Rainier update from the VFTT crew!

[alpinista]

All: I've received a cell phone message this evening from SherpaKroto reporting that the VFTT crew has made it to Camp Muir. All are well and he sounded his usual chipper self, no apparent effects so far from altitude or anything else. However, no summit attempt tonight, he said. Instead, they'll be going for the summit tomorrow (Tuesday).

Camp Muir is roughly between Paradise and the summit of Mt. Rainier. From Paradise, it's about 4.5 miles and about 4,700 feet of elevation gain to Camp Muir, which is slightly above 10,000 feet.

I'll keep ya posted if I hear any more!

 

[sapblatt]

Excellent news!

 

[MichaelJ]

Woot! Good luck to them. Before they left, SherpaK told me the weather forecast was perfect weather, perfect weather, summit day rain, perfect weather, perfect weather. Here's hoping that it doesn't turn out that way!

 

[KZKlimber]

http://chris.pirillo.com/images/MountRainier.wmv

Video link to where they are - best Ranier video I've ever seen!!! If this clip does not make you want to climb this mountain nothing will!!!

Planning for the 2006 VFTT Ranier expedition (unguided) is underway for next June. Can't wait for the 2005 trip report!

Sounds like they are doing the Disappointment Cleaver (DC) route from Camp Muir, next June we plan to attempt the Emmons/Winthrop Route from Camp Schurman.

 

[LindaLu]

I posted my first pic on the other thread (see my message there). Here's another pic or two of the crew...

 

[HikerBob]

Great pics LindaLu!

Go team VFTT!

Bob

 

[Sherpa John]

Go Big Bro And The Rest Of The Vftt Crew!!! :d

 

[MichaelJ]

Awesome! Thanks for the pics!

 

[amstony]

Very exciting, keep us posted!

 

[darren]

Go Team Go! If I do not see a picture of a bottle of Doctor at the summit I will be a little disappointed!

Wish I were there.

- darren

 

[jade]

Very exciting!
I'll be interested to hear a report on wearing plastic boots without yet reaching the snow. Gotta do what you gotta do......

Safe return.....Jade

 

[Rob S]

http://chris.pirillo.com/images/MountRainier.wmv

Video link to where they are - best Ranier video I've ever seen!!! If this clip does not make you want to climb this mountain nothing will!!!

OMG! WOW!! Magnificent video!! Thanks for posting that, KZ.

Hopefully they will have weather like that for the summit.

 

[AntlerPeak]

For those of you who are interested here is a link to current weather ( climbing ) conditions on the mountain

http://www.atmos.washington.edu/data/rainier_report.html

 

[AOC]

Recent Disappointment Cleaver Trip Report

And for a very interesting recent trip report (7/30) by a solo woman climber on the D.C. route (with good photos) see:

http://www.cascadeclimbers.com/threadz/showthreaded.php/Cat/0/Number/482876/an//page/0/vc/1

 

[alpinista]

For those of you who are interested here is a link to current weather ( climbing ) conditions on the mountain

http://www.atmos.washington.edu/data/rainier_report.html

Looks like good summiting weather (fingers crossed)!

 

[Sticks]

AWESOME......

Please keep us posted!!!!

Sticks

 

[Sherpette]

WOW! I can't imagine ever hiking something like those monsters. I just finished my 48 and I thought those were huge! I admire anyone who can do that.. go team! Very exciting news, thanks for sharing!

 

[AntlerPeak]

WOW! I can't imagine ever hiking something like those monsters. I just finished my 48 and I thought those were huge! I admire anyone who can do that.. go team! Very exciting news, thanks for sharing!

What a fantastic monster though. To put "The Mountain" in perspective try this. I discovered this quite by accident when studying my maps. The ADK High Peaks map was on the table, the one from the ADK guide. I was looking at the Rainier topo planning a hike up Tolmie Peak on north west flank of Rainier. Both of these maps are the same scale ( 1 inch equals a mile ) If you lay the Rainier map over the High Peaks, Rainier takes up the space from Ampersand Mt down to Newcomb Lake, across to Boreas Mt and up to near Giant.

When I climbed Tolmie last fall and stared at Rainier it was with an even greater admiration. Man it is huge.

 

[Rob S]

If you lay the Rainier map over the High Peaks, Rainier takes up the space from Ampersand Mt down to Newcomb Lake, across to Boreas Mt and up to near Giant.

Dang, that IS huge! Cool! And quite a good way of understanding just how big that mountain is. Thanks, AntlerPeak ......

Now, can we find a White Mountain Map in the same scale and try it there as well?

 

[jjmcgo]

Excellent point, AntlerPeak. On the eastern side, Rainier towers over Yakima, yet it seems like it's in Seattle's backyard. We drove over a road on its southern flank to get back to I-5. We drove past that mountain at 70 mph all afternoon. The footprint of Rainier is awesome.