Mt. Rainier, DC 9-24-06

We wanted to see what it was like to climb Rainier in September. So we chose a date, made plans and drove to Paradise. There was a menacing cloud cap over the mountain threatening to change our plans! We made it up to Camp Muir later that day in good weather.

We were very pleased when we got up at midnight and started our summit bid under clear skies!

There is nothing like watching the sunrise from 13,000 feet!

The storm that almost stopped us left beautiful ice formations all over the upper mountain.

These palm sized formations were all over the crater area.

This 5 foot tall icicle was found inside the steam caves that are under the snow and ice in the crater.

A blue light illuminates the upper portion of the caves.

The view looking down one of the caves. Farther down the cave, it is completely black.

The view looking up from farther down in the cave. These caves go down hundreds of feet and all the way across the crater.

Dave, Doug, Mark and Jim on the top. We were blessed with awesome weather on our summit day!

More ice figurines on the way down.

The long traverse back to

Disappointment Cleaver.

The mountain is a jumbled mass of crevasses and seracs in the fall.

This part of Disappointment Cleaver is made up of crumbly red "rock."

We made it home later that day. As always, we were a little dehydrated, famished, sunburned and tired. But it was well worth it!

Mt. Adams 7-15-06

Our 2006 Adams climb featured some little kids with strong legs as well as a dozen adventurous big people. We eat dinner and spend the first night at the trailhead. In the morning, we will have a big breakfast then hit the trail.



The bear grass was in full bloom at the trailhead.


On Friday, we hike up to our high camp at Lunch Counter. The wind was blowing so strong on the top of the mountain that climbers were turning around short of the summit. The shape of the cloud cap was constantly changing, disappearing and reappearing. We were hoping for better weather on Saturday.

It was windy at Lunch Counter, so we huddled in one of the shelters to cook and eat our dinner. It had a little volcanic ash added to it this year.

We woke up to find better weather. It was still windy, but at least it was clear on the summit.

A little climber follows her dad up the south face.

More climbers stair-stepping on the steep part of the south face.

Well above the clouds, we all take a break at the False Summit.

The last 600' to the summit.

Three generations of this climbing family made it to the top!

It was a little chilly on the 12,276' summit. Two 9-year-olds and a 10-year-old made it to the top!

The funnest part of this climb is the mile-long glissade back down to Lunch Counter! It was another memorable climb for Foursquare Mountaineering.

Mt. Rainier, Kautz Glacier 7-2-06

After climbing the easiest routes on Rainier, we wanted to climb something a little more challenging. So we decided to try the Kautz Glacier.

We crossed the Nisqually Glacier, then we went up a gully called "The Fan." It is full of rocks that break loose each day as it warms up.




We headed up the Wilson Glacier and found a great camp site just below the Turtle Snowfield. The rock wall would serve as a windbreak and there was running water close at hand. Unlike Camp Muir, we did not have 99 people camping right beside us. Mt. Adams in the background.





Jonathan in the kitchen area.





The main challenge of the Kautz Glacier route is a short section of 45 degree ice.










The shadow of Rainier just after sunrise. If you want to get the most out a sunrise, you need to be above 11,000' in elevation!

Jonathan finishing the fun part of the route.

Dave just above the icy section.

One of several large crevasses on the upper mountain.

Dave and Jonathan on the summit. The upper mountain was really windy and covered by a cloud cap.

Doug (holding onto his hood) and Jonathan. We took pictures and headed right back down.

Jonathan found a hidden crevasse on the way down!

Here are 3 tired and hungry climbers just a couple of hours from the car and some real food. Jonathan was able to summit an intermediate route for his first attempt on Rainier! It was fun to climb something new and challenging in this awesome part of creation.