This past Labor Day weekend I finished up my guiding season on Mount Rainier. It was a typical year for weather and conditions, sometimes it was cold, windy and snowing and other times there was blazing hot sunshine. Spectacular settings and strong clients will be the dominant memories of the summer.
Crossing a bridge at 12,600 ft above the Disapointment Cleaver. The route needed lots of work this year. Kudos to all of the guide services for providing the muscle to constantly buff out the route.
The Nordwand TL's floating another crack. This boot got me through another season with no cold feet, no blisters and no pain. One of my all-time Mammut favorites, warm, comfy, precise and LIGHT!
Selfie from up high. Rime Pro jacket is great for climates with mixed precip like the Cascades or the North East.
Slogging, fortunately it comes with a rad view.
Summit crater shot from my last summit of the season. Fresh snow in Aug.
Overall, it was a very successful season. This summer the climbing rangers made extra effort to chat with each independant group. They provided useful information about the route conditions and how to operate safely and efficiently up high, because of this, there were very few incidents. Please operate within your abilities, be safe and ENJOY! If you would like info on climbing Rainier, here are a few useful sites.
