Fryingpan Glacier - Little Tahoma Conditions - 6/18/2019

The Fryingpan Creek trail (Wonderland Trail) is snow free from the Fryingpan Creek Trailhead to the footbridge that crosses Fryingpan Creek.  The trail from there to Summerland is still partially snow-covered.  Rangers ascended the Fryingpan Glacier to K Spire on June 18th.  It appears that Little Tahoma has been receiving quite a bit of climbing traffic, judging by the numerous tracks across the Fryingpan Glacier to the notch above Whitman Crest. Below are a few pictures and observations:

In green is the approximate approach used by rangers to reach the Fryingpan Glacier.  This route is generally safer than the steeper slope on climbers left (red arrow).  The steeper slope features large and dangerous moats that are difficult to see when looking downhill and has contributed to glissading-related accidents in the past.  Avoid that slope. 

There is currently running water in several spots as you make your way up to the Fryingpan Glacier.  The glacier itself is in good shape, but there are areas with large and thinly-veiled cracks that present remarkably little surface expression.  It is highly recommended that parties rope-up on the Fryingpan and be prepared for crevasse rescue.  This is the time of year that crevasses are melting out and present the greatest 'trap door' hazard, especially when the snow is warm and soft.

A climbing ranger scoping out the Fryingpan Glacier with Little Tahoma, Mount Rainier, and K Spire in the distance.

The route that most parties have been taking across the Fryingpan stays high, just below Whitman Crest, and traverses a steeper slope that is subject to rockfall off of the Crest. It also runs parallel to several large crevasses.  Consider giving some thought to alternative routes rather than automatically traveling in others' boot prints.  A boot pack does not always indicate the best or safest route.  Regardless of the specific route taken over the Fryingpan, parties will at times be forced to walk in parallel to crevasses, so brush up on how to travel 'en echelon' to increase the security of your rope team.

The Fryingpan Glacier from the summit of K Spire.

Another view of the Fryingpan from the top of K Spire.

While rangers did not climb Little Tahoma on this patrol, they talked to several parties of climbers and skiers that did summit.  Overall, the route appears to be in great shape. Please remember to practice good Leave No Trace ethics in this zone.  As snow melts out on the lower meadows, stick to the trail or durable surfaces (snow, rocks) where possible to protect the fragile alpine vegetation.  And remember, payment of the Climbing Cost Recovery Fee, as well as registering and obtaining a permit from a Mount Rainier Wilderness Information Center, is required for climbing Little Tahoma.

Happy Solstice!

Little Tahoma May 8, 2019

Ascending the to the base of Little Tahoma. The Disappointment Cleaver in the background. 

Although often overlooked by many as they set their sights upon the summit of Mt. Rainier, Little Tahoma offers a different kind of experience for those climbers or skiers willing to put in the effort. Standing 11,138 ft. tall off the SE shoulder of Rainier, “Little T” is a prized summit known for its seclusion, exciting summit scramble and incredible corn skiing. As summer like conditions continue to dominate the PNW for the majority of May, parties have already been taking advantage of the weather to try their luck on this climb.

Early this week, rangers had the opportunity to traverse from Paradise to Camp Schurman with a pit stop on the Whitman Glacier to attempt a climb on Little Tahoma. Although approaching Little T from the Frying Pan Glacier via Summerland is the common route, the roads still aren’t open yet to the east side of the park.

Given the spring diurnal cycle of the snowpack that is typical for this time of year, timing is everything if approaching from Paradise, crossing the lower Cowlitz Glacier and ascending to the Whitman. Steep SE aspects that drop onto the Cowlitz quickly become touchy and reactive by midday given the solar radiation they receive. Likewise, SW aspects across the basin become dangerous while ascending to the Whitman Bench. Climbers should plan their itineraries accordingly and pay attention to changing surface conditions in order to minimize exposure to loose wet avalanches. If the snow your traveling upon becomes slushy, and ski poles easily plunge 15-30cm’s into the surface, that’s a good indicator of unstable snow.

Natural avalanche activity along the approach to the Whitman Glacier. 

Although there are a few different options in order to gain the upper Whitman Glacier, most routes will will require roughly 7 miles of travel and nearly 5,000 ft of elevation gain to reach the base of the SE face of Little Tahoma. Ample camping options abound here and climbers should strive to adhere to LNT practices in order to preserve not only the landscape but the isolated feel of this climb. From roughly 9,000’, it’s a 1,800’ push up the steep snow of the SE face and then another 300 ft scrambling, hiking and or climbing on rock. Depending on snow conditions, the last 300 ft of climbing can vary greatly, but is exposed and easily warrants the employment of a rope and a basic climbing rack.

Climbers ascending the last few hundred feet to the summit

Whether you’ve climbed Little T over hundred times before or are looking for a new adventure, this route is a classic that shouldn’t be missed under these conditions!

Little Tahoma From Paradise - April 24, 2019

This is a fantastic early season objective from Paradise before the White River entrance opens.  The route ascends the Muir snowfield, turning east just below Anvil Rock, and traverses the Cowlitz and then Ingraham Glaciers before ascending the Whitman Glacier to the summit of Little Tahoma, which involves some exposed 3rd to 4th class rock climbing.  There is quite a bit of glacier navigation and route finding involved.

