Mount Rainier/Disappointment Cleaver

Trip Report

Apoorv, Kelsey, Casey and I took advantage of an ideal weather window to summit Mt Rainier via DC.

Apoorv drove out to Paradise 5/29 to pick up permits that we had reserved online earlier that day. The ranger reminded us to bring the following with us to the summit: sleeping pad, sleeping bag, shovel, stove.

The rest of us carpooled from Seattle and met him at the overnight parking lot (Paradise lower parking lot) at 5:45am. Clouds were low and it was snowing so we waited awhile to see how the weather would change. Fortunately the snow stopped right as we left the trailhead around 7:20am.

We booted our way up to Camp Muir, taking photos along the way. We saw a few other groups also heading up to Camp Muir, some planning to summit and others skiing down the same day. Kelsey and I went ahead to secure bunk spots in the shelter so we could avoid having to set up and tear down tents. We brought two 2-person tents just in case, but those ended up not being necessary (but should still bring as a backup).

Apoorv and Casey arrived and we got going on melting snow for water. We used up an entire 4oz canister and most of my 8oz canister to make enough water for 4 people, using a WindBurner and JetBoil. The shelter at Camp Muir also has some extra fuel left behind by other climbers. 

We went to sleep around 5pm with plans to wake up in time to leave camp by 11:30pm. Earplugs were key to getting any sleep inside the shelter. At 11:30pm we roped up and headed out. 

Guides had placed some hand lines along the cleaver which were helpful. Much of the cleaver is still under snow but there are a few rock steps here and there. There did not appear to be much risk of rock fall but we short roped this section just in case, as not to dislodge anything on parties below us. After what felt like a long while we reached the top of the cleaver around 4am.

A little before 9am we reached the summit register and wrote our names down, then made our way to the true summit before heading back down. The summit is very windy, would recommend taking a break somewhere in the bowl where it was much calmer. 

The descent, like always, felt longer than the ascent. The sun had been cooking the snow for some time and the firm snow we had in the morning had turned into a mushy mess on one of the switchbacks. We did some running belays, clipping into pickets that guides had placed and placing two of our own. 

We got back to Camp Muir, packed up, and descended down. Lots of post holing but we made it eventually. At the parking lot, couple of skiers were gearing up to do a car to car push and we chatted with them briefly about the route conditions. Hope they made it! 

Timeline of events:

3:20am, leave Seattle
5:45am, arrive at Paradise
7:20am depart TH
12:30pm arrive Camp Muir
5:00pm go to sleep
10:45pm wake up, get ready to go
11:30pm, depart Camp Muir
4:11am, reached top of Disappointment Cleaver
~9am, reached summit
3:41pm, back to Camp Muir,  rest, eat, recover
~5pm, head down
7:47pm, back to cars
10:30pm, back in Seattle

GPX:  https://caltopo.com/m/2V3S2

Couple of key things that were nice to have:
- BIG down jacket for the summit. It gets real cold real fast
- Grocery bag for hauling clean snow around was super convenient
- Dramamine and ibuprofen for the altitude. Next time I think I will sleep at Cougar Rock or nearby the night before rather than driving direct from Seattle. Sea level to 14k' is a big change.
- Skin up and ski down from Camp Muir, boot to the summit. The path to Camp Muir is nice and wide and would make for a chill ski descent rather than post holing for miles. 

Map