The Mountains are Inherently Unpredictable and Unforgiving

Warning: Mountain Climbing requires special training and gear and is inherently dangerous.  

We have Skilled and Experienced Youth and Adult Climbers in our Troop.  If a climb is considered, a good amount of training must be completed prior to a summit attempt and only a select few Scouts and Adults will be able to attend.

If you are considering a Climb, consider taking a climbing course and using a Guide Service for your big adventure.

Do NOT Attempt Mountain Climbing without Properly Training and Experienced Guides!

Mount Rainier

Mount Rainier looms in the distant background and draws many of us to climb it.  This collosal volcano is the most heavily glaciated peak in the Lower 48 and serves as the ultimate high-altitude training ground for major global expeditions. Towering at 14,411 feet, the climb requires ascending over 9,000 vertical feet, demanding serious physical fitness, mountaineering skills, and endurance.

The ascent combines multiple extreme challenges that push climbers to their limits:

• Massive Elevation Gain

  • Climbers gain around 9,000 feet over just a few miles (starting from Paradise at 5,400 feet up to the summit)

  • It requires steep ascents while carrying heavy packs

• Glacier Travel & Hazards

  • Rainier has over one cubic mile of glacial ice

  • Treks traverse heavily crevassed glaciers, requiring technical rope management, crampon and ice-ax use, and crevasse rescue skills

• Extreme Weather

  • The mountain practically "invents its own storms" 

  • Climbers can face anything from clear skies to blizzard-like conditions in a matter of hours

• Training for the Giants

  • Because of its technical difficulty and unpredictable nature, Rainier is actively used as a primary training ground for higher, more dangerous peaks like Denali, K2, and Mount Everest

• Strict Logistics

  • The climb requires formal permitting through the National Park Service

  • Attempting the peak carries inherent life-threatening risks, with changing icefalls and rockfalls year to year

Due to the extreme physical and technical demands, only about 50-60% of summit attempts are successful each year.

For Scouts, this may be the biggest adventure of their lifetime!

Routes

• Rainier/Emmons Glacier       

  • Compared to Disappointment Cleaver option

    • Longer heavily glaciated route 

    • Offers far more solitude and is remote wilderness

    • Requires complete, independent glacier travel and route-finding skills

  • Length: 17.4 miles

  • Elevation gain: 10,262 feet

  • Days: 2-3

  • Technical/Strenuous: 5/5

  • Breakdown

    • Trailhead to Camp 6-8 hours, 5,100 feet

      • White River Campground to Glacier Basin: 3.5 miles, gaining 1,535 feet

      • Glacier Basin to Inter Glacier Base: 1 mile, gaining 1,065 feet

      • Inter Glacier to Camp Schurman (High Camp): 1.5-2 miles, gaining 2,500 feet

    • Camp to Summit 5-8 hours, 4,900 feet

      • Camp Schurman to Summit (Columbia Crest): ~3-3.5 miles, gaining 4,911 feet

    • Summit to Camp 3-4 hours

    • Camp to Trailhead 3-4 hours

• Rainier/Disappointment Cleaver

  • Mount Rainier’s most popular, guided standard route

  • Has established camps, shoveled paths, and fixed aids like ladders

  • Length: 15-17 miles

  • Elevation gain: 8,790 feet

  • Days: 2-3

  • Technical/Strenuous: 5/5

  • Breakdown

    • Trailhead to Camp 6-8 hours, 4,460 feet

      • Paradise to Camp Muir: Roughly 5 miles (one-way), gaining 4,660 feet

      • Camp Muir to Ingraham Flats: About 0.5 to 1 mile (one-way), gaining 1,000+ feet

    • Camp to Summit 5-8 hours, 4,330 feet

      • Ingraham Flats to Summit (via DC): Around 2 to 2.5 miles

    • Summit to Camp 2-3 hours

    • Camp to Trailhead 2-3 hours

Scout Climb Team

Scouts interested in summitting Mount Rainier will need a significant amount or preparation to attempt this adventure.

