. There might be sketchier routes through/near the seracs at the top of the corridor if you're willing to take on more risk, but it was hard to tell from where we stopped.
I figured I better add to the trip report, as it is my first here on TAY. Here are some pictures from the trip:
1) Looking at Mt. Rainier's Emmons/Interglacier route from the highway the day before we embarked.
2)Our group getting ready to hit the trail from the White River Trailhead.
3) Not even a mile up the trail, we had company...a black bear! Right in the middle of the trail!! Fortunately, he didn't seem to mind us one bit....
1) Looking at Mt. Rainier's Emmons/Interglacier route from the highway the day before we embarked.
2)Our group getting ready to hit the trail from the White River Trailhead.
3) Not even a mile up the trail, we had company...a black bear! Right in the middle of the trail!! Fortunately, he didn't seem to mind us one bit....
Here are some more pictures from the trip:
1)Our group skiing into the Upper Interglacier Basin.
2)Our camp at Camp Shurman.
3)Looking up the Emmons Glacier in the early AM before our attempt to summit.
1)Our group skiing into the Upper Interglacier Basin.
2)Our camp at Camp Shurman.
3)Looking up the Emmons Glacier in the early AM before our attempt to summit.
They just keep a coming....more pictures :D
1)View looking over at the Emmons Glacier, Frying Pan Glacier, and the Cowlitz Chimneys in the early AM, on summit day.
2) Right before we embarked on our skin up, the winds up on Mt. Rainier started to pick up dramatically.
3) Near the crux of the route, with a falling serac blowing out a snow bridge, critical to our attempt on skis, just ahead...
1)View looking over at the Emmons Glacier, Frying Pan Glacier, and the Cowlitz Chimneys in the early AM, on summit day.
2) Right before we embarked on our skin up, the winds up on Mt. Rainier started to pick up dramatically.
3) Near the crux of the route, with a falling serac blowing out a snow bridge, critical to our attempt on skis, just ahead...
And in addition to...here are some more pictures for your viewing pleasure:
1)Skiing the Emmons Glacier
2)More skiing on the mighty Emmons Glacier
3)Last but not least, more skiing on the Emmons Glacier
The snow conditions were a bit icy and crusty, but was pretty skiable with some serious power turns and a good attitude :)
1)Skiing the Emmons Glacier
2)More skiing on the mighty Emmons Glacier
3)Last but not least, more skiing on the Emmons Glacier
The snow conditions were a bit icy and crusty, but was pretty skiable with some serious power turns and a good attitude :)
And finally, 3 more for the road... ;)
1) Michael and Christian skiing the Upper Interglacier Basin
2)Michael and Paul skiing the Lower Interglacier Basin
3) I scared our poor little bear up a tree, on the way down the trail...didn't even notice until Michael told me as he was catching up to me...must have been the huge pack with skis on it.
As this was my first time on Mt. Rainier, I am awed and inspired! I will be back to try it again....soon! Thanks to my new friends for an excellent adventure and good company!
1) Michael and Christian skiing the Upper Interglacier Basin
2)Michael and Paul skiing the Lower Interglacier Basin
3) I scared our poor little bear up a tree, on the way down the trail...didn't even notice until Michael told me as he was catching up to me...must have been the huge pack with skis on it.
As this was my first time on Mt. Rainier, I am awed and inspired! I will be back to try it again....soon! Thanks to my new friends for an excellent adventure and good company!
Thanks for the pics bcjunkie! and the good company to all in attendance!
below are some more pics:
below are some more pics:
Thanks, Graham! Also! Here is 3 more pics that gotta be shown...
1)Graham, Mr. kitted-out and ready for action, tearing up the crazy debris on the way up Interglacier...
2)Me, newby and all, ready for action on summit morning...
3)Splitboard Graham tearing it up in good fashion
1)Graham, Mr. kitted-out and ready for action, tearing up the crazy debris on the way up Interglacier...
2)Me, newby and all, ready for action on summit morning...
3)Splitboard Graham tearing it up in good fashion
Hi Splitboard Graham, hi bcjunkie,
nice trip report and pics. It was a pleasure to be on a trip with you!!!
