Rainier in a single push

I have always been more successful reaching a summit in a single push than trying to camp.  Between back breaking packs, not sleeping, and stomach issues it’s just better if I go, tag the summit and get down. I do see people doing the DC in a single push but not many.  Most information includes an overnight and all the guides take 4-5 days to summit.  (That includes their classes and skills training).  Anyone know of any good sources of info on climbing it light and fast?

The NPS provides this really nice doc for the DC-
https://www.nps.gov/mora/planyourvisit/upload/Disappointment-Cleaver-Routebrief-2017_FINAL.pdf

I don't know of any real sources of info that  document how to climb Rainier in a day.  In a way, it is reasonably straightforward.  It's just a long day.  My best advice would be to set a solid turn-around time for yourself.  You could also crash on the floor of the Muir on your way down worst case scenario if things went really wrong.

The biggest obstacle for doing Rainier in a single push is the altitude (not withstanding your own fitness). I know quite a few people who have done, to name a few routes, the DC, Furher Finger, Sunset Ridge, and Liberty Ridge in a day. What they all had in common were previous and sometimes multiple previous ascents in the days to weeks before. So they were both fit and acclimated.

I have done larger peaks and have had no issues with altitude.  Never have.    I think I’m more or less trying to determine if it’s reasonable to do.   Most of my mountains have been technical rock climbs and have not included snow and glacier travel.    I have done some long days in the past including grand Teton in a single push via the Owen Spalding route and Whitney from sea level to Summit.

Keithb00ne Boone wrote: I have done larger peaks and have had no issues with altitude.  Never have.    I think I’m more or less trying to determine if it’s reasonable to do.   Most of my mountains have been technical rock climbs and have not included snow and glacier travel.    I have done some long days in the past including grand Teton in a single push via the Owen Spalding route and Whitney from sea level to Summit.

If you have done a c2c technical route to the summit of Whitney, you will certainly be fine on Rainier. The climb is a lot more direct in the early season when you can shoot straight up the Ingraham Direct.  

I'd liken it somewhat to an ultra-marathon where consistency, pacing, and injury/fatigue prevention are key.

This relies on knowing your body, particularly for such a well-documented route. Know your pace, ability to maintain a pace with the expected pack weight at relative altitude, ability to suffer physically and mentally, efficiency roped up on a glacier, fueling, etc. Back calculate what time you need to start and turn around if necessary. Slow down if you're going too fast for sustainable movement. Notably, eat and hydrate well in advance of feeling like you need to eat and hydrate.

The adage for Lib Ridge in a day was to split it in equal thirds to help with pacing. 8 hrs to Thumb Rock, 8 hrs to summit, 8 hrs down, for example. While we were nowhere near that, it helped us mainly assess when we were going too fast and liable to bonk.

If Kim Jong Un can do Mt. Paektu in leather walkers you can do DC in a day. 

Early season on ingraham is preferable. Go later when the DC is the only option on the south and many ladders are set and your chances of getting hosed by those guided groups shoots way up. They will take forever setting up on the fixed lines.

I went to do the push later in the summer of 13, didn’t think about times for guided groups to be on route. Got to the top of DC at 6 and saw a huge back log at the ladders. Took a nap for an hour. One group was done, five or so other parties below the ladder still. We didn’t want to get stuck crossing IG in afternoon sun and bailed. Partner went back on a weekday to avoid the large groups.

Are you bringing a partner or going solo? By the DC route it is doable to climb in a day. With skis even more so!

Trip Report: Rainier in a Day

The only challenges are passing guided teams in the Ingraham Icefall and coping with altitude.

Happy to answer any questions you have, but it's pretty straightforward!

Are you a skier or a splitboarder? With the additional efficiency that is provided by skis, I think a single-push Rainier climb is certainly within your reach (provided you have the skills to actually climb safely and the fitness). Like others have said, coming up with a good nutrition plan for the big day is also important. I think that a combination of sports foods like gels and gummies combined with a few niceties like cheese and sausage (or whatever you prefer) is the best way to manage a moderate-pace big day effort.