Preparation:

• Complete Basic Rock Climb training

• Complete Rope Team training

• Complete Glacier Travel training

• Complete Crevasse Rescue training

• Demonstrate adequate conditioning to summit the highest mountain in Washington State

Summitting Mount Rainier is difficult and dangerous.  Because of this, you will NOT be added to a rope team unless you are ready.

Most Adults and Younger Scouts will NOT be able to meet the minimum requirements to summit by the summer.  That's OK, as we will have other adventures, and those interested can continue their training and conditioning to prep for a summit a following year.  The Mountain will still be there. 

Medical Concerns for Mount Rainier

Your team should have an adult medical lead with at least Wilderness First Responder training, and ideally and Expedition Medical Provider.

Listed below is a list of several medical concerns that need to be considered and plan for.  References to practice guidelines for Hypothermia, Frostbite, High Altitude Illness and Avalanche Accidents are also included.  These references should be reviewed by all Adult Leads.

Both Hypothermia and High-Altitude Illness symptoms can be very subtle and difficult to identify early on.  That said, identifying and treating them early on can save the expedition or possibly a life.  The more eyes we have on our participants, the safer the group will be.

Hypothermia and Cold Injury

References:

• Wilderness Medical Society Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Out-of-Hospital Evaluation and Treatment of Accidental Hypothermia: 2019 Update

• Wilderness Medical Society Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Prevention and Treatment of Frostbite: 2024 Update

• BICO card – excellent course that used to be free

Concern: Sudden weather changes and unplanned or prolonged stops increase the risk of hypothermia.  Early stages of hypothermia are not life threatening but will impact the victim’s ability to care for themselves.  This can slow travel and increase the risk of exposure, falling and other injuries.  Later stages of hypothermia are more problematic and will necessitate carrying out the victim and can threaten the safety of the rest of the group.

We have seen plenty of youth attend training with worn out or inadequate boots and clothing. 

Mitigation:

• Ensure all participants pack proper clothing 

  • Consider gear check prior to loading vehicles

• Ensure participants pack enough food

• Avoid overheating (sweating) and overcooling

• Frequent group checks and opportunities to quickly layer up or down

• Emergency Gear - Summit Gear should include:

  • 1 sleeping bag

  • 1 foam sleeping pad

  • 1 tarp

  • 1 stove (with fuel and pot)

  • Satellite Messenger

• Monitor Weather

  • Know when to turn around or hunker down

Heat Illness

Reference: Wilderness Medical Society Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Prevention and Treatment of Heat Illness: 2024 Update

Traveling up a steep mountain in the middle of summer can be a whole lot hotter than you might think.  Add on extra clothing that you started your climb in, you have a recipe for Heat Exhaustion.

Mitigation:

• Monitor group

• Observe for signs of Heat Illness

• Allow stops to adjust layers

• Ensure proper hydration

High Altitude Illness

Reference: Wilderness Medical Society Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Prevention, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Acute Altitude Illness: 2024 Update

Risk of High-Altitude Illness is mostly based on Genetics.  Physical fitness and the drive to succeed will help you summit but will not protect you from becoming a victim.  You are either born for High Altitude, or you are not.  Most of us will be fine on Rainier, some will need more time to acclimate, and some people won’t be able to ascend safely without oxygen.

Ascending past 8,000 feet frequently leads to Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS), presenting as severe headaches, nausea, and shortness of breath.  High-Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE) and High-Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE) are less common but are life threatening and can also occur above 8,000 feet.  Ignored, AMS can progress to HACE.  Untreated, HAPE and HACE are fatal in 50% of cases and death can occur within 12 hours.  

Identifying High-Altitude Illness early on allows you a chance to prevent progression and safe a life.

