Paradise (5500 ft)

+4500 ft, 4 hours)

Camp Muir (10000 ft)

+4410 ft, 7 hours)

Summit (14410 ft)

Where do I start?? For every beginning climber in the state of Washington this mountain looms large over them. It is a monster, and it stands alone, which makes it seem even more monstrous. Every morning I would wake up and commute to the college, seeing this giant on the freeway. Everytime I see Rainier it's like i've seen it for the first time. It surprises you on a clear day, this mountain shimmering in the distance.

Even now, that I am back, I can't believe that I stood at the top of it. I can't fathom the mountain I see standing in the horizon, the sentinel, and I was at it's top.

All the training I had received up to this point, everything mental and physical, was in preparation for THIS CLIMB. Alot of people have climbed this mountain, and alot of people have taken this mountain for granted. Some payed the price. I was going to climb this beast with the utmost respect and honor.

Just two weeks removed from a fabulous journey up Mt. Whitney and through Yosemite, it was me, Jeff, and Tim.

Jeff is a mainstay on most of my climbs. All of the major climbs I have done have been with him. Tim was relatively new to the mix. We were together for an aborted climb up Sahale Peak, and we did some rock climbing together. He's very mild mannered and possessing an exceedingly positive attitude. Definitely an asset when things get unpredictable.

Somewhat hastily we got things prepared for the climb. We all took the basic mountaineering class together so there hand-holding was not needed here. Everyone knew what to bring, how to prepare their gear, and precautionary measures to take.

Jeff and myself met Tim early Saturday morning at Paradise. We got our permits, and allocated a little time to have a nice breakfast at the Paradise Lodge. Nothing like hitting the trail greasing your wheels with some bacon and sausage!

The weather was gorgeous, very hot though. The Sun was out early, so we got the gear together and headed up the paved trail for the first mile. The pavement fell away to dirt for the hike up to Panorama Point, a popular spot to view Rainier.

Rainier seemed so gigantic, so far away from Paradise. As we moved steadily into it's hive it is amazing how this distant mountain deconstructs before your eyes. You get further and further into it's interior until the mountain separates into parts, into paths.

We planned to stop at Camp Muir, which is the standard base camp for climbers attempting the summit. They have a small Ranger shack, three toilets, and a couple of other shacks up there.

Work in Progress! Check back later for finished TR!