My wife and I traveled to Washington over Memorial Day to climb Mt. Rainier. Boy, is it different from Colorado!
The first two days featured full-on snow above 5400 ft., resulting in 6 feet of new on the mountain. Skies cleared on Sunday night before our climb with Rainier Mountaineering (RMI) and our group roped and cramponed up for a 1:30 am start across the Cowlitz Glacier under a star-filled sky.
It was slow-going with so much snow; and our climb ended due to high avalanche danger at 12,670' above Dissapointment Clever. It was still a magical trip and we can't wait to go back. We'll have a whole new perspective and level of respect the next go-round.
There were few opportunities to shoot, but I did manage to handhold for the attached image at sunrise from Dissapointment Cleaver, around 11,700'. Part of our route can be seen snaking between crevasses. The distant peak is Mt. Adams.
Wow what a view! Some pretty serious crevases to navigate around, too. No large format?
Posted by Scott Borger on May 31, 2006 at 10:06 PM
What a top of the world view. I'm jealous and happy for you. I'll be stopping by Rainier (not close enough to shoot or climb) in a couple of weeks on the way to port (to Alaska). what intrigues me about this shot is the other mountain in the background that is poking through the clouds. What moutain is that (or is that even a mountain I'm seeing)?
Wow, the light in this image, and everything else about it is beautiful. I am heading to Washington in a couple of weeks to photograph the orcas around the San Juan Islands. Can't wait!
Discussion
9 repliesMy wife and I traveled to Washington over Memorial Day to climb Mt. Rainier. Boy, is it different from Colorado!
The first two days featured full-on snow above 5400 ft., resulting in 6 feet of new on the mountain. Skies cleared on Sunday night before our climb with Rainier Mountaineering (RMI) and our group roped and cramponed up for a 1:30 am start across the Cowlitz Glacier under a star-filled sky.
It was slow-going with so much snow; and our climb ended due to high avalanche danger at 12,670' above Dissapointment Clever. It was still a magical trip and we can't wait to go back. We'll have a whole new perspective and level of respect the next go-round.
There were few opportunities to shoot, but I did manage to handhold for the attached image at sunrise from Dissapointment Cleaver, around 11,700'. Part of our route can be seen snaking between crevasses. The distant peak is Mt. Adams.
Dave Showalter
And it sounds like a great experience!
Now that we've merged SWNP and CNP, folks who spend most of their time outside their local area have to go a bit further to keep up their reputations.
I have to admit I'm in the same crowd, having just completed a trip to Olympic NP a couple of weeks back.
Craig
I guess I need to enter the 12 step program as well, having just completed a trip to British Columbia and Washington State.