Rainier/Emmons Glacier Elevations:

• White River Campground is at 4,400 ft

• Glacier Basin is around 5,900 feet

• Camp Curtis is around 8,685 feet

• Camp Schurman is around 9,500 feet

• Mount Rainier's summit is at 14,410 feet

Rainier/Disappointment Cleaver Elevations:

• Paradise is at 5,400 feet

• Camp Muir is at 10,188 feet

• Ingraham Flats camp on Mount Rainier 11,100 feet (up to 11,400 depending on snow conditions)

• Mount Rainier's summit is at 14,410 feet

Mitigation:

• Medical provider on team

• Leaders review High Altitude Illness Guidelines

• Observe participants for changes in breathing and mentation

• HALT ascent if signs of AMS

• Descend if signs of neurological (HACE) or breathing (HAPE) problems

  • Persistent vomiting

  • Wet/rattling coughs

  • Confusion

  • Stumbling 

    • aka ataxia 

    • Bad sign!

    • Delays in evacuation will require carry out and is potentially fatal

• Consideration for use of Acetazolamide (brand name Diamox) to hasten acclimation

  • Talk to travel med provider prior to trip

  • Generally started the night before ascent

  • Adults: 125 mg every 12 h 

  • Peds: 1.25 mg·kg−1·dose−1 (maximum, 125 mg·dose−1) every 12 h

Staged Ascent

• Studies suggest that a 2 day stay at 3,000m ( 9,800’) is effective at preventing AMS to 4,300 m (14,100’)

  • Longer stays suggested by other studies

• This is often shortened for Rainier

  • Shorter timeline due to easy access to mountain

    • Summit often completed in 2 days

    • Although common – a 2-day plan is NOT the safest approach

  • Rational

    • HACE and HAPE are rare

    • By the time you develop HACE or HAPE, you are hopefully already descending

    • You can get more clients up the mountain with a shorter timeline

Dehydration

Reference: Wilderness Medical Society Clinical Practice Guidelines for Water Disinfection for Wilderness, International Travel, and Austere Situations

Dehydration leads to losses in performance.  Moderate dehydration increases the risk of heat and cold injures and can stop the group in its tracks.  Severe dehydration or dehydration combined with HACE is life threatening.

You lose more water than you think on the mountain

• Lost through breathing

  • Drier air

  • Faster breathing due to decrease in oxygen pressure

• Increased urination

  • Your body dumps bicarbonate in urine to help body with high altitude acclimation – this makes you pee a lot

  • Possible increase in urination due to cold

• Lower thirst response at high altitude

We have witnessed youth NOT refilling water bottles with snowmelt and only relying on the water the brought with them from home.  2 liters is NOT enough water to safely summit Rainier.  Proper hydration will require a water resupply plan. 

Mitigation:

• 1 stove per 2-3 participants

  • Allows for adequate melting of snow

  • Don’t forget fuel, pot, and platform (3mm plywood is fine)

• 2 bottles of water

  • One should be Nalgene (maybe Tritan) to allow of hot/boiling water

  • Many bottles will warp and leach out chemicals if filled with hot water

• Discuss and ensure proper hydration with participants

Water Purification:

• Great debate on the best way to approach this on the mountain

  • May need a different plan for glacier and for lower camp

    • Melt/boil at high altitude

    • Filter at low altitude

• Snowmelt

  • Many people drink snowmelt without issue

  • Avoid areas where people walk/camp/use the bathroom

    • Use just enough fuel in stove to melt snow – minimize fuel used

    • Find and collect water that is naturally melting in the sun

    • Leave water in black garbage bag during the day

  • Some risk of illness

    • Giardia is the main threat – some opt to risk becoming ill and hope symptoms will start AFTER end of adventure