The view from the summit of Little Tahoma - 4/24/2019

Don't forget to pay the climbing fee and get a climbing permit.  Accessing any terrain on a glacier or above 10,000 feet requires a climbing permit and payment of the Climbing Cost Recovery Fee.  The Paradise Wilderness Information Center opens Friday, May 3rd, for weekends.  You should pay your fee online before obtaining your permit at the PWIC.  Click on this link for more information:

https://www.nps.gov/mora/planyourvisit/climbing.htm

Climbing rangers are currently at Camp Muir and Camp Schurman getting the high camps set up for the coming climbing season.  Look for more frequent blog posts about the Disappointment Cleaver and Emmons Glacier routes in the near future!

Nearing the Cowlitz Glacier, below Anvil Rock, en route to Little Tahoma - 4/24/2019

Looking back across the Cowlitz Glacier, around 8700' - 4/24/2019

Looking SSE from near the summit of Little Tahoma - 4/24/2019

The upper Whitman Glacier and summit of Little Tahoma - 4/24/2019

A good view of the Disappointment Cleaver route and the upper Ingraham and Emmons Glaciers    4/24/2019

See you on the mountain!

“K” Spire Trip Report July 4th, 2018

Climbers approaching K Spire from Meany Crest via the Frying Pan Glacier

Earlier this week, rangers had the rare opportunity to head into the backcountry for a patrol that entailed rock shoes and cams rather than double boots and ice tools. With relatively limited intel on the quality of rock or route descriptions, it made for an enjoyable climb that felt a bit more "wild" than the likes of the standard routes on Rainier. Similar to the Little T approach across the Frying Pan, climbers found the glacier to be in good shape which made for easy navigating towards the spire.

Upon reaching the base of the ridge, the lack of climbers trails or bivy sites reaffirmed the limited traffic this spire receives. A quick climb up the talus gains you the ridgeline just to the west of the spire. Upon closer inspection, it became clear that the NW corner and North Face of the spire are flaky, exfoliating and of poor quality. Additionally, the rock on the South Face seemed to improve dramatically the higher you got up the face. Although rangers climbed the South face via a 3rd class ramp that put you into the better rock, a few other routes could easily be climbed depending on your willingness to deal with poor rock down low. A blocky dihedral system on the SE corner seemed like a viable option after pushing through 20 ft. of rotten rock. Additionally, there were a few variations from the top of the 3rd class ramp that might go between 5.7 and 5.11. 

After scrambling up the ramp, climbers roped up and began working up and right through broken blocks, slab, a high step (5.9) and eventually into a short chimney section that gained you access to the summit ridge. As stated, there were many possible variations but the route taken seemed to offer the best mix of solid rock and moderate climbing. Climbers were treated to a nice view up the Emmons glacier and across to Mt. Ruth. A quick look around made it clear that the best rappel line from the top existed off a large horn, directly above the 3rd class ramp.  A single rappel down to the ramp made for a clean rope pull and an easy stance to swap shoes and downclimb back to the ridge. 1 rappel to the ramp with plenty of rope to spare made a 60m rope seem excessive. A 50m rope might be the perfect length to get up/down the spire without carrying extra rope. 

Protection on the upper face was quality and took a handful of cams and nuts. A single rack from small finger sized TCU's to #1 including small-medium nuts is recommended for the route climbed. The harder variation may need another small piece or two. Climbing shoes were helpful but the route could have been put up in approach shoes with easier, mountain boot variations for the ultralight climbers. 

All in all, K Spire offers an alpine climb of a different variety compared to most within the park boundaries and is highly recommended for those willing to make the trek. Fun climbing and an impressive stance above the Emmons glacier make it a worth while venture. Despite the quality rock on the upper wall, climbers shouldn't overlook the hazard of the rotten rock lower down on the spire. Great care should be taken to ensure that holds, protection, ropes and partners are in secure locations to avoid dislodging one of the many death blocks perched on this rarely climbed feature.

West Ridge of K Spire

Climbing quality rock on the upper South Face

Final chimney section before topout

Rare vantage of the Emmons from the summit of K Spire

Clean rappel line from the summit saddle. Notice thin variation to the right of rap line that links past slab and into another rightward flake system to the top.

DC Update and Emmons/Winthrop Merge Navigation Tips

There are a few notable facts about the DC route in it's current incarnation:

• You hit the 12,400' elevation band 4 times while climbing up and down the route.
• Total distance is almost 8 miles from Camp Muir to the summit and back.
• There is a 300' descent and subsequent climb in the middle.
• You begin the climb heading due North and reach the summit travelling due South.
• You will cross 4 glaciers en route, the Cowlitz, Ingraham, Emmons and Winthrop.

