2. Events

John Visits Seattle

Earlier this summer my former college roommate John mentioned he might be interested in climbing Rainier next year, so I invited him out to Seattle to climb up to Camp Muir, one of the Mt. Rainier high camps, to take a look around.
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  • John, slightly below Glacier Vista, at about 6,200ft in elevation. Paradise, our starting point, is at 5,400ft and Camp Muir, our destination, is at 10,100ft.

    John, slightly below Glacier Vista, at about 6,200ft in elevation. Paradise, our starting point, is at 5,400ft and Camp Muir, our destination, is at 10,100ft.

  • Mt Rainier up close and personal. Camp Muir is located at the second bump from the right along the snow covered ridge. The first, more prominent bump is Anvil Rock, about 600ft below Muir.

    Mt Rainier up close and personal. Camp Muir is located at the second bump from the right along the snow covered ridge. The first, more prominent bump is Anvil Rock, about 600ft below Muir.

  • Mt. Rainier.

    Mt. Rainier.

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  • The view back down the trail. Note that a bridge crossing the Nisqually river can be seen -- that's the road we took up to Paradise.

    The view back down the trail. Note that a bridge crossing the Nisqually river can be seen -- that's the road we took up to Paradise.

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  • Trail leading up to Camp Muir.

    Trail leading up to Camp Muir.

  • That's camp Muir. You can see the guide hut if you zoom in.

    That's camp Muir. You can see the guide hut if you zoom in.

  • Camp Muir is a long way to go. This is Pebble Creek, complete with late-season warning sign indicating the Muir snowfield is starting to show crevasses. Basically the sign tells all the day hikers they shouldn't proceed further.

    Camp Muir is a long way to go. This is Pebble Creek, complete with late-season warning sign indicating the Muir snowfield is starting to show crevasses. Basically the sign tells all the day hikers they shouldn't proceed further.

  • Closeup of the sign at Pebble creek.

    Closeup of the sign at Pebble creek.

  • The camp part of Camp Muir. Not a whole lot of space left due to the crevasses which have opened up. That's Cathedral rocks in the background, and you can see the trail across the glacier leading up and over the rocks, then on to Disappointment Cleaver (not visible).

    The camp part of Camp Muir. Not a whole lot of space left due to the crevasses which have opened up. That's Cathedral rocks in the background, and you can see the trail across the glacier leading up and over the rocks, then on to Disappointment Cleaver (not visible).

  • The trail across the glacier heading up the mountain.

    The trail across the glacier heading up the mountain.

  • Obligatory summit shot.

    Obligatory summit shot.

  • Obligatory summit shot. Though I tried to position us for the lighting to look good, I forgot about the solar toilets in the background.

    Obligatory summit shot. Though I tried to position us for the lighting to look good, I forgot about the solar toilets in the background.

  • The RMI (guiding) huts -- one for the clients (on the left) and one for the guides (on the right) and the climbing ranger hut (A-frame in the back).

    The RMI (guiding) huts -- one for the clients (on the left) and one for the guides (on the right) and the climbing ranger hut (A-frame in the back).

  • John outside the public shelter.

    John outside the public shelter.

  • The view from Camp Muir all the way back down to the Paradise Inn (on the right) and the dinky road (on the left) where we had to park in the overflow parking, adding 3/4ths of a mile each way to our already-long (9 mile) hike.

    The view from Camp Muir all the way back down to the Paradise Inn (on the right) and the dinky road (on the left) where we had to park in the overflow parking, adding 3/4ths of a mile each way to our already-long (9 mile) hike.

  • This bitch was melting snow in the public shelter. I told her "that's a little loud, don't you think" because people were trying to sleep, and she just glared at me. Make no mistake, as someone who has tried to sleep in the shelter while an idiot was melting snow on his jet engine -- er I mean MSR stove -- next to my head. These people are the worst, and deserve all sorts of nasty things to happen to them. Really.

    This bitch was melting snow in the public shelter. I told her "that's a little loud, don't you think" because people were trying to sleep, and she just glared at me. Make no mistake, as someone who has tried to sleep in the shelter while an idiot was melting snow on his jet engine -- er I mean MSR stove -- next to my head. These people are the worst, and deserve all sorts of nasty things to happen to them. Really.

  • Solar composting toilet. Note that although this is classified a "strenous" hike by any guidebook, climbing 4,500ft in 4.2 miles, this toilet is ADA accessible. But only if you can climb up through the top half of the door. I guess if you're disabled and do this hike, climbing through the top half of the door is the least of the obstacles you've overcome.

    Solar composting toilet. Note that although this is classified a "strenous" hike by any guidebook, climbing 4,500ft in 4.2 miles, this toilet is ADA accessible. But only if you can climb up through the top half of the door. I guess if you're disabled and do this hike, climbing through the top half of the door is the least of the obstacles you've overcome.

  • Another summit pose. That's Mt. Adams in the background on the left.

    Another summit pose. That's Mt. Adams in the background on the left.

  • Climbing up above Camp Mui to take a look. Note the camper and the cravasses below.

    Climbing up above Camp Mui to take a look. Note the camper and the cravasses below.

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  • Camper, and cravasse. Wait until he wakes up in the middle of the night.

    Camper, and cravasse. Wait until he wakes up in the middle of the night.

  • More campers.

    More campers.

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