September 7, 2016
Little Tahoma from The Flats on Mt. Rainier. (Jason Liburdi)
It’s official, our 2017 dates have been released and with just 8 climbers and 4 guides on each climb they go fast!
Let’s cut to the chase:
Denali Expedition Seminar & Summit Climb: Literally a prerequisite for Denali. This program features 6.5 days of learning/training/climbing and generally getting your butt kicked by the winter weather on Mt. Rainier. This program is for you if you have your eyes on Denali or if you’ve got your eyes on an illusive winter summit of Mt. Rainier. Included in the price of the program is lodging for your first night in Ashford and all breakfasts and dinners on the mountain.
AIARE Avalanche Level IÂ & Level II: There are few things like experiencing the mountains during the winter. The beauty, the majesty, the solitude, the vastness. To safely experience the mountains during the winter we need specific skills. Whether we are backcountry skiing/snowboarding, snowshoeing, or climbing our ability to assess avalanche hazard and travel in avalanche terrain is paramount to our safety and success in reaching our objectives. Join IMG’s team of certified avalanche educators who work as avalanche professionals throughout the United States to learn and hone your avalanche skills.
Kautz Route: This is a great climb for the climber with a little (or a lot) of climbing experience. This is the best option for those who’d like to return to Rainier to attempt a different, slightly more challenging route. 1 day traversing the south side of Mt. Rainier, 1 day climbing the Turtle Snowfield, Summit day up the Kautz Ice Chute and 1 day down to the parking lot. All Kautz climbs now include an Advanced Mountain Day School to help get you prepared for the conditions on the route.
3.5 Day Disappointment Cleaver Route: We believe this program is far and away the most enjoyable way to climb Rainier and is also great introduction to mountaineering. It starts out with a half-day orientation and gear check. On the 1st day of the climb the group will ascend the Muir Snowfield up to Camp Muir (10,000ft). After dinner (usually IMG’s world famous burritos) it’s off to a full night’s sleep in the Gombu bunkhouse. Day 2 features a nice breakfast (usually pancakes and bacon) followed by a 1/2 day training at Camp Muir. After the training the group will move up to High Camp at the Ingraham Flats (11,000ft). Day 3 of the climb is reserved for the summit attempt and then all the way back down to Paradise and on to IMG HQ to hopefully sign the summit board.
4.5 Day Emmons Route: Another great introduction to Mt. Rainier and mountaineering. Maybe just a little tougher than the 3.5 day climb but the extra day on the mountain makes up for it. We’ll take 2 days to get to Camp Schurman (9500ft), 1 day reserved for the summit day and 1 day to get back to the trailhead. A perfect climb for the fit individual looking for a little more adventure.
For the more experienced climbers we have more technical programs like the Fuhrer Finger Route and Liberty Ridge.
Additional programs include: Little Tahoma Seminar,Glacier Skills Seminars, Mountain Day Schools, Advanced Mountain Day Schools and Crevasse Rescue schools are popular programs for climbers looking to get a grasp of the basic skills needed to pursue climbs on their own.
More questions? Don’t miss our Rainier FAQ which should answer a lot of your initial questions.