DC Route Update 7/27

    The current route is relatively straightforward, well-traveled and even beginning to get trenched out in spots with increased traffic during periods with high freezing levels. While inclement weather earlier this week made challenging and dangerous conditions, there have been many successful summit climbs from guided, individual, and ranger groups when the conditions have cooperated.

A Route to the Summit on 7/23

Looking up the Ingraham and the DC from Dunn's Roll

Ladder w/Handline at High Crack (~11,300ft)

  The Disappointment Cleaver is almost entirely rock at this stage of the season, and guide teams have worked hard to maintain a well wanded path through the loose rocks. Parties are encouraged to pause, look around, and consider using these route aids when they are present. Please maintain good situational awareness when climbing the mountain and think of where the best/safest paths of travel are for you and your group. While traveling on the cleaver itself, take caution not to travel directly above or below other parties when at all possible, and use appropriate rope management techniques to ensure your rope is not dragging on the ground where it can knock loose rocks on your partners or other climbers.   

    Last weeks re-route above the cleaver has become quite "punched in" with this past weekend's traffic, but summer temperatures have and will continue to change the conditions on the upper mountain in the coming weeks. There is a ladder at ~12,800 before the route trends right towards the Emmons shoulder. Next, parties climb up, then back down on the shoulder around more broken terrain to a degrading snow plug and an additional installed ladder at ~12,900. 

    Above the cleaver there are about a dozen fixed pickets at various locations for climbers to use as running protection if they choose. If you do use these pickets, please inspect each piece of protection before clipping your rope team to them. These route adjuncts are not maintained by the NPS and may not be as secure as they were when they were initially placed hours or even days before your party comes upon them.

Ladder at ~12,900ft (Photo from 7/23)

    Once across this ladder, the route makes a long traverse back climbers left, and slightly down under some beautiful and impressive cracks, blocks, and gnarled portions of the Ingraham Glacier. After this nearly 2000ft traverse at 13,400, switchbacks and a few smaller crack crossings lead to the crater rim.

    While the current route is well traveled and easy to follow, as conditions change, please question if that snowbridge, the wanded path, or that placed ladder is the best/safest route of travel for your group. Sometimes the best way to cross a crevasse is to walk off the "trail" and around, rather than leaping over it like the party in front of you did!

DC Route Update 7/20

    A few updates for all on our ever-changing route up the Disappointment Cleaver.

Sunset over Little T as seen from above the DC.

 

     Overall, the majority of the route itself remains very “punched in”. There continues to be frequent success for guide parties and independent teams alike with the recent high pressure. One will notice however, that throughout the season the route is evolving and presenting new hazards. We’re getting to that point in the summer where the mountain begins to rapidly transform, leading to both small and large changes to the upper mountain climbing.

     As of early morning on Tuesday July 18th, there is a “reroute” from roughly 13,100 until 13,800ft. The upper wall of a crevasse the route traveled over collapsed which led made the crack impassible. Guide teams were able to reroute at this collapse, taking climbers right to end-run this crack and ultimately traverse over to the Emmons Shoulder. The previous route that led climbers on a traverse towards the Nisqually/Camp Comfort is no more! As this blog is being written, route working teams are on the upper mountain adjusting and fine tuning this new path. It is anticipated that this redirect to the Emmons Shoulder is what will become the norm. 

     If your party plans on climbing in the coming few days, expect this new route to not be as much of a “punched in” sidewalk as the previous one. There might be pickets placed as running protection over the new exposed traverse as well. Embrace the challenge of climbing Mt. Rainier by being some of the first to climb behind the teams pioneering the latest track to the summit. 

     Regardless if the route is new, old, or in a trough, use good glacial judgement skills and your own discretion… Listen in on what your climbing ranger at Muir has to say on the tips and techniques of success to this route. 

     Happy Climbing!!

