From Couch Potato to Rainier Pro: Your Step-by-Step Guide to Not Dying on a Volcano
Successfully climbing Mount Rainier is an incredible mountaineering achievement. The mountain is guarded by massive glaciers on all sides with no easy way to the summit. Perhaps that’s why almost 10,000 people attempt the peak each year, but only about half of them successfully reach the summit. The OTC team has 8 successful summits between us, and we have spent a great deal of time on the mountain. Keep reading for everything you need to know to successfully plan your trek and summit the peak.
Quick ski trip up to Camp Muir.
Pre-Planning Questions
How hard is it to climb Rainier?
Mount Rainier is huge. This can’t be understated. Depending on the route, climbers have to gain up to 10,000 ft of elevation between the trailhead and the summit, all while navigating complex glaciers, combating altitude sickness, carrying heavy packs, and managing the potential for truly horrendous weather.
So how hard is it really? Well, this depends largely on your prior experience, fitness, and luck in choosing a good weather window. Most climbers who are physically fit and have had experience on glaciated terrain will not have a problem climbing either of the two “easiest” routes on Rainier, the Disappointment Cleaver and Emmons Glacier.
When’s the best time to climb Rainier?
The climbing season on Mount Rainier usually runs from May through September. Typically, climbing early in the season (May through June) means easier glacier travel and cooler, wetter weather. More snow coverage left over from the winter provides better route conditions and leads to fewer crevasses forming on the mountain. However, there is a tradeoff as the weather is typically colder and more volatile and thus provides fewer windows for summit attempts.
On the other hand, late-season climbs (July through September) are generally marked by more complex glacier navigation, sometimes to the point that the routes become impassable.
In an attempt to find a balance between the two, our team has always tried to climb between the beginning of June and the beginning of July. Usually this offers a nice blend of good route conditions and stable weather. As a result, June and July tend to be the peak season for climbing, and reserving climbing/camping permits early is key.
How long does it take to climb Rainier?
There is no set amount of time, but most parties plan to spend 1-2 nights on the mountain and some plan as many as 4 days and 3 nights. Obviously, some elements—like weather and accidents—are out of your control and cannot be planned for, but most factors—like level of fitness, pack weight, and route choice—should be considered when deciding what works best for your party. Keep in mind that the more time you spend on the mountain, the more weight you will have to carry in your pack.
If you are physically fit and acclimated, you can probably plan to be on the shorter end. If you don’t want to feel rushed or are coming from low altitude, plan to spend more time on the mountain. One huge benefit of planning more time on the mountain is the ability to wait out poor weather if necessary. (For more information on climbing Rainier fast and light, check out our Guide to Climbing Rainier in a Day).
The long Slog to the Emmons Glacier.
Which route on Mt. Rainier should I climb?
Elevation profile for the Disappointment Cleaver Route on Rainier.
The two most popular routes on Rainier are the Disappointment Cleaver Route (DC) and the Emmons Glacier Route. Between the Emmons Glacier and DC routes, the DC receives much more traffic, in part because the route is maintained by the guide services operating on the mountain. Thanks to straightforward navigation and proximity to other climbing parties, this makes it an ideal first route on Rainier.
Though it is not a route that you should climb if you wish to experience solitude, it is still beautiful and awe-inspiring. It has less total elevation gain than the Emmons Glacier Route, due to starting the route higher on the mountain (Paradise Lodge). The DC also has nice places to camp at both Camp Muir and Ingraham Flats.
Disappointment Cleaver Route Overview.
Elevation Profile of the Emmons Glacier Route.
The Emmons Glacier Route is a bit harder than DC and has quite a bit more elevation gain (1,300 ft). Unlike DC, the route is not maintained by the Park Service and thus requires the ability to navigate complex glacier terrain. Most climbing parties choose to spend the night at Camp Shurman or the Emmons Flats prior to their summit bids.
Keep in mind the elevation that is gained must also be lost, and prepare for a long descent from the summit. Our team has lost many toenails from descending this route and witnessed the badly blistered feet of the unprepared.
Overview of the Emmons Glacier Route.
Ultimately, the choice of route will depend on your skills, fitness, and desired experience. Both are beautiful routes and are highly recommended. More experienced mountaineers may want to check out the Kautz Glacier and Liberty Ridge routes as well, though they are much more dangerous and involved and are not recommended for beginners.
Can I climb Rainier without a guide?
Climbing either of the two routes above are major achievements, with or without a guide. If you have any doubts about your ability or skills, then hiring a guide to facilitate the experience is probably the right answer. Check out the 3 guide services licensed to work on Mount Rainier, any of which will provide an excellent experience.
With that said, it is entirely possible to climb Rainier without a guide. For more information about the skills you will need to climb Rainier without a guide, check out our post How to Climb Mount Rainier without a guide.
Trip Preparation (the fun stuff!)
Permits
Screenshot From Recreation.gov showing the Mount Rainier Overnight Permit Page and Application.
Two things are required before the National Park Service will allow you to climb Mount Rainier: 1. a climbing recovery fee; and 2. a climbing permit.
The climbing recovery fee must be paid by each person in your party before arriving at the park, and costs $52 for climbers 26 and over, and $36 for climbers 25 and under. The fee is good for the whole year and helps the NPS maintain the necessary infrastructure for climbers.
