Rainier Info

I plan on climbing Rainier this coming May with some friends and have a couple of questions. This would be our first big mountaineering trip. I'm from Alaska and want to start with a mountain that is less consequential than what is in AK.

1) what are opinions on the the routes? I haven't climbed Rainier before, would climbing the Kautz Route be a stupid idea? I have a bit of glacier travel experience and have climbed a lot of ice. 

2) Would a megamid be okay in May? I have a couple of Big Agnes tents but they're terrible in the wind. I'm also looking at a hyperlite ultamid.

Feel free to say this is a terrible idea, any advice is appreciated!

There are lots of mellow, low elevation mountains in AK. Why leave to fight the crowds down south? Look at White Princess or some of the other peaks in the Delta Range, or a glaciated walk-up in the Chugach. Also, if you are competent with ice and have your avalanche and glacier travel skills dialed (which you can do in a parking lot), then you can go take a look at almost any objective. If it looks hard or sketchy, walk away.

May on Rainier could be blue bird or pissing sideways. A such, it could be as consequential as in AK. Most people climb the Kautz because it can have a bit of ice (most grossly over estimate the steepness of the ice steps). In early season the steps will be snow or neve. Crossing the Nisqually early season is fairly straightforward. As such, it is not a bad choice if you have a bit of glacier travel experience. The question is whether to go up and over or return to a high camp. I am in up and over camp.

No a megamid is not appropriate. You want a tent that can withstand big winds and has a floor.

As for doing something in AK. May on the Ruth Glacier is a great time. Could fly in, ski around the gorge and do something like Barille and Dicky as they have some causal route.

Sam Bedell wrote:

There are lots of mellow, low elevation mountains in AK. Why leave to fight the crowds down south? Look at White Princess or some of the other peaks in the Delta Range, or a glaciated walk-up in the Chugach. Also, if you are competent with ice and have your avalanche and glacier travel skills dialed (which you can do in a parking lot), then you can go take a look at almost any objective. If it looks hard or sketchy, walk away.

You'd get two totally different experiences - especially with the altitude and snowpack.  Do both.

Kautz is cool.  It's a chance to get to altitude.  The climbing is decent.  The glacier travel was more heads-up than I expected.  There are snow big cracks.  Go later - June - and bring a real tent like a firstlite.  We did it 4 days R/T from Anchorage. It's a big mountain experience with a pretty low buy in cost.

Lower altitude peaks in AK that time of year could be great but there will a ton of snow that may or may not freeze overnight.  You could be climbing frozen neve or you could be wallowing in tits-deep slush.  Alpine ice isn't really a thing.  

Thanks everyone for the info. I'm going to be in the Seattle area in May, hence why I'm not thinking about Alaska peaks as of now. I'll look into getting a firstlite or similar. 

Ry Allwright wrote:

I'm from Alaska and want to start with a mountain that is less consequential than what is in AK.

You’re not from Alaska.

ETA that’s not a criticism. Just be honest. No one who grew up here would think that way.

I disagree on the tent. Idk which tent you have- the megalight is the tarp i think from google? But people regularly take and use ultamid and similar pyramid tents at eg camp muir. Stake down the guy lines.. if the wind is bad enough to shred that tent you need to learn to pick a better weather window. In a good weather window in may you should have no issue with a pyramid.

Colden Dark wrote:

You’re not from Alaska.

ETA that’s not a criticism. Just be honest. No one who grew up here would think that way.

I lived in Alaska my entire life until I moved to Bozeman for college. I’m based in McCarthy and all the mountains are pretty tricky and or expensive to get to. My friends also won’t come up, so we decided to do Rainier. In my opinion, Rainier is less dangerous than mountains in WRST. Maybe suggesting other potential mountains in AK would be more helpful than saying I’m not from Alaska. 

Ry Allwright wrote:

I lived in Alaska my entire life until I moved to Bozeman for college. I’m based in McCarthy and all the mountains are pretty tricky and or expensive to get to. My friends also won’t come up, so we decided to do Rainier. In my opinion, Rainier is less dangerous than mountains in WRST. Maybe suggesting other potential mountains in AK would be more helpful than saying I’m not from Alaska. 

Ohh, well wasn't me, but sounded like you were flying down from ANC just to do Rainier. If you're already in the Western US with partners then, yeah, do Rainier. Kautz will be great for someone with a little ice experience. A -mid style tent will need more to setup well, with the wind, but any tent will work. Wind does not mean you picked the window badly, volcanoes get windy, especially on the Kautz aspect since prevailing wind is from the W. Expect strong evening and morning winds and then it will settle down. 

Practice the glacier skills a bunch. If you all are Hyalite trained, know how to multi-pitch, and are comfortable on steep snow, then you'll be fine. Be flexible on the time so you get good weather. Have fun. It will be great.

Sam Bedell wrote:

 Wind does not mean you picked the window badly, volcanoes get windy, especially on the Kautz aspect since prevailing wind is from the W. Expect strong evening and morning winds and then it will settle down. 

Since you wanted to take a dig at me instead of expanding on my reply… yes volcanoes are obviously windy. Yes the existence of wind does not mean you picked poorly. You are correct. Sorry I forget how explicit I have to be when I choose to reply on MP.

My intent was, for example, if the forecast is for sustained 40+ mph winds with higher gusts, you might could choose a better window, and your tent might or might not do so well. Hope that’s helpful, ofc there’s some nuance in these types of general suggestions about such broad topics.

As this person said make sure it’s set up well regardless of the forecast.

John Sigmon wrote:

Since you wanted to take a dig at me instead of expanding on my reply… 

Not taking a dig at you. Just don't want the OP to wake-up / go to sleep with the wind kicking up and think they need to bail because the forecast is wrong when it will settle down and be splitter and they could have a great day.

I totally got what you're saying, just wanted to clarify as the OP expressed minimal experience and wanted to clarify for their sake.

Ry Allwright wrote:

I’m based in McCarthy and all the mountains are pretty tricky and or expensive to get to.

My bad. I apologize. Definitely go do Rainier. Have a blast.

John Sigmon wrote:

I disagree on the tent. Idk which tent you have- the megalight is the tarp i think from google? But people regularly take and use ultamid and similar pyramid tents at eg camp muir. Stake down the guy lines.. if the wind is bad enough to shred that tent you need to learn to pick a better weather window. In a good weather window in may you should have no issue with a pyramid.

Your post is one of naivety, as I doubt you have even been on Rainer in May. I have multiple times. Over the course of hours weather conditions can change significantly. What started out as good weather window can turn. Weather reports are not perfect, especially in the mountains and higher altitudes. It is not about wind shredding a tent. It is about wind blowing spindrift inside getting everything wet, wind making hard to keep a stove going, or really get being able to get out of the wind. Pyramid tents without a floor have their place but not on Rainier in May and often not even in June. 

Allen Sanderson wrote:

Your post is one of naivety, as I doubt you have even been on Rainer in May. I have multiple times. 

I've also been on Rainier in May multiple times. You guys really make me regret giving me advice sometimes. Obviously the weather changes fast on a mountain like this, check the forecast and pick a good window, as I said in my original post. I've seen many use pyramids on Rainier in May. I've also seen a very burly 4 season tent blown away at Camp Muir to being poorly staked. Anyways, best of luck OP.

…wow, lot of assholes from Alaska here.