Disappointment Cleaver Route Update 8/12/2025

 Overview

As we transition into the late-summer climbing season, the conditions on the Mountain are becoming more dynamic and the Disappointment Cleaver Route is changing daily, from the Muir Snowfield to the summit. 

A steady period of high pressure ended with precipitation on Wednesday, 8/6, bringing low amounts of snowfall to the upper mountain and heavy rain from Camp Muir and below. This was followed by increasingly warm and dry conditions, with the freezing level hovering well above the summit at 16,500’. 

Moving into the second week of August, temperatures are forecasted to drop, along with an increased chance of precipitation. These unstable weather conditions will occur more frequently as the region transitions into autumn. During this dynamic part of the climbing season, the main hazards include: 

• Rapidly changing weather conditions

• Crevasse falls due to changing snow surface conditions

• Overhead rock and ice fall

Approaching Ingraham Flats with Disappointment Cleaver in the background on 8/9/25

Disappointment Cleaver Route

The approach is snow-free from Paradise to Pebble Creek, with abundant wildlife, wildflowers, and free-flowing water. The Muir Snowfield has some sections of bare ice and flowing water, which may pose a hazard in cool temperatures when the surface freezes and becomes slippery. Be prepared to use crampons or micro spikes if freezing levels are forecasted to be well below 10,000 ft. 

New crevasses are opening up left and right at Camp Muir, so use caution when setting up your tent and remember that once you step off of the rocks at camp you are on the Cowlitz Glacier. Consider probing your campsite and use careful footing when traveling from camp to your tent, especially at the interface between rock and ice where hidden cracks exist. 

Crevasses opening up at Camp Muir.

An unlucky climber punched a leg into this crevasse unintentionally on 8/9/25.

The same location as the photo above, just two days later, had increased in size and appeared to be 15' deep on 8/11/25.

The Cowlitz Glacier crossing has more crevasses opening up along the route, so use the appropriate rope length spacing when ascending and descending this section. We’ve seen several parties traveling very close together when descending after a long climb, but don’t get complacent on the descent when snow conditions are likely the warmest and bridges are weakest. 

Dunn’s Roll, just past Cathedral Gap, is an area of active rockfall and potentially confusing navigation, especially when traveling in the dark. Look for wands and avoid lingering anywhere that rock debris is strewn across the route. 

A clear, starry night at Camp Muir. Headlamps can be seen scattered across the Cowlitz Glacier and Cathedral Gap (8/9/25).

On the Ingraham Glacier, the High Crack ladder is still in place, followed by several snow-bridge crossings. Move quickly through the Ice Box and Bowling Alley, especially if parties are traveling on the upper Disappointment Cleaver when your party is below them. Strategically plan your breaks/rests by choosing areas with less overhead hazard and account for traffic along the route. 

The Disappointment Cleaver itself remains unchanged: use careful footing to avoid kicking rocks on parties below you and keep your rope up off the ground by shortening the rope interval between climbers.

From the top of the Cleaver, looking right at the "new" traverse (8/9/25).

The route has recently experienced the most change above the Disappointment Cleaver. From the top of the Cleaver, there is a new traverse to the north/climber’s right onto the Emmons shoulder. Look for wands and fresh boot-prints traveling up and right around 12,500 ft, immediately above the cleaver. The “old route” went directly up from the Cleaver and should be blocked with wands in an ‘X’, but note that these wands often fall over or become less visible. The traverse maintains a consistent elevation, and at roughly 12,600’, there is a double ladder set up at a ~25° angle. There is a snow plug just downhill from the ladder that is also a crossing option at the time of writing this update. Several fixed pickets exist around the ladder for protection.

The guiding services maintain the route and this equipment but it is available for public use; be respectful of this equipment and any guides you encounter on the route and in camp. They did a lot of hard work this week to get the new route variation in place, so thank them if you get the chance!

8/9/2025 Route Track

Looking up at the double ladder. Approx. 12,600'. The snow plug can be seen on the right hand side of the photo (8/9/25).

Looking down on the double ladder at 12,600 ft on 8/9/25.

