Mount Rainier Winter climb-helpful input?

Just a little background. Trained and experienced mountaineer, have done many climbs. Also have avy certification/experience, as well as crevasse/glacier travel training and experience. All of this goes for my group I am climbing with as well, minus one of the 6 of us and he is in for a treat :) really though it will be good learning for him. My goal here is not to get asked a bunch of questions, or told that my group shouldn’t attempt the climb in the winter and that odds are against us. We know that already, and we are going to attempt the climb, regardless of what is posted on here

My goal is to get and take what advice that I can that can be applied to our climb. We plan on doing the climb in Jan/Feb. And any and all tips, advice, experience knowledge or knowledge relating to a winter climb on rainier, possible best times for lucky weather, really any and all helpful advice would be more than appreciated. Even if we know something, it never hurts to hear it twice just in case we are missing something; important gear, prep, route, etc.

Thanks before hand to anyone who becomes a part of this post!!! 

Climb in good weather.  Rainier sucks in bad weather.

You wouldn't happen to be looking for another group member would you? I've been considering the idea of Rainier in February. I've read that annually around presidents day is likely to be a better weather window.

Plan around the weather. Also be sure to look at temps and wind, not just sun.

I can’t see your hometown, but if you are flying in, buy tickets last minute.

Do it on skis.

Join The AAC....

Double boots

You probably can't bring too much whiskey.

there was a nice post on wildsnow about some folks waiting for high pressure and doing a ski descent in January.

it seems like a good strategy, waiting for a huge high pressure ridge like the one that is in place now and going for it.  

Haha, thanks skipbo, I’ll try to keep that in mind.

I don’t mind bad weather, unclimbable conditions is obviously what can stop a climb attempt no matter what you will put up with.

I am from Washington. I live in Lacey so I’m only about an hr and a half away. The problem is all of my other climbing partners are from out of state, and the summit attempt needs to be planned far enough in advance that weather can’t be completely planned around. We will have about a week window. Also weather at rainier can change rapidly and for the worst even if you think you have a window, so sometimes it’s just a matter of a little luck. I agree with the not just looking at the sun, that isn’t the decider. Don’t mind wind or extremely cold temps, I have dealt with that plenty in the past. It’s more just about weather cooperating enough for it to be possible to climb, even if the weather conditions are far from perfect.

Find some local partners ... or partners who can fly in when there is weather window otherwise yer just gonna go for a walk while it is pissing side ways.

It's always nice to see where you're going,  especially with yawners around.  I've been on searches up there where people didn't come back (alive).

the '63 AMEE (American Mount Everest Expedition) failed.

Alec, I don’t ski. I snowboard, and a snowboard descent in the future will definitely be a goal.

Why do you say join the AAC roots?

Absolutely for the double boots, wouldn’t do it without them that time of year. I have la Sportiva Baruntse boots.

Erroneous, I can’t agree more about the whiskey haha. Just depends on how much extra weight you want to carry

And Brian, also Jacob because you mentioned it too, which is something I have also heard. We sure will hope for a high pressure window and want to shoot for a time like that. And like you said Jacob, it has been known to happen around Presidents’ Day in the past so our plan may be to plan the climb around that timeframe and hope for the best

Jacob, we could possibly have room for another group member. Two of the guys coming are actually from Colorado as well. What is your experience, strengths, etc?

Adam,

I have experience with rock climbing and winter 14er hiking here in CO. No glacier experience though. I'm familiar with handling ropes, steep snow, and altitude. Thought I haven't put myself in a position of needing avy training before, since I'll be BC skiing this year I'm planning to take a course in early January.

I'd consider myself generally pretty fit, though I would definitely ramp up training before Rainier. I'm not the type of person to give up just because it gets physically challenging. Normally I try for a more fast-ish and light-ish approach. Not sacrificing too much gear, but not carrying everything I own either.

If the two other guys are near Denver we could always do a trial run around here, make sure we get along and whatnot.

What route are you looking at?   No skis at all?

I’d say your biggest challenge is Gearing up and coordinating that large of a team, unless you are really doing essentially separate and independent groups of 2 -3  

I’ve found it difficult to get Even a team of 3 on same sheet of music sometimes 

Crap Shoot!

Unless you are sitting down in Seattle with a flexible schedule,  it is highly unlikely you will hit the window needed in terms weather and conditions.

A six person party is likly to work against you and not for you. A small, fit, committed and agile team beats numbers every time when it comes to this type climbing. It only takes one sick, beaten or weak member to send you all home.

Good luck and be very prepared mentally and emotionally to turn around when the situation dictates.

I hate to be a naysayer but my experiance has shown me that winter climbing on big peaks is far harder than you ever anticipate and that luck is one of the biggest components.

Find local partners, or partners who can fly last minute so you can hit a window.  And, as Michael said, 6 people will work against you.  

The situation you describe is how people get killed- when you travel to climb a mountain and only have a few days, you tend to attempt conditions that you wouldn't otherwise.  

You could plan a climb in advance, but you have to be prepared to drink coffee and whiskey instead or go hit lift service at Crystal or Stevens.

Just make sure the whole team understands the Team plans, roles, and contingencies and buys in and sticks to it.  
no ad-libbing or surprise changes on the mountain. 

If everyone has the mindset that the goal is the adventure and the attempt, there’s no bad day on the mountain - summiting just being extra icing on the cake,  you’ll have a great time.  

....better time if you use skis. 

Marks advice is spot on^^^ Go with having a "process oriented" mind set, not a goal orinted one. If all your buddies are "TO THE TOP TO THE TOP!!!" you increase the danger drastically. If everyone is "lets go hang out together, get out and have a challenging as fuck adventure", you have a much better time even as people slip/fall and equipment or bodies break down. Pass on the whisky, a doobie or 2 if you're into that - much lighter and it won't dehydrate you.

Everyone brings either skis, splitboards or snowshoes you won't be walking far with just boots on in the snow which will most likely be deep and fluffy. I've never summitted in winter although I tryed. It seems to be a lighter than normal snow year, but likely you'll be wallow in deep snow, try a traversing ascent to try to find a windward ridge or firmer snow that's been compressed - if the wind isn't cranking on you. If the wind is cranking you'll be trying and stand upright. Gaining any elevation might be difficult in that case. Extra people to trade leads breaking trail would be good. 2 people won't go as far as 4 or 5. A good tent and extra supplies (fuel and food) so that when that snowstorm comes in and you lay around your tent for days as 3 feet of snow piles up on your tent until it's literally buried in the night, you have no concerns.

Oh, and one more, if you borrow someones car, makes sure you also are borrowing their chains and if you ignore that part, have a bit of rope so you can get towed back onto the road when you drive your borrowed car off of it in a heinous snowstorm- the tow truck folks charge a crapload. Oh, and it you are trying the rope to a kindly persons frame who had stopped to help, those lightweight unibody Japanese cars frames are so lame you can actually have the rope break the frame material. Are at least I did that once to some poor sod's car one January or Feb on Rainier.

You're already a climber so you don't need a gear list or a reminder that you need top notch stuff and an extra stove. Have fun!

Adam Lorey, did you ever get to climb rainier?

Im a local cat next to you in Olympia, wa i am looking into rainier winter summit plans as well. 

let me know how it went please...

JG