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| Congratulating a climber on his 47th consecutive year of Rainier summits. |
It is shaping up to be another very busy weekend on the Disappointment Cleaver. We expect a full house at Camp Muir and Ingraham Flats and most campsites are already taken for the weekend.
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Ingraham Flats and Disappointment Cleaver -- June 29, 2017
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The climbing route remains in good condition from Camp Muir to the summit, thanks to the efforts of the guide services. Little change has occurred to the route in the past few weeks, except for minor re-routes around widening crevasses.
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| Disappointment Cleaver track - June 28, 2017 |
With decreasing snow cover and warming temperatures,
rockfall is increasing on Disappointment Cleaver and in the Cathedral Gap area.
Helmets are strongly encouraged whenever climbing, but especially so in these
areas. Careful footwork and rope management can be helpful in reducing
party-inflicted rockfall hazards, so do your part to reduce rockfall risk to
climbers below. Yell "ROCK" if you knock down any sizable pieces to alert parties underneath you to warn them.
There are currently no ladders on the route, but there are
bountiful fixed pickets and a couple handlines. Whenever using in-situ
protection, evaluate it carefully before trusting it. The existing handlines
are designed for aiding balance, not catching falls, so avoid clipping or
attaching your teams to these as it will create massive bottlenecks that slow
climbing teams behind you.
Around 12,700’, there is a threatening serac leaning over
the route. This “tsunami” is shedding ice chunks onto the track almost daily.
Minimize your exposure to this hazard by moving efficiently and not taking
breaks in areas exposed to icefall. The track is quite narrow in this location,
which will also make passing other parties difficult.
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| The "tsunami" above Disappointment Cleaver. |
For more information about recent conditions on the D.C., please review the June 25th update.