    • Melted water on glacier less likely to cause illness

    • Melted water at lower elevations more risky

• Boiling Water

  • Kills everything in water

  • Safe to drink

  • Uses a lot of fuel

  • Needs to be cooled before placing in most bottles

• Filter

  • Filters out Giardia and Cryptosporidium and bacteria

  • Does not filter out viruses – generally not an issue here

  • Great for treating water in lower altitudes

  • Filters will freeze solid if they get cold enough

    • Can’t filter water if filter is frozen

    • Ice will permanently damage filter filaments

  • NOTE: do NOT run boiling hot water through filter

    • This will likely damage the filter

    • It is a waste of fuel – instead, filter snowmelt or warm water only

• Chemical Treatment

  • NOT very effective against Giardia, especially when water is cold

    • Should NOT be a major issue on glacier

    • Problematic at lower camps

  • NOT effective against Cryptosporidium

    • Should NOT be a major issue on glacier

    • Problematic from water sources with waterfowl or human bathing/swimming

  • Can treat bacteria and viruses from snowmelt

  • Wait time required to be effective

    • Need to double wait time with cold water – plan for an hour for bacteria and viruses

    • Wait time for Giardia and Cryptosporidium is unrealistic

  • Allows you to adequately treat most water on glacier without using up too much fuel

• SteriPen

  • Uses UV light

  • Supposed to treat Protozoa (Giardia), Bacteria and Viruses

  • Requires use of internal batteries

  • Expensive

  • Bulb can shatter

Solar Injuries

Seattle people are often not optimized for full sunlight at altitude.  Snow can reflect 90% of sunlight back at you.  Sunglasses reflect light back at your nose.  Few are ready for a double dose of solar radiation.

Proper protection from sun is needed:

• Long sleeve shirts and pants

  • Sun hoodies are nice

• Glacier glasses

  • Snow blindness is painful and can stop the group

  • Ideally Category 4 lenses (< 8-12% visible light) and side shields

  • Group should bring extra set in case one gets lost

  • Emergency ones can be made from duct tape

• Sunscreen

  • Badger Adventure Sport Mineral Sunscreen (SPF 50)

  • All Good Sunscreen Butter (SPF 50+)

  • Thinksport Clear Zinc Sunscreen (SPF 50)

  • Sun Bum Mineral Face Stick (SPF 50)

• Lip Balm

  • Aquaphor Lip Repair + Protect SPF 30

  • Sun Bum SPF 30 Lip Balm

• Nose shield is not a bad idea

Climbing Associated Injuries

Falls and other injuries are always a possibility.

In the past, a participant didn’t bring crampons.  This makes glacier travel too dangerous and will result in the team canceling the trip or sending that participant home. 

Mitigation:

• Safe climbing practices

• Appropriate gear

  • Helmets

  • Climbing gear

  • Alpine axe and possibly poles

  • Crampons

• Medical training

• First Aid Kits

• Consider use of gaiters to reduce risk of injury when crampons are used

  • They also protect your expensive pants from being cut open

Avalanche

Reference: Wilderness Medical Society Clinical Practice Guidelines for Prevention and Management of Avalanche and Nonavalanche Snow Burial Accidents: 2024 Update

Mitigation:

• Avalanche training

• Review guidelines in case the worst happens

Exhaustion

Each of our participants moves optimally at a different speed and forcing slower participants to move at a faster rate may be counterproductive.  Over pacing climbers can lead to the need for more frequent and long rest breaks as well as exhaustion.  A slower pace is often faster and more sustainable than a rapid pace.

Exhaustion is often confused with High Altitude Illnesses.  High Altitude Illnesses often necessitate descent and evacuation from the mountain.  Avoiding exhaustion may prevent an unnecessary end to the trip.

In the past, we have seen participants not bring food and other unable to keep up with the group due to differences in conditioning.  

