Climb for Captives The Fight Against Human Trafficking

2009 Rainier Summit Trip Report

On the Summit

Our journey up Mt. Rainier began at 9am on Friday morning when we departed from the Paradise trailhead 5,400 feet. We spent the previous night at the Whitaker Bunkhouse, a European style alpine lodge frequented by mountaineers from around the world who visit Rainier as a training ground for high altitude Himalayan adventures.

Each member of the team carried a 60lb backpack loaded to the brim with ropes, ice axes, food, fuel, tents and an assortment of other climbing goods. Energy levels were high when we set out from the parking lot and not even the heavy mist could dampen our spirits. The fog was almost enchanting. We knew that the cloud level was at 8,500 feet so it would only be a matter of time before we emerged to see the bright blue sky, which we hoped was helping to melt a layer of slick ice on the high mountain.

We made fantastic time up to Pebble creek and paused long enough at the beginning of the Muir Snowfield to eat some lunch and send out one last twitter message before pushing on to base camp.

Once at Camp Muir we decided to snuggle up inside the Climbers Shelter, a stone structure 9 feet wide and 20 feet long that sleeps 22 people on single long bunk with about as much space as a birth on a submarine. For climber who can handle close quarters, loud baritone snoring, and the smell of unventilated white gas fumes, wet socks and excessive high altitude flatulence induced by freeze dried Macaroni and Cheese, the shelter is a great option. Not only does it keep you out of the wind (which had destroyed a few tents the previous day), it puts you in proximity to the solar outhouses which helps to ensure that you don’t have to use the infamous “blue bag” to dispose of your waste.

After cooking dinner and filtering 30-40 liters of glacier melt water we laid down to “sleep” at 7:30pm. The night before climbing Mt. Rainier sleep is a relative term. People who are acclimated to sea level usually have trouble sleeping at 10,000 feet. It is not uncommon to wake up with a splitting headache, queasy stomach and a dry throat from the lack of moisture in the thin alpine air… but most of the time you don’t wake up that way because you never really fall asleep. The purpose is mainly to spend a few hours in the horizontal position resting your body and your mind preparing for an early morning start to the climb.

Our climb began at 1:10am and we were the second team out of base camp. The skies were clear and the stars were immense and overwhelming. Weather had turned in our favor.

The journey across the Ingraham Flats was precarious due to immense snow melt from a recent heat wave that shattered historical records throughout the state of Washington. Over the next 7 hours we carefully made our way up the Disappointment Cleaver, traversed a maze of crevasses and snow bridges to the Emmons Glacier, and pushed onward to the crater rim on the summit of Mt. Rainier. We reached the summit at 8:40 am and were exhausted. The 40mph gusts of wind were blowing needles of ice that punished any exposed skin, which made a long stay on the summit anything but appealing. As we prepared for our decent, word came over the radio that our prescheduled flyover had arrived. A friend of Climb for Captives was about to fly overhead in a single prop Mooney Low Wing to photograph us on the summit. The timing was perfect. After a few photos from above the plane departed and we began our long descent down the mountain.

We made it back to base camp at 2pm and were eager to pack our bags and hike back to civilization where oxygen rich air and meat lovers pizza were waiting. We slid most of the way down the Muir Snowfield, turning shovels and sleeping mats into improvised toboggans. By 6pm we were loading our vehicles, turning in our climbing report and text messaging loved ones to let them know that we had made it back alive.

It is great feeling to finish a climb that pushes you to your physical limits, but it is an even greater feeling to know that children on the other side of the world will know freedom because of what was accomplished on the mountain. Though our journey to 14,410 feet is over, the journey to $40,000 is not and we are continuing our effort to reach that goal for the next month. It is not to late to give or to join us in our endeavor to reach that ambitious financial goal. Thank you for your participation and your support. We truly could not have done it without you!

Author: Jeremy

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