Avg: 3.5 from 219
votes
The approach begins at Paradise (elv: 5400ish). Hike up the paved trail for about a mile to Glacier Vista. Locate a climbers trail to the left (west???) and descend to the Nisqually Glacier. Cross the Nisqually. You should head for the base of an obvious gully. Scramble up the boulder filled gully. This spits you out onto the left side of the Wilson Glacier. Follow the rolling snow fields aiming for a snowfield shaped like a turtle. There is good camping at the base of this snowfield (elv. 9000ish). Climb the Turtle snowfield and aim for its left paw (do turtles have paws?). There is a good camp on the rocks near this paw. (elv. 11,000ish). From this camp follow the climbers trail on the rocks to a short rappel which may have a fixed line. This puts you at the bottom of the ice cliff drainage gully. Cross the chute, aiming for the obvious snow/ice ramp. This is the first "technical" pitch. It is probably about 35-40 degrees and really stepped out, you'll probably only need one tool. It's about 400 feet before easy glacier travel resumes. The second pitch is a few hundred yards above the first. It's steeper, and not nearly as stepped out. it's around 45-50 degrees. I had to use two tools on this pitch. It's about 400 feet long as well, but I'm not sure because we simul climbed it. When you top the pitch out glacier travel resumes, head up towards the false summit, then head for the top.
This beta is from a mid-august ascent
Though many people rate this route as AI2-AI3 it is not. The route is AI1 and at best AI2 as the two ice slopes are never more than 45-50 degrees. Ratings for alpine ice (AI) are similar to waterfall ice (WI):
WI1: Low angle ice; no tools required.
WI2: Consistent 60 degree ice with possible bulges; good protection.
The NPS has some excellent route information: https://www.nps.gov/mora/planyourvisit/upload/Kautz-Glacier-Routebrief.pdf
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San Jose, CA
On the descent there was a fixed anchor about 70m above the start of the second pitch (probably a buried picket). Be prepared to make v-threads, rap off ice horns, etc.
Conditions updates can be found on the head climbing ranger's blog site :
mountrainierclimbing.blogsp… Jan 15, 2007
Helena, MT
Pitching tents at Camp Hazard during warm spells is pretty risky. We did so and nervously watched as blocks broke off the sun-baked upper Kautz Glacier every hour or so. Most of it funneled down the gully the route crosses just west of the camp but one big fall let loose directly above the tents and sent washing machine sized ice boulders rolling through camp. It was pretty terrifying and one of the closer calls I've had in the mountains. Amazingly no tents or people were hit with big stuff.
In retrospect it was a comical scene. Most of us were awakened from afternoon naps by the crack of the ice fall and watched in what seemed to be slow motion as the glacier broke up and trundled towards the tents. Realizing that it wasn't going to miss the camp, people started running for cover behind boulders in their underwear.
The irony is that Camp Hazard is named for an individual and not for its location below a south facing ice cliff. Needless to say, the name fits. Feb 24, 2007
Orem, UT
Was cool at the end of the day to sit in camp 2 and watch the fireworks all around. Nov 14, 2007
Yelm, Wa
Descent was the standard dissapointment cleaver route. Large suncups made ski descent difficult. Several large crevasses are open on the upper ingraham glacier making the route traverse back towards emmons glacier. Well marked and tracked. Jul 6, 2011
SLC, UT
A quick TR:
On the afternoon of August 3rd, we started up the Comet Falls Trailhead. Conditions were hot and muggy, but the trail thru Van Trump Park was beautiful. We encountered quite a few mosquitos on trail and we were able to find water to filter before leaving the Van Trump Meadow. We made it to just below the Turtle Snowfield before chopping a tent platform and going to sleep.
On August 4th, we traveled from our camp at 8,500 up to Camp Hazard. We did not rope up nor use crampons for the turtle snowfield - snow conditions were soft and easily bootable, with giant suncups that kept travel interesting. At Hazard we found running water and excellent bivy sites below Hazard proper - I would not want to camp at Hazard, due to the active Kautz ice fall right above us.
On August 5th, we descended from Hazard just after 2:00 AM, crossed the Kautz ice fall, and simuled the first step. Conditions were mostly steep suncupped snow (probably around 45 degrees), with patches of ice sticking out. We each carried (and used) one technical tool. We pitched out the second step, and found about 45 feet of 50-55 degree ice.
The upper Kautz was quite broken up, and we spent a considerable amount of time end-running crevasses - we found multiple snowbridges that warranted a belay to cross safely. Eventually we reached the Wapowety Cleaver, where we found more water to filter.
Crossing from the Wapowety on to the Upper Nisqually, we encountered one (rather difficult) crevasse, but after that, it was smooth sailing - the upper Nisqually was much easier to navigate than the Kautz, and we made good time getting up to the Columbia Crest.
Descent down the DC was trivial, though we did have to gain 500' of elevation because of how broken up the upper DC was.
All in all, an amazing day with perfect weather and good conditions. I'm looking forward to going back to do the Kautz again. Aug 23, 2017
This route was incredible, we went around July 12th 2017. We had about a pitch of WI2/3 but the last two pitches were just hard snow climbing. You can read more info on my blog... link above! Aug 31, 2017
On the road to perdition
Seattle
TR
The ice was rotten, but climbable. We simul climbed both pitches. Mostly faceted snow on top of dinner plates. Maybe 2-3 hero sticks total. There was hard snow touching the top of the rock step and no need to rappel down to the glacier. We walked straight off the rock step onto a snow shelf, down climbed through the serac fall, to the base of the 'ice chute proper'. (hi matt). The NPS had cut in a cozy belay shelf at the base of the 2nd pitch. We crossed the Wapowety cleaver at the bivvy sites and moved into the sun for the morning. There was a large crack on the upper Nisqually around 13,800 that caused us to move left to the saddle between Point Success and Columbia Crest. We gained the summit from due west and descended the DC. Probably the worst ice-climbing conditions I have seen the route in. Just the perfect amount of snow to kind of ruin the climb. Overall was a great 26 hours, and of course I will be coming back!
GPX from our climb: peakbagger.com/climber/asce… Jun 25, 2023
Minneapolis, MN
Carry-over via Lower Nisqually -> Kautz Glacier -> D.C -> Muir -> Paradise.
Team of 4. 4 days.
We had a rack of screws expecting ice. We used maybe 4 screws to place running simul protection (Microtrax) and a few pickets driven into the snow pack.
Due to considerable 90 degree F heat, the snow was wet mid day and slushy by afternoon. Early morning ascent recommended for this summer.
P1 was moderate snow. No rope needed.
P2 was steep snow, and we quested to find ice for the fun of it. I can't imagine it will be there for long.
We gained the crater and summit from due west and descended the DC. 7/11/24.
While descending the DC, just one-tenth of a mile of bootpack after the double ladder area, the route had collapsed and did not go. As evident by two bail pickets in the snow, and from beta from IMG/climbing ranger, we rapped into the newly formed crevasse and climbed out of the crevasse while still on rappel for backup, and rapped down the other side onto the existing boot pack.
The two pickets and cordelette were left as anchor. One picket was t-slotted about 18" deep, and the other picket was vertical. Was bomber and multiple 200lb men + 50lb packs rapped on it. However with the sun and snow conditions, we did it while the snow was re-freezing. I'd not advise performing that rapp. in mid day sun and heat.
Otherwise, great chill four day trip. Jul 17, 2024