I do ski mountaineering since quite a few years now, but from you I learned something on skins. It was also very interesting to see the differences in the way the gear used for a particular use case between US and Europe style.
I will provide some more pics as soon as I get them from my SD card.
Mik68
nice trip report and pics. It was a pleasure to be on a trip with you!!!
I do ski mountaineering since quite a few years now, but from you I learned something on skins. It was also very interesting to see the differences in the way the gear used for a particular use case between US and Europe style.
I will provide some more pics as soon as I get them from my SD card.
Mik68
author=bcjunkie link=topic=25169.msg106323#msg106323 date=1340258451]
Thanks, Graham! Also! Here is 3 more pics that gotta be shown...
1)Graham, Mr. kitted-out and ready for action, tearing up the crazy debris on the way up Interglacier...
2)Me, newby and all, ready for action on summit morning...
3)Splitboard Graham tearing it up in good fashion
Thanks for the pics bcjunkie!
author=mik68 link=topic=25169.msg106370#msg106370 date=1340337406]
I do ski mountaineering since quite a few years now, but from you I learned something on skins. It was also very interesting to see the differences in the way the gear used for a particular use case between US and Europe style.
Glad I could teach something! If you can't find skin wax in Munich, let me know and I will mail you some! I wish we'd had more time to discuss the techniques you have been learning based on the research your club does. Is there a website to find that information? I probably will not use pickets for ski mountaineering in the future - I will go euro-style with the ax for a quick anchor, and skis for building strong anchors.
I look forward to seeing your pictures and videos!
-Graham
author=Splitboard Graham link=topic=25169.msg106427#msg106427 date=1340482348]
Glad I could teach something! If you can't find skin wax in Munich, let me know and I will mail you some! I wish we'd had more time to discuss the techniques you have been learning based on the research your club does. Is there a website to find that information? I probably will not use pickets for ski mountaineering in the future - I will go euro-style with the ax for a quick anchor, and skis for building strong anchors.
The club I'm in is the Alpenverein: http://www.alpenverein.de/
Nearly every climber from beginners to pros is in that club. Being in thet club is about 60€ / year, but cheaper accommodation in shelters, insurances in case of alpin related accidents and a monthly magazine are included. In turn we don't know things like climbing passes in Europe at all. Even the best known peaks like Matterhorn and Mont Blanc are free.
Yes there is information about this security research but it's German :-(
http://www.alpenverein.de/Bergsport/Sicherheit/
Being a member is not limited to Germans (except that one has to deal with German language), but I would recommend it if you plan things like the Haute Route. Just give me a message (PM or email) if you need help.
Michael
As a new member to TAY and splitboarding/BC riding in general, just wanted to say it's threads/pics like this that really inspire. Thanks for sharing.
author=peggieh link=topic=25169.msg106493#msg106493 date=1340649038]
OMG that pack looks like it weigh 100 lbs lol.
Yes, pretty close...We all were flirting with at least 60-80 lb packs for that slog!
author=mik68 link=topic=25169.msg106449#msg106449 date=1340547352]
The club I'm in is the Alpenverein: http://www.alpenverein.de/
Nearly every climber from beginners to pros is in that club. Being in thet club is about 60€ / year, but cheaper accommodation in shelters, insurances in case of alpin related accidents and a monthly magazine are included. In turn we don't know things like climbing passes in Europe at all. Even the best known peaks like Matterhorn and Mont Blanc are free.
Yes there is information about this security research but it's German :-(
http://www.alpenverein.de/Bergsport/Sicherheit/
Being a member is not limited to Germans (except that one has to deal with German language), but I would recommend it if you plan things like the Haute Route. Just give me a message (PM or email) if you need help.
Michael
The Austrian Alpine Club (i.e. Alpenverein) has a British section I am not sure if they have any restrictions regarding membership. I agree that the benefits of a membership are quite good, in particular the rescue insurance.
Cheers,
Alex
Thanks, Michael and Alexander... reminds me that the American Alpine Club has rescue insurance, if remember correctly... never got around to signing up for membership. Too bad it doesn't come with free climbing passes!
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