High Sierra Topix

I did a really rewarding 3-day climb up Mount Rainier this past weekend. Here are pictures I took:

http://kathywing.smugmug.com/gallery/3166313#174085530

Well Done Kathy


Good job on the photos too

B.T.W. Wasn't this your 2nd trip up Ranier?

Randonnee - This was my second attempt. I only made it to Ingram Glacier the first time, but I found it to be so beautiful I wanted to go back and try again and see the rest of the route. I trained really hard all year, but it was still hard for me to get up to the top because my pace is so slow above 11,000 feet. I did great up to Muir Camp, so it must be the elevation that kills me. The Alpine Ascent guides were just wonderful and really patient with me on the mountain - they and the other members of the team just kept encouraging me to go on and even slowed the pace to give me the chance to make it up the mountain. The wind was pretty strong out there and it got really tough for me near the top - each tiny step forward was two pressure breaths and I couldn't get a rhythm going with my breathing and steps because the wind gusts were knocking me around. When we got over the crater rim I was really happy.

Kathy,

Congratulations on summiting Mount Rainier, that is great.

Shawn

PS. Really enjoyed your photos - it even looks cold.

Way to go Kathy!!!

Congratulations, great photos, did you guys have time to go to Colombia Crest for the register? I never took a photo of the register and heard they were stored somewhere in Washington. Does anyone know where?

Ridgeline - Some of the group went across to Columbia Crest but I felt I needed to take the time to rest before getting back in the wind for the trip down, so I rested in the sun in the middle of the crater where it was a bit more pleasant. I didn't want to slow the group on the way down like I had for a while on the way up - we ended up making good time going down to high camp at Ingram Flats. It was calm at high camp when we got there but as we were packing up the winds got really bad and the clouds came in. We got blasted by sand and small rocks going back down to Muir Camp, but at least we didn't have to wear our crampons through that section. The climb took about 13-14 hours going up from Paradise to the summit with the last part of the climb from high camp taking 6 hours. It only took us about 6 hours to go all the way back down, so it was a 20 hour round-trip over 3 days with the last day being the longest and hardest (about 12 hours) and the 2nd day the easiest with training on the Cowlitz Glacier in the morning and then the short climb to high camp on the Ingram Glacier from Muir Camp. The weather changes so fast up there. Someday, I'd like to go back up there and have the time to explore that crater rim more - it's supposed to be really interesting - but for this trip I was happy just getting to into it. I guess I have to ramp up the training even more.

Congratulations on getting Ranier! I will check the pix later.

Aweseom Kathy! Congrats! Great pics.

Congratulations Kathy!!! Quite an accomplishment!

I wondered if/when you were going to be coming back up. I had started making plans ealier this year to do Rainier with some friends, but the reports on the roads were that they were still washed out.... and we just kinda dropped it from there. Did you go thru Rainier Mountaineering?

Too bad you didn't have a little more time...I would have really enjoyed meeting up with you.