 |
| Sunrise behind Little Tahoma |
There are a number of common mistakes that climbing parties repeat over the years. Some of them aren't so obvious - lack of proper physical training, essential equipment and knowledge of how to use it, and of course, not checking and/or heeding the weather forecast. There's a common thread between all of them that can be linked back to the number one principle of Leave No Trace: Proper Prior Planning. Here's four tips to help you plan for your adventure on Mount Rainier and hopefully avoid some of these common pitfalls.
First Tip: Check the weather before you head into the field to make sure you are prepared appropriately for the conditions or if you're objectives are even feasible. If you don't want to consider a change in your itinerary, consider changing your objectives - a stormy weekend could be perfect for practicing navigation with a new app or crevasse rescue skills, but probably not a summit attempt.
Second Tip: With the hottest month in human history just behind us and more high pressure on the way, heat exhaustion has been common issue this summer. Consider carrying more water than you normally would on a climb. Have a stove to melt snow on the upper mountain. And even if you are drinking a lot of water, it might not be enough to hydrate and fuel you. Consider electrolyte drinks/tablets and make sure you snack regularly on salty food. Mountaineering often takes more time than expected and isn't easy to train for. Leave yourself a buffer with the amounts of both water and food you're carrying. Take breaks. Also - don't forget your sunscreen and sunglasses! So important.
Third Tip: If you are on prescription medications, don't forget them! Often times they aren't on the packing list and get left behind. With certain medications and medical conditions you will want to talk to your doctor before you go on your trip. The stress, altitude, lack of sleep, and the physical exertion all can exacerbate many medical conditions.
Fourth Tip: Wash or sanitize your hands. It sounds simple, but GI issues have been a common problem in the backcountry. Bad camp hygiene and inappropriate disposal of human waste are usually the culprits for these issues. Make sure you plan to gather fresh snow for melting water, don't leave food waste (even those micro-crumbs) at your campsite, and clean up your human waste when you're not using a bathroom. Plan to leave the mountain cleaner than you found it!
 |
| Penitentes next to the Wapowety Cleaver |
There. Four Pro Tips to help you enjoy your climb on Mount Rainier. Check and heed the weather forecast, bring plenty to hydrate with, take your prescription drugs, and wash/sanitize your hands while keeping camps and the glaciers clean. Awesome. See you on "the mountain" soon!
