14,410’, South Cascades Grade II Mountaineering Reference & Data • • • • Jurisdiction: Mt. Rainier National Park • Ranger Station: Paradise Ranger Station / 360-569-2211 x2314 • Equipment: Standard Glacier gear, pickets and/or flukes. • USGS Maps: Mt Rainier East, Mt Rainier West • Other Map: Mount Rainier National Park. • Beckey: Cascade Alpine Guide I, 3rd Edition, p. 98-99. • Other ref: Climbing Mount Rainier, pp 96-99. Time Elevation gain/loss Mileage • Seattle to TH 2.5 hrs 5,400’ 100 • TH to Camp 6 hrs +4,100’ • Camp to Summit 5-7 hrs +4,900’ • Summit to Cars 6-8 hrs -9,000’ Approach • • • • • • • • • • • Take I-5 S to exit 142. Exit to State 161 and drive south until exiting at State 512W. Travel 2-3 miles and get off at Puyallup exit (Mt. Rainier sign). Drive via Eatonville and State 706 to the Nisqually entrance to Mt. Rainier National Park (approximately 80 miles from Seattle). Pay entrance fee and drive 19 miles to Paradise, 5,400’. From Paradise, hike to the Nisqually Moraine trail and descend to the Nisqually Glacier. Cross the Nisqually at approximately 6,200’ and ascend the obvious Wilson Gully on the opposite (west) side of the glacier. Beware of rockfall potential in Wilson Gully. Follow Wilson glacier along the left edge to about 9,000’, then cut across to the right towards the cleaver between Wilson and Nisqually glaciers. There is a good camp site at 9,500’, some parties have made camp at 10,000’ but had to dig platforms. Climbing Route • • • • • Move directly up the finger toward the junction with the upper Nisqually glacier. Rockfall potential, hard hats recommended. Continue up the slopes to the top of Wapowety Cleaver at 13,000’, staying left near the cleaver. Climb levels out here, but you may have to negotiate crevasses. Descent • • • • • • • • • • • Descend the climbing route or carryover and descend the Disappointment Cleaver route. Comments • • • • • • • • • As one of the shortest routes on Rainier, a very fast party can climb it in one day from Paradise. Under good snow conditions, this route offers good moderate-angles snow climbing. A $30 climbing fee is required.

Priority for Tacoma climbers until 4/8. Mt Rainier climbing permit required.