Emmons-Winthrop Update 7/15/23

The Emmons-Winthrop route saw quite a bit of guided and independent climbing traffic over the weekend! The commonly traveled route does have a pretty well defined boot track. However, skeletal ice is present from Emmons Flats to around 10,500 ft and the boot track can be easily lost. This area is characterized by frequent crevasse crossings, variable snow bridges, and even running water in spots! While this zone is currently navigable, your own judgement and route-finding skills are the key to efficient travel. Dynamic weather conditions will require diligent terrain assessment, especially on the descent when temperatures are warmer and climbers are tired from a long day on the hill.

The majority of the route remains very similar to our recent blog posts. There is a long climbers right traverse starting at ~12,200 ft. This traverse ends with a notable crossing at 12,300 ft characterized by a large step up and over the crevasse. Continue to evaluate this crossing as the weather remains warm and conditions change. From 12,300 ft to around 13,500 ft, the route meanders through some switchbacks and is rather straightforward. Around 13,500 ft., there is another long climbers' right traverse that heads to the saddle. As our last blog post states, there are likely other more direct routes out there if you care to find them. Of note, there was some fairly recent serac fall that crossed the boot pack on the 13,500 ft traverse. This is noted in the photos below. The debris that crossed the boot pack was softball to basketball sized. 

Recent serac fall debris around 13,500 ft on the Emmons-Winthrop

Serac chunks just above the 13,500 ft traverse

A way up the Emmons Winthrop Route

Early morning light looking North from Camp Schurman

We hope to see you in the park and up on the mountain! 

Disappointment Cleaver Update 7/9/23

Rangers were on the DC route this past Sunday July 7th and were stationed at Camp Muir for the last several days. The route continues to evolve with our warm and dry weather pattern we have been having. We are continuing to notice large changes in the route sometimes only a day or two apart. The biggest thing that was observed however was consistent rockfall from both sides of Cathedral Rock area and the Bowling Alley feature. Multiple large rock fall occurrences were observed during both warm daylight hours and early morning hours before the sun starts to warm things up. The risk from these hazards grows with greater exposure so efficiency and timing are the key factors here... 

Sunrise on 7/9/23

The route itself remains very “punched in”. There has been significant traffic between guide parties and independent teams alike, creating a trough at certain points leading to the summit. There are subtleties within the greater climb that are constantly evolving and presenting new hazards, but in general, the climbing route is in good shape. 

• As mentioned in earlier blog posts, Cathedral Gap is snow free and by now the Cleaver itself is snow free. We ask again that you please mitigate your team’s risk by not breaking underneath overhead exposure, shorten your the rope for travel in the rocks, and always wear your helmets.
• The entrance onto the Ingraham glacier has some very large crevasses opening up, these may pose route finding difficulties as the season progresses but for now the route stays fairly direct through this area. Guide services have places pickets to aid in the safety of this portion.

• At high crack (just above Ingraham Flats) there remains a ladder that is both short and well placed. Use caution while crossing by having good rope spacing and communication. 

• Getting onto the backboard of the cleaver is fairly straightforward, though there is a significant bridge you cross just before you get onto the cleaver. The handline here is gone. Please don’t break in this zone until you are on the spine of the cleaver, free of overhead hazard! The trail along the spine is snow free aside from a small patch here and there. 

• Above the cleaver the route “zigzags” its way through icefall and crevasses until roughly 13,400 when the route traverses left almost all the way to the Nisqually! A pleasant break for tired legs but be prepared for the climb to be very direct after finishing the traverse. 

Ladder over 'High Crack', 7/9/23

    Rangers have been noticing a fair amount of congestion and bottlenecking on the upper mountain in particular. Often our team was able to observe groups crossing ropes and climbing directly above another team without communicating effectively to the other party. These maneuvers present risk to all parties involved and great care should be taken when attempting to pass a group. Making sure that all parties are stationed in a safe stopping point and have good footing is a bare minimum. 

