Mt. Rainier

I went on a day hike on Mt. Rainier with some friends on Wednesday. Our plan was to snowshoe around the ranger station, but our adventurous side got the better of us and we decided to attempt a trek up to Camp Muir, the high camp that serves as the launching pad for summit attempts.



Just a month ago, 3 guys like us were hiking to the camp when a blizzard moved in without warning. Apparently, the were caught in a white out and couldn't see more than 10 feet in front of them. After several hours of stumbling in circles, they hunkered down and tried to wait it out. By the time the storm cleared and rescue workers reached them, one of the guys had died.
And I was hearing this from the ranger right before we started off up the trail...

Some pics from the first 2 1/2 miles of intermediate level hiking:

Eventually, we stopped for lunch, spotted a ridge up the mountain, and decided to reach it before calling it quits and heading home. (The ridge was the snow line on the right edge of the picture below).


The ridge didn't seem far away, but after 2 continuous hours of hiking straight up the snowfield (there are no switchbacks to ease the effort out there!), we realized that we severely underestimated the difference - because of the vast expanse of the mountainside, there was nothing familiar to use as a distance-perception measuring tool. We thought it was "just right there" when in reality, it was over 2 miles, 2 hours, and 3000 feet of elevation increase away. But we kept thinking, "We've gone this far; we can't turn back now!"

But the views along the way were well worth the effort:

Mt. Adams in the distance; and I love that lone hiker climbing up the snowfield.

Our first sighting of the camp; the trail of hikers is heading right towards it.

By the time we reached camp, I was exhausted. The altitude, thinning air, depleting supply of water, and several hours of constant exertion were taking their toll, not to mention the thrumming drumbeat of blood pounding in my head. But those unpleasantries subside next to the euphoria of reaching a goal, especially a goal with views as spectacular as we had. From this high, we could even see Mt. Hood down south in Oregon!

Mt. Adams and Mt. St. Helens are the two mountains on the opposite edges of the horizon in this picture.

Camp Muir

Inside Camp Muir

I love being above (or in) the clouds.

Now, my enthusiasm for one day reaching the summit has peaked. From camp, the summit is a mere 4-5 hour climb away! I just need to pick up some crampons, an ice ax, and someone who has a clue what they're doing, and I'll be set to go!