RAI001
Location: 46.786206, -121.735652
From the Paradise parking lot, take the Skyline Trail 1.5 miles to Panorama Point.
RAI002
Location: 46.805535, -121.729004
Continue on the broad ridge above Panorama Point, staying west of McClure Rock to reach the Muir Snowfield.
RAI003
Location: 46.813302, -121.724571
Leave the official "trail" and begain climbing on snow to the Muir Snowfield and Camp Muir.
RAI004
Location: 46.835463, -121.732797
Camp Muir: Most climbers stop here to prepare for their summit assault. (It looks like a cross between summer camp and Mars.) Going guided? Rainier Mountaineering, Inc., International Mountain Guides, and Alpine Ascents International each have camps here. So do the NPS climbing rangers. RMI uses a wooden rectangular shack to house its clients. There is also a stone hut and tent area for private climbers as well as two very stinky toilets.
RAI005
Location: 46.844656, -121.734633
After crossing the Cowlitz Glacier and rounding the rocky corner at Cathedral Gap, you'll reach the Ingraham Flats on the Ingraham Glacier. If Camp Muir is too crowded (and you have a bomber four-season tent), this is a fantastic, flat place to camp. Regardless, it's the calm before the storm. You'll hike westerly navigating crevasses to gain the Cleaver via a ledge system above the Flats. High rockfall danger here.
RAI006
Location: 46.847894, -121.737227
Bottom of Disappointment Cleaver: Steep, ice-covered rocks are the route's crux. Don't linger; there's no room to pass, and ice conditions can deteriorate later in the day.
RAI007
Location: 46.849449, -121.742079
After negotiating the 30-45 degree slopes of the icy and rocky Cleaver, you'll reach a flat area at the top. Perfect for a quick rest. Try to get at least 200 calories every hour to maintain energy on your ascent. Note: The Ingraham Direct Route meets the Disappointment Cleaver Route just beyond here.
RAI008
Location: 46.851246, -121.756299
You'll reach the rim of the summit crater after tackling the 25-30 degree slopes of the Ingraham and Emmons Glaciers, navigating gaping crevasses and unstable snowbridges on the way.
RAI009
Location: 46.852944, -121.760494
Conditions permitting, ditch your pack, unclip your rope, and cross the crater to the Columbia Crest, the official highpoint of Mount Rainier. It'll take about 20 minutes to cross.
RAI010
Location: 46.827419, -121.729395
Consider wearing hardshell pants, even if the weather is fine. There are tons of mini-glissades on the Muir Snowfield--you'll glissade faster and stay dry.
Need proof that Washington's iconic peak deserves its rep as the Lower 48's biggest and baddest mountaineering challenge? Ponder these two figures: 9,000 (the height, in feet, it rises above the lush foothills where you start hiking) and 26 (the number of glaciers on the massif, many of which you'll see from very, very close up). First-time climbers typically follow the Disappointment Cleaver Route, the mountain's most popular and least technical ascent. But you'll still need avalanche smarts and advanced glacier travel and rescue skills.
No experience? Go with a guide (rmiguides.com). The DIY plan: Ascend to Camp Muir, a mountaineers' camp at 10,000 feet. The next day, start early (by 2 a.m.), crest the crater rim by midmorning, cross to the true summit (14,410-foot Columbia Crest), and shoot hero video for post-trip bragging rights. Descend before afternoon temps increase avalanche and crevasse danger.
INFO For information on permits, current trail and camp conditions, and wilderness guidelines, go to nps.gov/mora/planyourvisit/wilderness-camping-and-hiking.htm.
PERMITS: Backcountry permit (free) and annual climbing pass ($30): 30 percent reserved for walk-ins (not more than 24 hours prior to trip). In summer, get permits at least a month in advance. (360) 569-2211; nps.gov/mora.
CONTACT Mt. Rainier National Park, (360) 569-2211; nps.gov/mora
-Mapped by Shannon Davis
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