Mount Rainier via Disappointment Cleaver — July 2020 Summit Report¶

Rainier in a cloud cap is a humbling experience. We carried everything to Camp Muir in sunshine, went to bed optimistic, and woke to impenetrable fog. The midnight attempt got us to the Ingraham Flats before whiteout conditions made the crevassed terrain too dangerous. The mountain reminded us that technical difficulty is not the only measure of a climb — weather is the ultimate gatekeeper on Rainier.

Trip Overview¶

Mountain: Mount Rainier (4392m) Date: July 11, 2020 Duration: 3 days Party Size: 4 Outcome: Turned Back

Conditions¶

Weather: Cloud cap developed overnight at Camp Muir. Whiteout conditions on the upper mountain. Visibility dropped below 10m at the Ingraham Glacier headwall. Snow: Soft summer snow, hidden crevasses on the Ingraham Glacier. Poor visibility made navigation dangerous. Temperature: -6°C to 8°C Wind: Moderate 20-30 km/h but with zero visibility — fatal combination

Difficulty Assessment¶

The DC route on Rainier is a serious glacier climb — crevasse falls and rockfall on Disappointment Cleaver are real hazards. In poor visibility, route-finding across the Ingraham Glacier is impossible without wands. We turned back at 4,100m when the cloud cap showed no sign of lifting.