Pace:

• The group must set a pace that works for the entire team

• If a participant is unable to maintain a reasonable pace, they threaten the safety of the entire team

  • Slow paces and excessive breaks will result in increased exposure on the mountain and increased risk to the entire team

Mitigation:

• Ensure participants pack appropriate amounts of food and water

  • Meals and snacks are vital for performance

  • Proper hydration is vital for performance

• Monitor pace

  • Not too fast – monitor group

  • Not too slow – avoid getting cold or expending extra energy moving painfully slow

• Inspect gear carried – avoid unnecessary weight

• Distribute weight appropriately

  • Some can carry more than others

• Monitor group

• Drink and snack at breaks

Sanitation

Participants should bring and know how to use blue bags.  This helps protect the water others will drink later.

What to bring

• Ziplock freezer bag and possibly a poop tube

• Blue bag kit

• Paper towels

  • Hold up MUCH better the TP

• Hand sanitizer

Basic Logistics - Emmons Glacier Route

The Route and Itinerary Plan 

• See Emmons Winthrop Routebrief 2017

  • Review Weather Matrix

• Trailhead logistics and parking 

  • White River Campground 

    • maps.app.goo.gl/UVG3zCWHX7NJ5aXH7 

    • Parking: 46.9021, -121.6420

• Maps and Navigation

  • Paper Maps

    • Limited use during whiteout

    • USGS Mt Rainier East

      • WA_Mt%20Rainier%20East_242654_1971_24000_geo.pdf 

    • USGS Sunrise

      • WA_Sunrise_244131_1971_24000_geo.pdf 

    • Green Trails Mt Rainier East No. 270

  • GPS

    • MUST be downloaded for offline use

    • Schurman to Summit gaiagps.com/hike/361/mount-rainier-via-emmons-glacier-route

    • Trailhead to Summit caltopo.com/m/411L  

    • alpinesavvy.com

      • Caltopo.com/m/J0PS 

        • Rainier - Emmons Glacier

      • 2025 GPX Files - Public Google Drive

        •  rainier_emmons.gpx

• Emmons route overview and key milestones

  • Rainier/Emmons Glacier Route      

    • Compared to Disappointment Cleaver option

      • Longer heavily glaciated route 

      • Offers far more solitude and is remote wilderness

      • Requires complete, independent glacier travel and route-finding skills

    • Length: 17.4 miles

    • Elevation gain: 10,262 feet

    • Days: 2-3

    • Technical/Strenuous: 5/5

  • White River Campgroundis at 4,400 ft

  • Glacier Basin is around 5,900 feet

  • Camp Curtis is around 8,685 feet

  • Camp Schurman is around 9,500 feet

  • Mount Rainier's summit is at 14,410 feet

• Day-by-day plan:

  • Itinerary options:

    • Trailhead to Schurman to Summit to Rest Day to Trailhead 

    • Trailhead to Schurman to Rest Day to Summit to Trailhead 

  • Seattle to Trailhead Drive 2 hours 

  • Trailhead to Camp 6-8 hours, 5,100 feet

    • White River Campground to Glacier Basin: 3.5 miles, gaining 1,535 feet

    • Glacier Basin to Inter Glacier Base: 1 mile, gaining 1,065 feet

    • Inter Glacier to Camp Schurman (High Camp): 1.5-2 miles, gaining 2,500 feet

  • Camp to Summit 5-8 hours, 4,900 feet

    • Camp Schurman to Summit (Columbia Crest): ~3-3.5 miles, gaining 4,911 feet

  • Summit to Camp 3-4 hours

  • Camp to Trailhead 3-4 hours

• Water resources and resupply considerations

  • Giardia is the main concern

    • Giardia has been found in water sources as high as 11,000 feet

    • Hoary Marmots thrive at elevations of up to 7,500 feet on Mount Rainier 

    • Camp Schurman (9,500 feet) is above where marmots live, but can still be contaminated with human waste

    • Safe Approach: Boil or filter ALL water consumed

      • Boiling kills everything but takes a lot of fuel and time

      • Freezing of filters will permanently damage them

        • Do NOT boil filters - that also damages them

    • Risky Approach: just melt the snow and drink it

      • Giardia can present in 1 day, but usually takes a week or more

      • High Altitude

        • Many will risk drinking melt water at high altitude

        • Low risk of Giardia - and if contracted can be treated after you return home

        • Choose snow wisely as climber can also bring bacteria, viruses and other nasties

