Hey all,

I'm so excited that I just had to tell all my fellow SP'ers that I've been chosen as a Mountain Hardwear Elevated Rewards sweepstakes winner! I'm going to be climbing Mt Rainier this September with MH and Alpine Ascents International! I've still got to fill out all the paperwork and get in contact with AAI, but I've been wanting to climb this beauty since getting into mountaineering and I'm going to get my chance this year! Woohoo!

It will be the latter part of September, so hopefully the weather and conditions will hold that late in the season. Can anyone comment on Rainier in September? Are the conditions on the south side still good? Thanks for the info!

Cheers,
-->Justin

Good luck. You will need it.

If you do make it, you will see awesome exposed ice features caused by the sun. Neve etc.

Usually all routes to the summit are closed/out of shape at that time of the year. Unless they still have a ladder over the main bergshrund at the top. Quite often the last person up ranier for the season is end of August, after that there are no snow bridges.

Its no wonder why you got the "free guided trip" It truly is free to the guides. In all likelyhood you won't reach the top due to no snow bridges.

It can be very beautiful that time of the year. Take the guides on the Wonderland Trail. Would have a higher percentage of success.

If you make it. Will probably be spectacular. IF you don't, sorry, but that is the most likely outcome.

Brian

Justin Pucci wrote:Hey all,

I'm so excited that I just had to tell all my fellow SP'ers that I've been chosen as a Mountain Hardwear Elevated Rewards sweepstakes winner! I'm going to be climbing Mt Rainier this September with MH and Alpine Ascents International! I've still got to fill out all the paperwork and get in contact with AAI, but I've been wanting to climb this beauty since getting into mountaineering and I'm going to get my chance this year! Woohoo!

It will be the latter part of September, so hopefully the weather and conditions will hold that late in the season. Can anyone comment on Rainier in September? Are the conditions on the south side still good? Thanks for the info!

Cheers,
-->Justin

Great job winning the free trip. Conditions will not be that great especially since we are going through an El Nino snow drought. If you can somehow get the free trip changed to early July that would be much better.

That being said, you are going with a guide so that will increase your success chances. Train hard and you can get this peak. It should be a great trip. Take an acclimitization hike up South Sister or Adams the week earlier or Mt. Whitney if you can. The more you are exposed at high elevation the more it will increase your chances of success. Good luck and I hope it all works out for you.

Thanks for the heads-up on conditions, guys. I figured that might be the case...you know what? I'm going to go there and do my best and if the mountain doesn't want me to have the summit, so be it. It'll be there for next attempt! Either way, it should be a great experience from which I hope to learn. Thanks!

Cheers,
-->Justin

There ya go; that's the proper attitude. Don't let negative comments about possible future conditions deter you.
Maybe you can get on an earlier climb. If not, go with the flow and see how it goes.
Congrats! on winning.
Good luck.

I've summited in late August and conditions were not too bad. Obviously the later in the season exposes everything. Like mentioned previously try to go earlier, even the very first part of Sept. if you can. Either way enjoy it all, you'll have a fantastic time I'm sure!

I have climbed the DC route in mid september and had really good conditions. The key is to hope for a late summer snow storm that fills in the crevasses.

ExcitibleBoy wrote:I have climbed the DC route in mid september and had really good conditions. The key is to hope for a late summer snow storm that fills in the crevasses.

+1 (late Sept with summit on the 25th)

Congrats, brother. Have a great time.

Haliku wrote:

ExcitibleBoy wrote:I have climbed the DC route in mid september and had really good conditions. The key is to hope for a late summer snow storm that fills in the crevasses.

+1 (late Sept with summit on the 25th)

+2, although that was really the only route open on the mountain and it was about 15 yrs. ago, so conditions could be radically different today.

My first ascent was on Sept 13 in 08. The crevasses were pretty open, but the guides were still going like crazy. Of course conditions vary from year to year and by September, conditions can deteriorate quickly. I would hold out some hope that there is still a viable route at that point.

Does this trip include skills training? Because if you don't make it, you will have the knowledge to slide into another group at another time at least.

Sorry for the late response...busy week! I just wanted to say thanks for the advice and encouragement!

Mcpherma, the trip does include skills training. I agree with you...I'm going to learn as much as possible so that it can be applied elsewhere. My wife and I have been wanting to climb Rainier for a while now, but since I was the one that won the trip I'm going to go on it, learn about it and bring the skills back to her...then we'll have a go at it ourselves eventually!

Thanks again, guys!

-->Justin

congrats on the free trip. It will be a blast no matter what and you will walk away with some glacier travel skills that will be valuable summit or no summit.

+3 Sept 1st in 2005. Many of the routes were still open. Good luck to you.