A climbing permit is necessary for all climbing parties as well, even if you plan on doing the route in a day and don’t plan to camp. The climbing permit is essentially your camping permit, so you only need to get one permit for your entire group. Be sure to reserve your campsites well in advance of your trip if you are going to be climbing during peak season (June through July). The NPS does offer walk-up permits on a limited basis, but it would be a huge bummer if you are denied an overnight permit after you already made the trip to the mountain.
Training/Physical Capacity
Mount Rainier requires a high level of aerobic capacity, as well as the ability to move a heavy pack up steep snow and ice, step after step (after step after step…). As such, we recommend a combination of endurance training with some strength work to supplement.
Your primary goal should be to build endurance through low intensity training. Go on walks, hikes, and light jogs, never raising your heart rate to where you feel like you are really “working.” A good rule of thumb is to maintain the ability to breathe through your nose while training. Gradually increase the length of these outings over time.
Spend time moving uphill. This can be done through hiking in the mountains or on a stair-stepper machine. Aim for the ability to maintain 1,500 - 2,500 ft. vertical gain per hour.
Strengthen your leg muscles through weight lifting or heavy box steps. Get your legs accustomed to working under load. Your pack will probably be pretty heavy, so get your body used to it early.
Stay tuned for our upcoming post How to Train for Mount Rainier for more details and sample workouts.
Gear (the funnest stuff)
The necessary gear can be split into the following categories:
Climbing and Protection
This is the gear that allows you to safely climb the mountain and protects you in the case of a fall. Think rope, crevasse rescue kit, boots and crampons.
Clothing/Personal Kit
Jackets, layers, headlamp, hygiene kit, etc. Basically anything that you will be using for your own personal care/comfort. The ideal clothing setup is one that integrates with your other gear categories. For example, your clothing can work with your sleeping setup to help you stay warmer or allow you to carry a lighter sleeping bag.
Sleeping Setup
What you need to sleep: sleeping bag, sleeping pad, tent, etc.
Cooking/Water
The gear you need to cook food and boil water.
Depending on your skills/comfort requirements, there’s a lot of potential to cut weight in all of these areas. We are firm believers that the less weight you have to carry up the mountain, the more fun the climb tends to be. For an in-depth look at the necessary gear for climbing Mount Rainier, check out our Mount Rainier Gear List.
Understanding the Risks
It bears repeating that there are a lot of risks involved with climbing a mountain like Rainier. People have died in avalanches, crevasse falls, getting hit by falling rocks, sliding down steep slopes, and getting stuck in bad weather. Many of these risks can be mitigated, but there is no way to take the danger completely out of the climb. Understanding your own ability is probably one of the most important elements of successful risk mitigation. In addition, knowing your skills and fitness, as well as not falling into the “summit at all costs” mindset, will go a long way in ensuring your survival on the peak. Know that if you decide to climb the mountain, you are doing so at your own risk. OTC is only providing advisory information. You are responsible for weighing the risks.
Weather
Whiteouts can happen suddenly and reduce visibility to zero.
Weather is one of the greatest unknowns while on Rainier. The size of the mountain means that it creates its own weather and can be impossible to fully predict. Storms on Rainier are incredibly violent—trust us when we say that you do not want to be caught out in them (we have. not fun.). Find the best weather forecast you can, and try to update it as often as you can.
We like to use the point forecast feature through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) website, though it is best to cross reference this with other forecasts as well (we like these from the University of Washington and the NPS). You can also talk with the climbing rangers to get their take on current weather conditions. Knowing how to efficiently navigate in bad weather is also an important skill and has saved our bacon more than once when caught in sudden low- and no-visibility conditions. Sign up for our newsletter to be the first to know about our upcoming course on land navigation!
Turn-Around Time
An important element of your safety planning should be setting a reasonable-but-firm turn-around time (i.e. when you will head back down to camp from your summit attempt, regardless of how close you are to summiting). This prevents your team from being high on the mountain when the snow softens—which would increase the chances of a lethal fall (soft snow = impossible to self-arrest)—as well as decreases the likelihood of being caught in an afternoon storm.
Turn-around times depend on weather conditions and individual willingness to accept risk, but a good rule of thumb is to plan on turning around sometime in the mid-morning. Once you’ve decided on a turn-around time with your group, stick to it no matter what, and leave camp early enough in the morning so that it won’t become a problem. It’s common for parties on the DC route to leave Camp Muir at 1 or 2 am!
Leave No Trace
No guide to climbing Mount Rainier would be complete without touching on the principles that help us protect the amazing environment that we get to be a part of. We have noticed a disturbing trend over the past several years of people defacing, littering, and/or not respecting our natural resources.
We believe this is largely due to more people getting outside, which makes us happy, but we worry that they don’t have the necessary information to do their part in protecting the great outdoors. Please read through the seven principles of Leave No Trace while in the park below, and follow them!
Standing on the Summit of Rainier above the Clouds.
Want more information on climbing Mt. Rainier? Check out our other posts below!
All the gear to climb Mount Rainier! A simple list split into categories including: climbing and protection, clothing/personal kit, sleeping setup, and cooking/water. Includes links to purchase gear.