IMG Guides Establish a New Route to Mt Rainier Summit

Aug 12, 2024 –

We are very proud to say that our IMG guides have established and prepared a new route to the summit of Mt Rainier.  Over the last week they have put in about 25  “guide days” of work to scout, establish and prepare the route so that on Sunday our 3.5 day climb team could do the round trip.  A big shout out to lead guides Max Bond and Porter McMichael who did 4 days of recon last week, to lead guide Peter Dale and his team that descended the route on Wednesday to get it kicked in better, and to Angie Diana, Maia Critchlow, Jackson Hall, Jacob Barstow and Paal Bredal for putting the finishing touches chopping and shoveling on it the last three days so that lead guide Stuart Johnson and his team could ascend and descend it yesterday.  Well done, guides, way to think outside the box!

The “IMG Route” departs Ingraham Flats descending to the base of the Cleaver about 350 vertical feet, there is no need to first ascend to “High Crack”.  There are a couple fixed ropes on the new route, but no ladders are needed at this time.  The guides are also working on a variation from Muir via the “Low Gap” across Cathedral Rocks linking the Cowlitz Glacier and the Ingraham Glacier lower down so an ascent to the Ingraham Flats will not be necessary. Stay tuned for more!