        • NOT an ideal approach for youth

      • Lower camps

        • Real risk of Giardia - water should be boiled or filtered

    • Compromised Approach: snowmelt and chemical tabs

      • Use fuel to melt water

      • Use chemical tabs to treat Bacteria and Viruses brough by other climbers

      • Ensure you double your treatment times for cold water (at least an hour)

      • This does NOT protect against Giardia

    • High Tech Approach: SteriPen

      • A SteriPen is supposed to treat Giardia, Bacteria and Viruses

• Turnaround times and decision points

  • Always begin your summit bid with a firm "turnaround time" in mind, and immediately turn back if you experience any of the following factors:

• 10:00 AM Rule: Do not push higher if you are not safely on pace to summit and descend before the sun makes the snow unstable.

• Deteriorating Weather: If severe winds, heavy precipitation, or zero-visibility "lenticular clouds" build up on the summit, turn around. 

• Equipment Failure or Group Fatigue: If any member of your rope team is injured, showing signs of severe exhaustion, or experiencing frostbite/hypothermia. 

• Unsafe Glacier Conditions: If rising daytime temperatures cause snow bridges to degrade or expose uncrossable crevasses.

• Pacing and breaks

  • RMI and AAI now use a slower pace

    • Pace is slow, steady and, most importantly, consistent

Group Logistics:

• Who all is participating in the activity

  • Maximum Group Size: 12 climbers per team

  • Affiliated groups must camp and travel at least one mile apart

• Team strengths, experience levels, and considerations

  • Adult Lead

  • Medical Lead

  • Youth Lead

• Gear distribution and shared equipment assignments

  • Poorly managing this leads to delays and gear left behind

• Rope Teams

  • Team 1

  • Team 2

  • Team 3

  • Team 4

• Transportation and carpool considerations 

  • Up to 12 people plus gear

• Communication plan and emergency contacts

  • Rocky Talkies x12?

  • inReach x2+

Safety & Risk Management:

• Weather forecast and contingencies

  • Trailhead

    • windy.com/46.902/-121.645?satellite,46.900,-121.645,16 

  • Steamboat Prow (by Camp Schurman) 

    • windy.com/46.872/-121.732?satellite,46.870,-121.732,16 

  • Summit Mount Rainier  

    • windy.com/46.853/-121.760?waves,46.851,-121.760,16 

• Terrain hazards and current conditions

  • Hidden crevasses

    • Thin snow bridges 

      • Common, particularly around Camp Schurman and the upper Corridor

  • Steep icy slopes

  • Overhead hazards

    • Icefall 

      • Collapsing seracs and shifting snow

      • Avalanches

    • Rockfall

      • Especially during the approach via the Inter Glacier and when moving near Little Tahoma

  • Unpredictable alpine weather

    • Whiteouts

    • Precipitation 

    • High winds

  • Altitude sickness

    • Acclimation plan

      • Stagged ascent?

      • Acetazolamide? 

  • Volcanic hazards

    • Eruption 

    • Lahars 

    • Mudflows 

    • Unlikely 

• Sun protection

  • Sunglasses

    • Category 4 lenses (< 8-12% visible light) and side shields

  • Nose Shield 

    • Optional and highly recommended

  • Sun Shirt

    • Ideally sun hoody

  • Pants

    • NOT shorts

  • Sunscreen (SPF 50)

    • Badger Adventure Sport Mineral Sunscreen (SPF 50)

    • All Good Sunscreen Butter (SPF 50+)

    • Thinksport Clear Zinc Sunscreen (SPF 50)

    • Sun Bum Mineral Face Stick (SPF 50)

  • Lip Balm (SPF 30+)

