Heat wave and route condition updates

The temperatures at Paradise hovered in the high 70's all day today while Camp Muir fixated in the mid-50's. For the past couple of days it's been VERY warm, and those trends are going to continue. This sort of news is great for sunbathing but not so great for the snowpack.

There has been quite a bit of upper-mountain action over the past week. Dan McCann of UT recently ripped the Disappointment Cleaver on tele-boards (see that line in the lower center of this photo? It's his!). And rumor has it, some gnarly NW skiers are headed for the Mowich Face this weekend!

More climbing updates can be found on the Emmons, DC and Ptarmigan Ridge routes. As for the Emmons, there was some interesting action on the Inter Glacier approach, proving that you could be killed while hiking to high camp! In other words, be "heads up" for the possibility of massive rockfall and snowslides. [Ed.: stratovolcanoes are "geologic junkpiles]

In other photographic news, Eric Simonson, with Paul Baugher piloting the airplane, provided the aerial image of the upper DC , Ingraham and Emmons. Climbing ranger Stoney Richards took a number of GREAT route images on the following lines: Gib Ledges and Gib Chute, Ptarmigan Ridge, Mowich Face and South Tahoma Headwall. Check them out in the updated route reports!

Maria Cantwell, Bill Painter, and more route updates

Guess who dropped in at Camp Muir this weekend? One of Washington State's very own United States senators, Maria Cantwell. Maria wasn't there to climb, she came to check things out and "train" with other friends (word was, she's in great shape)! Well, we certainly felt privileged to see her, staff members, and friends (connected friends that is) make the trip (on foot, no helicopters) just to get their own perception of the park and high camps. Perhaps Maria will send us her own personal route update for the Muir Snowfield.

If you didn't realize, Maria sits on the Senate's Energy and Natural Resources committee... In layman's talk, that committee is a big deal for the National Park Service as it oversees funding, etc. Though her day job is in DC, Ms. Cantwell was up to speed on some of our difficulties at Mount Rainier. What was most interesting is that she seemed particularly concerned about high camp and mountaineering-related issues!! Now, perhaps, is the time to drop her a note with your thoughts.

And when it comes to dropping notes... I finally received a route condition update on the Tahoma Glacier from independent climber Jordan Lipp. Pete Fox also sent an update with lots of photos of the Fuhrer Finger. Climbing reports continue to trickle in and I know that readers just like you appreciate them. If you've a unique report, especially anything from the west or south side of the mountain, send it along!

Other "tres-cool" Mt. Rainier news includes yet ANOTHER successful ascent by our long-time and esteemed friend Bill Painter. Bill, once again, climbed the Emmons Glacier route today, pushing up the record for the oldest person to summit the mountain (he's 84). Congrats Bill Painter! You did a great job on your independent ascent without outside support!

First image: Maria Cantwell and Climbing Ranger Paul Charlton at Camp Muir, photo by Arlington Ashby. Second image by Paul Charlton: Climbers atop the Disappointment Cleaver with Little Tahoma in the background.

July is here... and Bill Painter is back

The mountain is being coy these days. Though the weather has been great (warm, clear, and calm), the avalanche conditions have been notable and threatening after last week's storm. Saturday (6/30) and Sunday (7/1), the guide services checked the conditions and decided that it was best to turn back, even though the weather was perfect. That was a great call, because there was definitely a threatening slab above the DC and also on the Kautz. See the updated reports for the DC and Kautz for more information on the route and snow conditions.

BTW, climbers and skiers should note that Mount Rainier has a history of "off season" avalanches (particularly in May and June) that have killed climbers... Keep in mind, however, that those slides could happen during any month. I recall being hit by a slide high on the Emmons Glacier with Joe Puryear in August one year after a snowstorm. That slide wouldn't have "buried" us, but it nearly swept us into a crevasse.

The weather forecast calls for extended hot temperatures and no precip. More than likely, the snowpack will settle out soon, which would be a good thing for everyone interested. But it's an especially good thing for our old (84) friend Bill Painter who is back on the mountain... Details on his adventures later this week... Good luck Bill, we're rooting for you!