Considered the 'standard' winter route on Mount Rainier. Begin at the Henry M. Jackson Visitor's Center at Paradise, climb up past Pebble Creek up to Camp Muir via the Muir snowfield. From there, ascend up the left side of the Cowlitz Glacier or Cowlitz Cleaver past "The Beehive" to the base of Gibraltar Rock before traversing left across the ledge system to Gibraltar Chute. Climb to the top of the Gibraltar Chute to the saddle (Camp Comfort) and then ascend to the summit rim. Depending on conditions, climbers descend via the Disappointment Cleaver or Ingraham Direct routes back to Camp Muir.

Activity Notes

The first ascent of Mt. Rainier by Philomon Beecher Van Trump and Hazard Stevens was via this route. Needless to say that is why I want to do it! You must have climbed Rainier by a prior route. I have budgeted 3 days, we only need two days, the extra day is to give us a weather window.

Other Information
Driving Distance from Portland 150 miles
Driving Time from Portland 3 hours
Expected Duration Car to car in two or more days
Relevant Books Climbers Guide to the Cascade Volcanoes by Jeff Smoot Cascade Alpine Guide: Columbia River to Stevens Pass by Fred Beckey
Relevant Maps USGS 7 minute series, Mt. Rainier East <href="http: maps.google.com="" maps?f="q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Mt.+Rainier&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=40.732051,93.164063&ie=UTF8&ll=46.849802,-121.757483&spn=0.017229,0.04549&t=p&z=15&iwloc=A"" title="Google map">Google map <href="http: "="" adventure="" c463="" starts-here="" title="On the Mazama Climbing and Hiking map page " www.mazamas.org="" your="">On the Mazama Climbing and Hiking map page Some nice GPS tracks and topo maps from Karl Helser: <href="http: images="" routemap-rainierdc1.jpg"="" routes="" title="Map 1" www.mazamas.org="">Map 1 <href="http: images="" routemap-rainierdc2.jpg"="" routes="" title="Map 2" www.mazamas.org="">Map 2</href="http:></href="http:></href="http:></href="http:>
Awards Qualified 16 Major NW Peaks
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