Mt. Rainier first timer, June 15, 2007
Washington, United States, North America

Mt. Rainier first timer, June 15, 2007

Page Type Page Type: Trip Report
Location Lat/Lon: 46.84516°N / 121.71753°W
Date Date Climbed/Hiked: Nov 30, 1999
Activities Activities: Mountaineering
Seasons Season: Spring

First time climber and Rainier weather

Took a last minute trip to Seattle June 14-17 and couldn't pass up time on Rainier, so I decided to take my daughter (age 9) on a training climb up to Camp Muir. As it usually turns out on my Cascade climbs, it rained the whole time. We started out from Paradise at about 7:00 a.m. and headed up Nisqually Vista trail. It was drizzling rain and the trail from the parking lot on, was snow covered. After my daughter practiced some basic walking and self arrest skills we headed up the mountain. The trail was wanded up to the lower part of the Muir snowfield. The higher we got the thicker the fog got and the harder the wind blew. With about 30 ft visibility and a 30 mph wind I turned her around at 8,500 ft. Not many views, but she did get some hands on compass training.
First time climberthe weather is still clear
First time climberstarting to fog up

First time climberdecision time


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TheBootfitter

TheBootfitter - Jun 26, 2007 7:18 pm - Voted 9/10

What a trooper!

Thanks for sharing! I've got a ten-year old that I think would have been ready to turn back sooner. Good stuff!

Deb

Deb - Jun 26, 2007 7:28 pm - Hasn't voted

=8O

OK, my hair stood up on end when I read "After my daughter practiced some basic walking and self arrest skills we headed up the mountain."! She's 9? You trust her newly learned skills on the first outing with those conditions?! Granted I have no experience with Rainier, so for all I know the ground was flat for 2 miles, but WOW - I would NOT take a 9 y/o up a snow covered mountain and START teaching the basics. !!

johnh1995

johnh1995 - Jun 26, 2007 8:16 pm - Hasn't voted

not so bad

The mountain skills were all practiced on safe slopes at the lodge, then the axe got put back in the car. There's not many chances for "real" practice in Tennessee. The "climb" was done on slopes where a axe or self arrest wouldn't be needed. Not going to take her on on anything bad until her skills are much more developed. Rainier was not exactly her "first" mountain. She has done a lot of hard hiking and rock climbing on the "Southern 6000", and has trained low on Mt. Hood and Mt. Lassen. Her mountain experience is probably much better than most of the guided climbers we saw being led up by RMI.

Liba Kopeckova

Liba Kopeckova - Jul 9, 2009 8:01 am - Hasn't voted

great kid

What an accomplishment for a 9 year old!!! My son is 15 and he would not want to go.

Viewing: 1-4 of 4


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