August 23, 2019

With the pending release of 2020 Rainier dates (sometime in September), you’re likely wondering which route you should climb or which course to take. We can’t choose for you, but we did put together some information to help you decide.

Basic Info
All IMG Rainier climbs and seminars are guided at a 2:1 ratio and include a shuttle from our Ashford headquarters to and from the trailhead. We provide group gear (tents, ropes, stoves, etc.), and breakfast & dinner on the mountain. Training goals for all programs should include the ability to climb 1,000 vertical feet/per hour while carrying a 35-55lb pack for 4,000’ over 4-5 hours with ~10 min breaks each hour.

2020 Programs

IMG Guide, Ryan Dougherty, approaching the summit of Mt. Rainier (Nickel Wood)

3.5 Day Camp Muir/DC
Day 1 2PM Gear Check @ IMG HQ
Day 2 Paradise (5,400’) to Camp Muir (~10,080’)
Day 3/4 Camp Muir to Ingraham Flats (~11,200’) followed by overnight summit bid, descend to Paradise, shuttle back to IMG HQ

Key considerations:

• No prior mountaineering experience
• Ability to carry ~35lb pack required
• Maintained trail, busiest route on the mountain
• Climbed from May-September
• Excellent for beginners with a high level of fitness and stamina
• 8 clients, 4 guides

A little bit of solitude on the Emmons (Harry Hamlin)

4.5 Day Emmons
Day 1 2PM Gear Check @ IMG HQ
Day 2 White River Trailhead (4,200’) to camp on the Inter Glacier (~8,000’)
Day 3 Inter Glacier to Camp Schurman (9,600’)
Day 4 Summit day, descend to Schurman
Day 5 Hike down to White River, shuttle back to IMG HQ

Key considerations:

• No technical prerequisites
• Ability to carry ~50lb pack required
• No maintained route, more remote mountain experience
• Climbed from late May through late July
• Excellent for the strong beginner to intermediate climber with a very high level of fitness and stamina
• 8 clients, 4 guides
• NPS in-depth route description

Climbing the Kautz (Jonathan Schrock)

4.5 Day Kautz
Day 1 2PM Gear Check @ IMG HQ
Day 2 Paradise (5,400’) to Nisqually Glacier to Camp 1 (~7,000’)
Day 3 Camp 1 to high camp (~10,000’)
Day 4 Summit day (12-16 hour day), descend to high camp
Day 5 Descend to Paradise, shuttle back to IMG HQ

Key considerations:

• Prerequisites include a prior summit of Mt. Rainier via the DC or Emmons (or a comparable glacier climb approved by IMG)
• Ability to ascend a snow/ice chute that increases in angle from 30 to 50 degrees over several hundred feet and includes multiple pitches of guided belays
• Ability to carry a 50-55lb pack in crampons on steep terrain at alitude as part of a rope team
• Not a maintained route, offers a more remote mountain experience
• Climbed from late May through late July
• Excellent for strong intermediate to advanced climbers with an extremely high level of fitness and stamina
• 8 clients, 4 guides
• Applications require approval from program director
• NPS in-depth route description

5.5 Day Kautz adds technical training on Day 2 and departs for Paradise on Day 3

Climbing the Fuhrer Finger (Chris Meder)

5.5 Day Fuhrer Finger
Day 1 2PM Gear Check @ IMG HQ
Day 2 Paradise (5,400’) to Camp 1 (~7,000’)
Day 3 Camp 1 to Camp 2 at the base of the route (~8,500’)
Day 4 Depending on conditions, move up the Fuhrer Finger at first light & establish a new campsite at the top of the Finger at (~11,500 feet)
Day 5 Primary summit day. If a high camp is established, depart at first light for the summit. The round trip will take approximately 8 hours.
Day 6 Descend to Paradise, shuttle back to IMG HQ

Key considerations:

• Prerequisites include a prior summit of Mt. Rainier via the Emmons or Kautz (or comparable alpine climbs approved by IMG)
• Ability to ascend a 40-50 degree snow chute carrying a 50-55lb pack while using two technical tools
• Not a maintained route, offers a more remote mountain experience
• Climbed from mid to late May through late June only
• Limited to 4 climbers
• Excellent for upper level intermediate to advanced climbers with an exceptionally high level of fitness and stamina
• 4 clients, 2 guides
• Applications require approval from program director.

