Approach
Drive the 410 from Enumclaw towards Sunrise and the White River campground. From White River, follow the trail up low hills towards glacier basin at the base of the interglacier. This is a small campground next to the river crawling with big fat marmots...
Route Description
From Glacier Basin, head up the moraine towards the Interglacier. This is a small glacier with a few crevasses so rope up. Head to the top of this glacier, then skirt left around it's flank towards a rocky area where camp Curtis is located. From here descend onto the massive Emmons glacier. This view is incredible. Head up across the glacier, avoiding large crevasses towards camp Schurman. There are many spots here, but you can also camp higher at Emmons Flats. (Not sure why they call it a flat- it's not flat or any less steep.) From here, traverse up and left into a corridor called "The Corridor" a smooth, wide tract that ascends towards the summit. Near the top, travers to the right and skirt the summit cap. A jumble of crevasses / bergeschrund may slow progress. From here the angle slackens and the summit plateau is visible. Ascend to Columbia Crest. Descend via the same.
This is supposedly the easiest route on the mountain, but watch the crevasses. Pretty crowded with multiple rope teams crossing each other down low, but thins out through the corridor.
Essential Gear
Standard Snow / Glacier travel gear
Miscellaneous Info
OK, OK. Someone emailed me about the previous rating of this route and objected to the "walk up" rating.
"Think it is a bit of a stretch to classify an ascent of Mt Rainier, by any route much less the Emmons, as "a walk up". Sustained moderate angle snow, significant danger associated with a crevasse fall and potential for altitude related health issues should give this route a more serious rating than "a walk up."
Just my two cents worth. Certainly, all serious mountaineers would know to take this route and mountain seriously. However, as the internet is so broad based, would hate for a casual outdoorsperson to misinterpret the difficulty."
I concede any ascent of this or any Cascade volcano is potentially lethal as evidenced by this summer's tragedies on both Rainier and Shasta. I meant it as a RELATIVE rating (it still is the easiest route on the mountain, more so than the DC route IMHO) with no steep sections or technical difficulty in ideal conditions. It really is a walk compared to some of the more committing routes, ie Curtis Ridge / anything on the Willis Wall. But I would, as a prerequisite, assume that anyone attempting any routes on Rainier has had ample experience and instruction in mountaineering and highly discourage anyone from them if at all unsure of their ability.
My bad. ; P
Images
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Cascade Volcanoes