DC Route on 7/30/2017

The trail above the Cleaver is good but the route is quite long. Most of the climbers on the July 29/30 weekend reported that they underestimated the physical effort required to tackle the DC. The climb back from southern margin of the Emmons Glacier to regain the Cleaver seemed to be the area that gave folks the most trouble. Regaining that 300' in the heat of the day can be extremely taxing. You can mitigate this by climbing early on hot days and by maintaining a consistent pace throughout your climb.

The DC route traversing to the north and gaining the Emmons Gl.

Finding the correct descent route hasn't been as much of a problem this week as it was last week but here's a few tips on successfully making it back to your camp.

#1 Carry a GPS and track your progress. You can then simply reverse your path. The rangers do that and it's how we produce the track logs used in this blog.

#2 Check your compass bearings on ascent and descent. The general direction of the DC is SW. The Emmons/Winthrop is NNW.

#3 Use large, obvious landmarks to keep you on track.

Climbers descending the DC and heading towards Little Tahoma.

#4 At the very least note and remember critical points on the trail.

The DC and E/W Merge from above. The path leading straight down heads to Camp Schurman, the path to the right leads to Camp Muir.

Climb safe and have fun!

Little Tahoma

Rangers did a patrol out to Little Tahoma from Camp Muir this week.  They found favorable conditions, but crossing the Cowlitz and Ingraham Glaciers to get there will become more difficult as the crevasses continue open up.  The rocky 4th class scramble from the Ingraham Glacier over to the Whitman Glacier is still loose and a challenge both to find solid footing and place any protection.  The upper Whitman Glacier has large sun cups which has made for more secure descents.  The last snowfield on the upper face of Little Tahoma has melted enough so that climbers can just walk on the scree to the summit ridge. 

Track Log for the

While Little Tahoma has "Little" in the name, it's still as challenging as a climb on the standard routes on Mount Rainier.  There's the potential for rock fall, crevasse falls, and dangerous moats between the rock and melting snow.  Be prepared for a full alpine climb and long days when attempting this mountain.  It's just as tall as Mount Hood with steeper slopes.  

The Lower Ingraham Glacier Crossing

Little Tahoma June 8th, 2017

Summit ridge

       Climbing rangers were able to get out of Camp Muir on Wednesday before the incoming low pressure to check out route conditions on Little T. Fortunately, the weather held and it made for a pleasant day of climbing to the summit and back. The plan was to drop from Camp Muir down the Cowlitz Glacier, across the Ingraham, up the Whitman and onto the SE ridge of Little T. 

       As we had hoped, dropping down the Cowlitz was fairly straight forward. Parties can avoid the vast majority of cracks by hugging the east side of the glacier as you descend roughly 1,600 ft. A mellow ridge crossing will get you onto the Ingraham Glacier at 8,600'. Try to maintain elevation as you contour across the Ingraham. There are many tight, parallel crevasses here so careful route finding is essential. Once across the Ingraham Glacier, a large snow ramp will allow you to gain the ridgeline that separates the Whitman from the Ingraham. Currently, the rock step exiting the snow ramp necessitates 8 ft. of climbing before leading to easier scrambling. As things continue to melt out, this step will undoubtedly become higher and the presence of a moat may create issues. 

Hogsback/rock band as you exit the Ingraham onto the Whitman.

            Route finding up the Whitman is fairly straight forward as this glacier is not so broken as the others. 400' of climbing will place you onto a large bench at the base of the SE face of Little T. This offers a good view of the rest of your climb. Two large cracks on the west side of the upper Whitman will push you to the climbers right as you ascend.  It is worth noting that the upper pitches of the snow here (9,800-10,800 ft.) are quite sun cupped and not ideal for skiing.

Looking up at Little T from the approach on the Whitman. Notice the two cracks on the upper left of the photo.

          Near the top of the Whitman, there is an obvious exit gully on the climbers left just below 10,800 ft. Although the climbing through the gully is not super strenuous, the amount of loose blocks may warrant protecting this section with ropes and gear. There is a slung horn at the top of the gully that can be used for belaying your second and/or lowering/rappelling on the way down. Always be sure to inspect the integrity of permanent anchors before using them.

4th class scramble off of the Whitman glacier and onto the SE ridge

Maneuvering through another small snow patch and up a short section of 3rd class rock will get you to the summit ridge. An exposed/airy traverse allows a great opportunity for a pitch or two of climbing. The rock can be quite rotten in this section so a few slung horns and careful hold selection is most helpful. Be sure to place gear for your follower here as a pendulum fall could be nasty. Enjoy the views down onto the Emmons and back east to White River. Descend the route, ensuring proper belays/lowers/rappels are utilized based on your teams personal comfort level.

Track log from Camp Muir to Little T summit

             Climbing the 3rd tallest peak in the state is a worth while outing and offers an excellent opportunity to test your skills on both glacier and rock. If you are looking for a climb with a bit more solitude and variety compared to the DC or the Emmons, Little Tahoma might be worth your time. Keep in mind that route conditions are bound to change as summer progresses and things continue to melt out. Safe climbing! 

Little Tahoma (May 10th, 2017)

SE Face of Little Tahoma

Hogsback accessing the Whitman Glacier via the Ingraham