Mt. Rainier

We'd watched a team of four take all afternoon to descend the upper Ingraham Glacier (we later decided that they must have only descended it and must have climbed the D.C.). This led us to believe that the route was potentially difficult and badly broken up (Brett and Chris had climbed it two weeks earlier in a 36-hr. romp on the mountain). I suggested, just watching the sun microwave the glacier and anyone on it, that perhaps we'd have better, if easier, luck on the D.C. Brett and Chris bought my logic. They could appreciate the fact that I wanted to see the top and graciously accomodated my desire to climb a more accessible, if less challenging route. The headwall of the Ingraham looked very cool, but I was afraid we'd hit impassable difficulties around 12,000-12,500 feet and have to turn around. That would leave only the D.C. for another attempt, and with the huge amount of traffic on that route, getting on it past 2am would be potentially impossible. So we agreed to get up and be on the D.C. by 2am.

After our friends came off the D.C. traverse we all breathed a sigh of relief. Then, at almost 5pm (this is very, very late, people) we saw a party of two coming onto the Ingraham. After watching the earlier party take eons to get down the glacier, we began to truly fear for the now descending party's safety.

Not to worry. They were down in an hour.

It made me wonder about the route, but we'd already decided on the D.C., and to hem and haw about a route at that stage of the game can be unproductive. We decided on a midnight wakeup call. We hydrated, ate some great chicken and rice, then hit the hay - as well as one can do at 6pm on a glacier.

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