Rainier '06

Doug H., Mike A., Christina G. and I made our attempt on Mt. Rainier after our "warm-up" week in Yosemite. For most of us,
this was our first time on a glaciated mountain. Our goal was to summit via the Kautz Glacier route. While we were moving
well, we did not move fast enough to reach the summit before our turn-around time. We turned around about 1,000 feet short of the
summit. While we did not make the summit, it was a good learning experience. A couple of things we learned: wand your
route even if the weather appears flawless because it is likely to change; one can never use too much
sunscreen; and, it's the small crevases you won't see until you fall in.
[SES: Interests page]

Doug, Christina, and Mike taking a break on our warm-up and route-finding day	Mike & Doug checking the map	"That's a long way up there"
Myrtle the chicken on the move	Christina, Doug and Rainier	Doug, Mike & Chrstina near the trailhead
Nearing Vista Point	Mt. Adams in the distance	Vista Point above Nisqually Glacier
Above Wilson Glacier	Uphill trudge	Ridge lines
Soft snow means hard work	Christina starts punching holes	First night's camp at the base of Turtle snowfield
Preparing dinner	Turtle snowfield	Dinner rocks
Sunset and Rainier shadow	Mike on the early morning ascent of Turtle Snowfield	Mike on Turtle
Hazard Ice Wall	Hazard Ice Wall and Kautz Glacier	Christina on Turtle Snowfield
Ascending the Kautz Gully	Gully crawl	Top of Kautz gully
top of Kautz Gulley	Walking the crust on Kautz Glacier	Doug and Mike on Kautz
Christina on Kautz	Lunch on the Kautz	silhouettes at sunset
Stephen the morning after summit attempt--puffy, sun-blistered lips & face	Doug at breakfast	Our descent tracks on Turtle
Christina with Mt. Adams	Chrsitina with Wilson & Kautz	Christina & Mike descending
Doug on the ridge	Clouds snuggling Wilson & Nisqually Glaciers	Doug on Mush Maker (5.7), Royal Columns
Mike belaying Doug on Mush Maker (5.7)	Mike on Iron ? (5.9)	Christina on ? (5.11c)