Mount Rainier

This was on the list for a long time. Actually I didn't think that we could do something like this but after doing the North Arete with Richard a couple of weeks ago we thought we give it a go. Oh, what is Mt. Rainier. It is a 4395m high volcano in the Cascades. With 4393m it is no. 21 on the list of the mountains with the highest prominence. And that's why it is so amazing to climb it ...

We drove down to Seattle on Friday night to stay at Tim's place. When we got there we had to wait in the hall way for a while ...

We had to drive another 2 hours to start the hike. On the way we could see already our aim.

Looks like a big flood went down here, can you see Kerstin, Kate and Ken?

We got into the alpine after about 3 hours.

After another 3 hours we reached the glacier. On the left you can see Little Tahoma.

Kate and Ken having a break.

Just before base camp, sunset is not far away, we better hurry up.

Not a bad camping spot, Kerstin and Kate preparing dinner.

The Cascades.

The night before Seppel stepped into a crevasse and lost a couple of bottles so the next morning he went down to get the stuff back.

The second day was our rest day at camp. Since base camp is at about 3000m and we were quite tired from the day before it was a good way to relax and practice a little bit with rope techniques.

Kerstin putting a ice screw in.

We lowered us down into a crevasse. Once you are at the bottom you put some slings around the rope and try to climb out again.

Seppel belaying Ken and chatting to Kate.

Ken setting up his prusik sling system to climb out.

Kerstin trying to climb out.

After we were done with the practice session we hike up on a nearby peak and checked out the route for the next day.

Hmmmmm, which way should we go.

View to Little Tahoma.

View down to the base camp.

The ranger hut.

Getting ready for an early start, Kerstin sorting out the gear.

We started at 4am.

My favourite picture, Kerstin in front of Little Tahoma.

There was another team behind us.

Nice morning scenery.

Kate and Kerstin.

Pretty cool.

Ken crossing a crevasse via an ice bridge.

The last bit to the plateau.

View down into the valley.

The last meters were pretty hard. This is just below the summit at around 4350m, the air gets thin.

On the summit, Ken, Kate and Seppel.

There is a small crater on the top.

4395 m

Climbing down.

Sometimes you can't go the straight way.

Back at camp looking at our route.

Amazing weather.

The next day we packed our stuff together and realized that we were sleeping on top of a crevasse.

Some mountains on the way down.

Was willst du den?

Und Du?

Nice to be back on normal ground.

At sunrise car park, nice place to go.

Interactive satellite picture.

Open map in another window.

Quite the mountain.

Back in Seattle. We went for dinner.

It was a pretty cool trip, thanks Kate and Ken to come along.

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