SummitPost.org

Just to be clear...I wan't suggesting you'd get frost bit from wearing a Trango Evo on Rainier in summer. Very unlikely actually. But you might well be uncomfortable if the weather isn't good. With good weather you'd likely be a happy camper in your Trangos

berick1 wrote:I'm looking to do a July or August climb or Rainier and don't like the idea of renting boots. This will be my first climb but not my last. Any suggestions on boots? I have a pair of La Sportiva hikers that I really like but am open to any brand. Thoughts?

If renting, I would go for a double boot since its MUCH easier to get a good fit. Single leather boots are great in the right conditions and if they fit you well. The boots with gore tex duratherm seem to be the warmest of the single leather bunch.

Like Dane said, keeping your boots dry is a MUST. There seems to be a lot of snow this year on Rainier so even in July you might be on the snow from the parking lot! Climbing on snow is MUCH easier on the feet than any other surface so do not worry about using a stiff double boot. If the snow melts and your are forced to do a long, dry and rocky approach then take a pair of trail runners for that part (I would take them anyway for camp) and just change into the dbl boots and crampons when you get to the snowline.

Wet boots during the day, will most likely freeze overnight at 10k Ft even in July unless you are inside the hut, and even there they might. You dont want to find that out when gearing up in the morning hours of summit day.

I wear my trusty Koflach Degre's on Rainier in pretty much any weather. With a pretty thin XC ski sock in the summer. On the downside, they're really warm when trudging up to high camp or when speedwalking from Glacier Basin down to the beer cooler. (In fact, I would say they pretty much suck for trail walking, when compared to standard backpacking boots). Make sure your feet are toughened up first, to prevent hotspots.

On the upside, they're also really warm up on the summit climb in bitter cold nasty winds, when you're party's not moving all that fast. And easy to dry in camp - just bring the inners into the tent, and hang the outers in the vestibule or stick em on top of poles outside. I like being able to vary the tightness of the inners vs. outers for various conditions too.

I tried my Millet Everest boots on Rainier one time in March - now those suckers were friggin hot! And have absolutely no give whatsoever.

CONSIGLIEREG8R wrote:I have climbed before (Pikes, Longs and Whitney),

We did all the fourteeners in one day.

LOLZ! assuming you mean all the 14ers in 1 day each, not all of them in one day.

There's a big difference between the CO 14ers and Rainier. Rainier is a much larger massif and it's problematic to stay higher than sea level before you start. The base is like 2,000'. Most of the CO 14ers you are starting from at least 5,500' and sometimes higher. It's not the summit height, it's the altitude gain from where you start, IOW the hotel, that more determines acclimatization.

yep, one day each. I saw the 9000 elevation gain in 9 miles. We will try to do some climbing in the couple of days before. I think I am ready. Only time will tell. Looking forward to some cold weather. It has been miserable here.

We are within a month of the climb. I've got all my gear lined up. Motel and Planes reservations are made. Can't wait. I wish it was tomorrow.

Dane1 wrote:
These cost a lot more than any pair of dbl boots made. The result of 24hrs out in Nov...@ 7000' in the Cascades.

Thanks for this post. It's a great comment.

The highest elevation hotel in WA state. Paradise Inn, 5400'

http://www.mtrainierguestservices.com/a ... radise-inn