Mt. Rainier Presents the Gateway to High-Altitude Climbing

Three friends tackle Mt. Rainier as they begin their mountain climbing journey. This glaciated volcano is a climbing resume prerequisite.

Mt. Rainier / Lucas Davies

Climbing High: Start With Mt. Rainier

Mt. Rainier is the most glaciated mountain in the lower-48 states. Many of the best mountain climbers in the world cut their teeth on this dormant volcano in Washington State. Mt. Rainier is a worthy 'first' technical mountaineering achievement for any climber's resume - especially those with higher climbing aspirations like the Matterhorn, Denali and the Seven Summits - the highest peak on each of the seven continents. After climbing as high as Denali, the Himalayan 8,000-meter peaks become a real possibility. Not all routes on this glaciated marvel are created equal.  The Disappointment Clever route is the best place to start, while the Liberty Ridge route is a very technical, icy route reserved for expert alpinists.  

Three Friends Getting Started on Mt. Rainier - Nothing Better

Jack Story, Cole Nordstrom and Ryan Dinius, all from Seattle, are each just starting their climbing careers. They all started mountaineering by climbing the Disappointment Clever route, and then took on the Emmons route - a more difficult 'step up' in navigating Mt. Rainier. On this climb, they went with professional guide service International Mountain Guides ("IMG"). These guys got their climbing inspiration from Jack's dad, Rob Story.  Rob conquered Mt. Rainier in 2017 at the age of 60.  It's never too late to start climbing.

With a mountaineering start on Mt. Rainier, the sky is literally the limit for these guys, and anyone beginning their climbing careers with a real interest of climbing higher and more difficult mountains.  Ryan Dinius gave Aconcagua a try last year.  He and his team fought the difficult and unforgivable mountain for weeks, before eventually getting weathered-off.  The mountain always wins, and Ryan will be back.

In addition to IMG, Rainier Mountaineering Inc. ("RMI") and Alpine Ascents International ("AAI") also have concessions to guide clients on Rainier. I highly recommend that first-time, and novice climbers, enlist one of these highly-trained and excellent guide companies to get things started in a safe and enjoyable way.

Climbing Mt. Rainier / John Waechter

Climb Disappointment Cleaver, then Explore the Emmons - Winthrop Glacier

The Emmons and Winthrop glaciers are huge, and cover approximately a quarter of Mt. Rainier's surface. The climbing route starts at the White River Campground (4,400 ft.), which opens in late May. This route is known for its long, gradual ascent and tends to have fewer climbers than the Disappointment Cleaver Route. It is not supported with any man-made structures like the Gombu Hut at Camp Muir on the Clever route, so climbers must pack in more gear and equipment. 

The Gombu Hut is named after legendary climber Nawang Gombu Sherpa. In 1965, he became the first man in the world to have climbed Mt. Everest twice - a record that remained unbroken for almost 20 years. His first ascent on the world's highest peak was with the American Expedition in 1963 as the eleventh man in world to reach the summit. On this expedition, he accompanied another climbing legend, Jim Whittaker, the first American to summit Mt. Everest.

The Glacier is named after geologist Samuel Emmons and writer Theodore Winthrop.  These glaciers begin at the summit crater and cascade down Mt. Rainier until they are split apart by Steamboat Prow. The Emmons-Winthrop was first climbed in August, 1884 (Warner Forbes, Jones, Wells). The first known ski descent was in 1947 (Roberts, Bengtson, Welsh, Schmidtke). 

Mt. Rainier - 14,410 ft. / Caleb Riston