From the ladder, the route travels up and then begins to switch back before the final ascending traverse to the crater rim (see photo of track). Again, keep a heads up on the descent for rapidly changing snow or weather conditions, assess every crevasse crossing and consider using techniques like belaying to get your party through terrain. Be safe, have fun, and we look forward to seeing you all out on the Mountain.

A climber traverses back to the top of the Cleaver on 8/9/25.

Additional Information 

More information on climbing on Mt. Rainier can be found on the Mt. Rainier National Park Climbing Page. Here, you will find information about how to pay the Annual Climbing Fee, obtain a Climbing Permit, and make reservations. The Paradise Wilderness Information Center (PWIC) is open daily from 07:30-17:00.

Looking south from Camp Muir under full moonlight during the early morning hours of 8/11/25.

Camp Schurman -Emmons Winthrop Route Season Winding Down

 While there are still a couple weeks of August left on the calendar, the summer climbing season on the camp Schurman side of the mountain seems to be winding down. The guide services wrapped up their last Emmons trip on August 7th and there have been few to no independent climbers in camp the last two weeks. The climbing ranger crew is beginning to winterize camp and focusing more on the Camp Muir-DC corridor as we head towards fall. Don't let this deter you from coming up to enjoy the Emmons side of the mountain, but climbers and/or day hikers to Camp Schurman should be prepared for a different experience this time of year.

The Emmons-Winthrop Glaciers from Steamboat Prow on 08/09/25

-The Inter Glacier has several long sections of exposed glacial ice and opening crevasses making travel much more technical. Be cautious with moats getting on/off the Inter and around rock outcroppings, running water and higher flow in creeks on warm days, and that a slip on the ice could lead to a very long fall. 

Looking down the Inter Glacier from below Camp Curtis. Note the several sections of exposed glacier ice

-Once camp Schurman is winterized, there will be no bathrooms open. We will leave a blue bag barrel out for the winter for 'deposits'. There is still potential for the heli-pad to be used so please do not camp on the pad. Crevasses are opening up close to camp so probe your tent site for cracks before setting up, and be diligent to rope up for glacier travel before moving out of camp; there are crevasses within 30' of some old tent pads.

-A permit is still required to camp in the wilderness, as well as the paying the Climbing Cost Recovery fee if you are climbing. The White River Wilderness Information Center near the White River Entrance will be open through early October so make sure to stop and in and say hi. 

-Climbers on the Emmons side should prepare for a remote, wilderness glacier climb, and transitioning fall weather/surface conditions on the upper mountain. Any remaining boot packs may be unreliable routes, and climbers should plan to route find their own way. Come prepared with the appropriate equipment and skill sets to manage long sections of exposed glacial ice, wide and marginal crevasse crossings, and potential for a circuitous route around unpassable crevasses. Additionally, do not expect to see anyone else on the route or at camp; you will be on your own and a rescue could take several days for anyone to reach you. 

The lower Emmons glacier in lean, late summer form

Thanks for a great summer at Schurman, enjoy the fall and winter. We look forward to seeing you all next summer!

Disappointment Cleaver Update 8/5/2025

 

August!?!?  Wow, the summer has flown by.  The Disappointment Cleaver Route has stayed in great shape these last couple of weeks and the cooler weather this week has kept upper-mountain conditions fairly firm.  Take a look a the last couple of Disappointment Cleaver Posts to get an idea of updated route details.  Also, check out the DC Route Brief for thorough information on climbing the route.  

The first stormy weather of August approaches the mountain this week, with upper level troughs passing over the park.  It's about that time of year where the long days of high pressure fronts are fading and checking the forecast becomes critical to the safety of any summit push.  

Remember that the Public Shelter at Camp Muir remains closed through September and all climbing parties will need to bring their own tent/shelter.   

Disappointment Cleaver Update 7/29/2025

 Overview

It’s been a windy week at Camp Muir, but many parties have successfully summited the mountain. The Disappointment Cleaver route is in good shape and the weather for the upcoming week includes low to moderate wind speeds and several days of optimal climbing weather moving into August. Expect busy weekends at camp and on the route this time of year and consider the Emmons-Winthrop route as a less-traveled alternative. 