Groups on the upper part of the DC 7/9/23

While the route is wanded and often easy to follow, we like to remind folks that the trough is not always the best travel! Use YOUR discretion and safe judgement skills but understand that getting out of the trough trail, especially through bottlenecking chokepoints on the route is ok. With the ever-changing conditions on the route, sometimes the best way to cross a crevasse is to walk 20ft off the trail and around rather than leaping over a gaping crack! 

Large Crevasses opening below Ingraham Flats 7/9/23

Those are the conditions as of right now on the DC! Teams have been enjoying stellar weather and good travel as of lately. Remember to check back periodically with our blog on condition updates and reread through past posts to review skill topics, tips, and tricks for safe climbing!

Emmons-Winthrop Update 7/9

 

Sunrise on the Corridor

The Emmons Winthrop was still climbing well last weekend! Things are certainly starting to melt out a bit more near Emmons Flats and the Corridor, where some skeletal glacial ice is now exposed.

The commonly climbed route has been following a similar pattern to what we’ve seen throughout this season with a large traverse to the west at 12.3k to end run a large crevasse and another westerly traverse at 13k to climber’s right over the bergshrund and into the saddle. Other options certainly exist for those willing to go and find them.

Keep in mind that the area between Camp Schurman and Emmons Flats can appear deceptively benign. However, it is actually criss-crossed with crevasses. If you’re traveling back and forth between the camps, you are traveling on glacier and should be roped up with a partner.

Also warming trends could make for sudden changes along the route. So, as always - make your decisions based on what you see, not just the foot prints in front of you.

Happy Climbing!

Disappointment Cleaver Conditions Update 7/4/23

    Rangers stationed at Camp Muir were able to get out and climb the route a few times over the BUSY July 4th weekend. Below we’ll highlight conditions as of July 4th but please understand that the mountain is an extremely dynamic environment. Rangers who climbed both Monday morning and Tuesday evening noticed route changes and crevasse openings that were not present the day before. Please use this update as a data point of information for your climb…

Old trenched-in trail leading left to crevasse that is rapidly opening up. A faint new trail to the right leads over a currently solid bridge for that crevasse. 7/4/2023

    

The route itself remains very “punched in”. There has been significant traffic between guide parties and independent teams alike, creating a trough at certain points leading to the summit. As mentioned earlier there are subtleties within the greater climb that are constantly evolving and presenting new hazards, but in general, the climbing route is in good shape. 

• As mentioned in earlier blog posts, Cathedral Gap is snow free and by now the Cleaver itself is snow free. We ask again that you please mitigate your team’s risk by not breaking underneath overhead exposure, shorten your the rope for travel in the rocks, and always wear your helmets.

• At high crack (just above Ingraham Flats) there remains a ladder that is both short and well placed. Use caution while crossing by having good rope spacing and communication. 

• Getting onto the backboard of the cleaver is fairly straightforward, though there is a significant bridge you cross just before you get onto the cleaver. When this goes, the transition to get onto the cleaver will likely become challenging, but for now, with good footwork and rope management, the entrance remains simple. The handline here is gone. Please don’t break in this zone until you are on the spine of the cleaver, free of overhead hazard! The trail along the spine is snow free aside from a small patch here and there. 

• Above the cleaver the route “zigzags” its way through icefall and crevasses until roughly 13,400 when the route traverses left almost all the way to the Nisqually! A pleasant break for tired legs but be prepared for the climb to be very direct after finishing the traverse. 

View of the switchbacks though crevasses above the cleaver

While the route is quite obvious and well-traveled as stated before, we like to remind folks that the trough is not always the best travel! Use YOUR discretion and safe judgement skills but understand that getting out of the trough trail, especially through bottlenecking chokepoints on the route is ok. With the ever-changing conditions on the route, sometimes the best way to cross a crevasse is to walk 20ft off the trail and around rather than leaping over a gaping crack! 

Those are the conditions as of right now on the DC! Teams have been enjoying stellar weather and good travel as of lately. Remember to check back periodically with our blog on condition updates and reread through past posts to review skill topics, tips, and tricks for safe climbing!