Awash in the morning light above Thumb Rock on a climb of Liberty Ridge (Ann Sparks)

5.5 Day Liberty Ridge
Day 1 2PM Gear Check @ IMG HQ
Day 2 White River Campground to Camp 1 at Lower Curtis Ridge (7,000′)
Day 3 Camp 1 to Thumb Rock (10,700′) on slopes of 40-45 degrees
Day 4/5 Summit day – long and on continuously steep slopes for almost 4,000 vertical feet
Day 5/6 Descend to Camp Schurman on the Emmons or via the DC to Paradise, shuttle back to IMG HQ

Key considerations:

• Steep, exposed, and committing
• Limited to 4 climbers
• Only for advanced climbers with an exceptional level of fitness, stamina, technical ability, and overall mountaineering experience
• Applications require approval from program director

Technical skills training on a Glacier Skills Seminar (Nate Sievert)

6.5 Day Glacier Skills Seminar
Day 1 2PM Gear Check @ IMG HQ
Day 2 Paradise (5,400’) to Camp 1 (~7,000’) on the Paradise Glacier
Day 3 Skills session, climb to Camp 2 (~9,000’ or lower) on the Paradise Glacier
Day 4 Skills day on the Paradise Glacier
Day 5 Climb to Camp Muir (~10,000’)
Day 6/7 Climb to Ingraham Flats (~11,200’) followed by an overnight summit bid, descend to Paradise, shuttle back to IMG HQ

Key considerations:

• Three days of expedition climbing with a focus on technical glacier skills, including anchors, self and team crevasse rescue, ice climbing, route finding, glacier travel, and fixed line ascension
• Once at Camp Muir, the program follows a standard DC climb w/summit attempt
• Ability to carry ~50lb pack required
• Excellent for beginner or intermediate climbers with a high level of fitness and stamina who are interested in learning mountaineering skills in conjunction with a summit attempt of Mt. Rainier
• Late June to mid-August only
• 8 clients, 4 guides

Sled Hauling on the Denali Prep (Betsy Dain-Owens)

6.5 Day Denali Prep Seminar
Day 1 2PM Gear Check @ IMG HQ
Day 2 Paradise (5,400’) to Camp 1 (~7,000’)
Days 3-6 Ascend camp to camp as weather permits, training along the way
Day 7 Descend to Paradise, shuttle back to IMG HQ

Key considerations:

• Premier training program for guided expeditions on Denali
• No prior experience necessary
• Expedition climbing with a focus on cold weather mountaineering, sled rigging, expedition camp building, and technical skills used on Denali and other high altitude, glaciated peaks
• Ability to carry ~55lb pack while hauling a sled required
• February through April
• 8 clients, 4 guides

The chance of summiting Mt. Rainier in early season is not high, but when possible, an attempt can be useful in practicing additional climbing techniques, avalanche hazard evaluation, and route finding skills.

Little Tahoma (Dean Hill)

5.5 Day Little Tahoma Mountaineering Seminar
Day 1 2PM Gear Check @ IMG HQ
Day 2 Frying Pan Creek Trailhead to Camp 1 (~7,500’)
Day 3 Skills session, climb to Camp 2 on the Frying Pan Glacier (~9,000’)
Day 4 Full day of technical training
Day 5 Rock climbing skills session & summit of Little Tahoma, descend to camp
Day 7 Descend to Frying Pan Creek Trailhead, shuttle back to IMG HQ

Key considerations:

• No prior experience. Training includes ice climbing, anchors systems, rescue systems
• Excellent for beginner to intermediate level climbers with an exceptionally high level of fitness and stamina and the ability to carry a 50lb pack over multiple days
• Mid-June to early July
• 4 clients, 2 guides

Proper crevasse rescue skills are essential in the mountains (Greg Vernovage)

Mountaineering Day School – One day introductory training course focusing on crampon techniques, ice axe self-arrest, and rope team travel.

Advanced Mountaineering Day School – One day introductory follow up training course focusing on cramponing on steeper terrain (40-50 degree slopes), multi-pitched belays, anchor construction & management, and rappelling.

Crevasse Rescue School – Comprehensive two day course that focuses on basic through advanced mountaineering skills from climbing knots to snow and ice anchors, ascending and descending ropes, simple crevasse rescue, advanced crevasse rescue systems, and crevasse self rescue. Designed to be taken as a stand-alone course for the experienced climber or in conjunction with the MDS & AMDS courses.

Here are a few tips to help you with the sign up process:

June/July/August typically fill within the first two weeks of registration, with much of the remainder of the season full by November. Applications are accepted only once registration is open and not in advance. Spots are only reserved with a completed application and deposit. All fees are non-refundable and trip insurance that protects your investment in the event you need to cancel is strongly recommended.

Each application is time-stamped and processed in the order in which it is received. List your available dates in order of preference and if you are climbing with one or more partners, you’ll want to include each other’s names in the space provided on the application.

We expect to release our dates sometime in September. We’ll update this blog, send out a newsletter, and post on social media (Facebook Instagram Twitter) as soon as the dates are confirmed.

Email office@mountainguides.com with any questions in the interim!

Heather Garland