    • Aquaphor Lip Repair + Protect SPF 30

    • Sun Bum SPF 30 Lip Balm

• Medical considerations within the group

  • Allergies

  • Asthma

  • Diabetes

  • Seizures 

• Emergency procedures

Food & Hydration:

• Group meals and cooking plan

  • Each member packs

    • 2x freeze dried dinner

    • 2x freeze dried breakfast or oatmeal

    • 3x bags of daily lunch/snacks

  • Group Food

    • Cocoa

    • Coffee 

• Water treatment and water sources

  • Discuss Filter option

    • Ideal for filtering out nasties

    • Damaged if frozen

      • HIGH RISK where we are going

  • Chemical Tabs

    • Some benefit - bacteria and viruses

    • NO benefit for Giardia 

  • Boiling everything

    • Will need extra fuel

    • Extra time to boil and cool

      • Boiling hot water will damage water bottles

  • Steripen

    • Require batteries and can be damaged

    • Most people don't have these

Gear

Clothes:

• Fleece Hat

• Balaclava/Bandana (winter/summer)

• Sunglasses

  • Category 4 lenses (< 8-12% visible light) and side shields

• Goggles (winter)

• Dexterous Thinner Gloves

  • SHOWA 282-02 TEMRES PU Coated gloves

• Insulated Warmer Gloves/Mittens

• Hooded Base Layer

• Softshell/Fleece Mid Layer

• Waterproof Hooded Shell

• Insulated Jacket w/ Hood

• Softshell Pants

• Waterproof Pants

• Insulated Pants

• 2 x Socks (non-cotton)

• Mountaineering Boots

Climbing Harness:

• Harness

• Belay & Rappel Device

  • ATC Guide or similar

• Single Alpine Sling

• Double Alpine Sling

• Personal Anchor

  • Can also be a 2nd Double Alpine Sling

• Pulley

  • Ideally Micro Traxion Pulley

• Carabiners

  • 1 triple locker

  • 3x additional locking

  • 3x nonlocking

• 2x Prussiks

  • 5-6mm loops

  • one can be replaced with Petzl Tibloc

• Cordelette

Personal Gear:

• Backpack

• Ice Axe w/ Leash

• Crampons

• Helmet

• Headlamp (full charge)

  • Must fit on helmet

• Picket

• Ice Screw

• Water Bottles

  • 1 should be Nalgene style to allow for boiling water

• Food

  • 2x freeze dried dinner

  • 2x freeze dried breakfast or oatmeal

  • 3x bags of daily lunch/snacks

• Multi-tool

• GPS w/ Topo Map Loaded

• Sleeping Pad

• Sleeping Bag

• Personal First Aid Kit

• Prescriptions/Medications

• Sunscreen

  • Sunscreen (SPF 50)

    • Badger Adventure Sport Mineral Sunscreen (SPF 50)

    • All Good Sunscreen Butter (SPF 50+)

    • Thinksport Clear Zinc Sunscreen (SPF 50)

    • Sun Bum Mineral Face Stick (SPF 50)

  • Lip Balm (SPF 30+)

    • Aquaphor Lip Repair + Protect SPF 30

    • Sun Bum SPF 30 Lip Balm

• Hygiene kit

  • Toothbrush

  • Toothpaste

  • Foss is nice

• Bluebag Kit

  • Blue Bag

  • Papertowels

  • Hand sanitizer 

Group Gear:

• Shovel

• Stove, Lighter, Fuel

  • 1 set for 2-3 people

• Tent

  • 1 per 3 people

• Med Kit

Other Logistics:

• Permits and reservations 

  • Climber permit for Rainier here

• Gear check and final readiness 

Resources

• Emmons Winthrop Routebrief 2017

• mountaineers.org - mount-rainier-emmons-glacier 

• Disappointment Cleaver Routebrief 2017

• mountaineers.org - mount-rainier-disappointment-cleaver