Disappointment Cleaver Update

July 21, 2024

This blog is maintained by the Climbing Ranger team for use by recreational non-guided climbers. Use these reports as a baseline, but plan for changing conditions.

Overview

Winter of 2024 brought slightly warmer than average temperatures, resulting in average seasonable snowfall on the upper and mid mountain. Below ~5000ft, snow totals were below average. Currently the snow line is at about 7500 feet. Summer is here on Mount Rainier and freezing levels have been at or above the summit for the last 3 weeks. Crevasses are opening up and the route has seen some significant variations compared to years past. Many teams have been reaching the summit with the current established routes. Some of the hazards associated with higher temperatures include:

               + Rock fall/Icefall

               + Crevasse Bridge Collapse

               +Dehydration and Heat Illness

 

Muir Route

The path to Camp Muir up the Muir Snowfield currently follows the standard summer trail. Please pay special attention to trail markings and stay on the trail as the local alpine meadows are fragile and unique. Above Pebble Creek the route is mostly snow covered to Camp Muir

Disappointment Cleaver

The route to Ingraham Flats from Camp Muir takes the standard route. It is well marked and boot packed. Climbers should be prepared to shorten their rope spacing after getting off the Cowlitz Glacier and before crossing Cathedral Gap. This will reduce risk of tangling ropes with other teams and minimize the risk of knocking rocks loose onto teams below.

The route above Ingraham Flats currently ascends the Disappointment Cleaver to ~12000ft. The path is clear of any major cracks and gaining the Cleaver is straightforward. On the Cleaver, teams should be prepared to shorten rope spacing and get the rope off the ground to minimize rock fall hazard on climbers below. The Cleaver is approximately 25% snow covered, with intermittent patches remaining throughout the ridge. 

At ~12000ft, two route variation exist. These route variations both involve ladders and utilization of fixed protection and ropes. These adjuncts are maintained by the guide services. While adjuncts do see consistent maintenance, changing daily conditions regularly affect the quality of anchors. Recreational climbers should be prepared to evaluate the condition of all fixed ladders, ropes, and protection. Each variation presents its own challenges and hazards. The variations are marked in red and blue on the topo below.

Track from Rangers climbing on 7/20/24

The "red variation" involves ladders and fixed ropes that travel through a ~50 meter section of ~55 degree terrain. Climbers should be prepared to manage a "pitch" of technical climbing on both the climb and descent for this variation. This section also represents a potential "bottle neck" where climbing can slow down as multiple parties queue up behind one another. Climbers would be wise to coordinate with other teams prior to climbing to manage too many parties stacking up in this section at once. Otherwise, the climbing below and above the bottle neck is well established and straightforward climbing. 

The "red variation". This travels to the indistinct gulley in the center of the horizon line. The gulley is detailed in the image below.

The crux of the red variation. The ladder marks the start of the fixed lines. The fixed lines travel through the right leaning snow/ice ramp and end at a fixed anchor on the ridge.

The blue variation involves less difficult climbing but has a few sections of ladders and fixed lines to manage. It also travels under a large serac for a period of time. Travel on this variation is quicker and less prone to the bottle neck issues of the red variation. However, one must accept the hazards associated with traveling under a serac. From the top of the Cleaver, one will find wands and an impacted path traveling climbers right toward the serac in the image below.

The "blue variation" as seen from below. The top of the Cleaver is a few hundred feet up and climbers right of where this image was taken. From there, climbers are traveling through the terrain below the well-defined serac on the horizon line of this image. Evidence of a serac avalanche that occurred in early June can be seen in this image.

Each variation presents its own challenges. Both routes converge at ~13000ft. The conditions have not slowed down the guide services and most independent teams are successfully managing the current conditions. Bottom line, the DC is in a slightly more "technical" state than normal.  Independent climbers should be prepared to utilize their ropes, pickets, prussiks, etc. for belay, ascension, and descension on the more challenging sections. Climbers should also be prepared to coordinate with other teams to manage the potential for bottle necking on route. Please leave all fixed gear, ropes, and ladders in place. For specifics on the climbing route please reference the NPS route briefing packet- Disappointment Cleaver- Ingraham Direct

The Paradise Wilderness Information Center (PWIC) is open daily from 07:30-17:00. Check in here before your climb to receive your permit, or to check for walk up availability and be sure to check out here at the end of trip. "Blue Bags" used for human waste can be picked up here. Also please remember to pay the Annual Climbing Cost Recovery Fee.