Nick Sweeney wrote: Trip Report: Rainier in a Day

The only challenges are passing guided teams in the Ingraham Icefall and coping with altitude.

Happy to answer any questions you have, but it's pretty straightforward!

That’s a great trip report!  Thanks!

Hydration is key

I climbed the Kautz in a push last year as my second time up the mountain. It went great for the most part, but I got AMS symptoms at about 12,500' which has never happened to me before. Not sure if this was due to not actually sleeping the night before (3 people in a compact car is cozy in all the wrong ways) or if I'm more predisposed to it than I originally thought. Still finished in 17hr car-to-car even with a long snack break on the way down at Muir. Also note that you may be descending the route at a "non-ideal" time of day so be extra cautious about rock & ice fall. We lucked out and were heading down the DC after most parties so there was no one above kicking rocks down the cleaver.

I agree completely regarding the suckiness of multiple day trips. I like to keep my backpacking and mountaineering separate, mainly due to heavy packs and how much pooping in a bag sucks.

Did the Ingraham Direct in a day in May. Some important tactics that helped:

- Fitness, obviously. Plenty of "low-and-slow" training at altitude.
- Skis. Left them at Muir and did the rest in ski boots.
- Experience. Do other peaks in a similar style - Baker & Adams in a day on skis are both good training, and a lot of fun.
- Solid partner. Someone with a proven history that you work well with and enjoy suffering together.
- Slow pace. Adopt a slow pace mentality, going too fast will gas you and ruin your day.
- Lots of breaks. Eat and drink at every break, even if you don't feel like it.
- Timing. Got to Muir just as other parties were waking up and getting underway. Gave em a healthy head start by resting, eating, and melting snow for maybe 1.5 hrs. Didn't have to wait behind slow parties too much.
- Aluminum crampons. Steel crampons are heavy and unnecessary early season. Come at me.

here's another trip report from skiing the emmons with my dad this past spring.  we had done some 10k+ vertical days previous so we knew it was manageable, and it was fun to learn the ropework and self rescue systems needed for glacier travel.  

it was a worthy process to wait for a really nice window of conditions, book a flight, and climb the mountain in a weekend.  the climbing ranger's blog combined with mountain-forecast and the noaa recreational forecast meant we had a really good idea of the conditions despite being in ca and co respectively.  would recommend 100%, especially for those with limited time off.

https://youtu.be/2cis-fnK5Zo

Walls in a push

brian burke wrote: here's another trip report from skiing the emmons with my dad this past spring.  we had done some 10k+ vertical days previous so we knew it was manageable, and it was fun to learn the ropework and self rescue systems needed for glacier travel.  

it was a worthy process to wait for a really nice window of conditions, book a flight, and climb the mountain in a weekend.  the climbing ranger's blog combined with mountain-forecast and the noaa recreational forecast meant we had a really good idea of the conditions despite being in ca and co respectively.  would recommend 100%, especially for those with limited time off.

You and your pops are goddamn ballers.  Well done. 

Anyone follow Mediocre Amateur on YouTube?  He did Rainier in a single push.  I know their athletic ability is above me.  Appears they wore the XA carbon by Salomon with aluminum crampons not plastic boots.  Seems way more enjoyable.  

https://youtu.be/Y6eWmpgvl2k

Climberdude wrote: https://youtu.be/2cis-fnK5Zo

i laffed hard at this. "tommy should take 40 gu packets and climp the free dawn wall in a push run the pdl the monkies are sending"

Regarding boots:

My partner used La Sportiva Trango boots (3/4 shank, old version of Trango Cubes) and they weren't quite warm enough.  He usually runs warm but it's pretty cold on the summit at sunrise.  I wore La Sportiva G5s (single supergaiter boot) and had warm feet the whole time.  Aluminum crampons will work fine early season on the Ingraham Direct, but I would not use them on the DC because you'll be walking on rock a fair bit.