As a reminder, the Public Shelter remains closed for the season at Camp Muir so bring your own bivy/tent setup. 

Disappointment Cleaver

The walk up from Paradise is snow-free to Pebble Creek (where running water is plentiful, but make sure to have a water purification system). The snowfield is free from crevasses at the moment, and it's a good idea to make a GPS track of your ascent route in the event that whiteout conditions occur during your descent. At Camp Muir, it’s worth noting that there are no trash services on the mountain. Please carry your trash out and practice Leave No Trace principles.

Above Camp Muir, the route crosses the Cowlitz Glacier where both rockfall hazard and crevasse fall danger exist - don't forget to rope-up and helmet-up right out of camp.  Cathedral Gap has lots of exposed rock, and just past Cathedral Gap on the way to Ingraham Flats there is some exposed firm glacial ice.  Take care while traveling on this ice - it's not steep, but a slip or trip would result in landing on a very firm surface.  There is a significant rockfall hazard here - move efficiently, but with deliberate footing, through this rocky and icy section just above Cathedral Gap and right below Ingraham Flats.  

Looking back on the Ingraham Glacier from the base of the Disappointment Cleaver. Climbers are traveling through the Bowling Alley in the center of the photo. 

The High Crack Ladder on the Ingraham Glacier, below the Disappointment Cleaver.

The route above Ingraham Flats Camp crosses a horizontal ladder before traveling through the Ice Box and Bowling Alley, where it’s important to move quickly to reduce your exposure to overhead hazard. Once on the Disappointment Cleaver itself, avoid kicking rocks down on parties beneath you by stepping carefully and not letting your rope drag. Above the Cleaver, the route switchbacks up to two additional horizontal ladders. During busy days on the route, please be extra courteous and communicate with other rope teams if trying to pass.  Consider stepping off the route and waiting versus trying to climb around with difficult footing. Traverse to the Emmons Shoulder above the ladders and ascend until the route wraps back toward the Crater Rim. If your party seeks shelter from high winds in a steam cave near the crater, please remember to pack out all of your trash (and we’d greatly appreciate it if you pick up any additional trash you notice in the area to keep the mountain clean!). 

Climbers navigate a ladder above the Disappointment Cleaver (seen in the right of the photo).

Climbers traverse an exposed section of the route. A handline is seen on the left.

Use caution on the descent with the warming temperatures typical for this time of year. Snow conditions are changing rapidly. Consider using techniques like belaying for sections of the route and remember that pickets are an essential piece of equipment for building snow anchors on this mountain; it’s recommended to carry two pickets per person. 

Additional Information 

Remember, practice Leave No Trace principals throughout your entire visit to Mount Rainier National Park. Do not litter in your national park. 

A climbing permit and payment of the annual climbing fee are required to climb Mount Rainier. More information can be found on the Mount Rainier National Park's Website. The Paradise Wilderness Information Center (PWIC) is open for the season with hours of operation between 7:30am - 5pm.

Emmons-Winthrop Route Update 7/27/25

The final weekend of July was perplexing at Camp Schurman. Temperatures were pleasant, winds were moderate, and the route to the summit was quite good; yet there were only a handful of climbers in camp each day. 

Conditions continue to progress towards late season norms, but all things considered, the Emmons-Winthrop route climbs well for this time of year.

Emmons-Winthrop route approximation (blue line) on 7/26/25

Route Description: 

Inter Glacier

After leaving Glacier Basin, and following the trail up the Inter moraine, stay climber's right and avoid the lowest snow patches. The Inter Fork of the White River is flowing under these lingering snowfields and the risk of punching through the snow and getting swept away by the creek are not worth taking. Follow intermittent climber's trails over rocky slopes until you arrive at the toe of the Inter Glacier.

Recommended travel line shown climber's right of the Inter Fork of the White River . Avoid the snow slopes with running water underneath (denoted by the X) photo: 7/27/25

Travel up the Inter Glacier remains straightforward and efficient. Clean running water is plentiful and easy to find on the numerous exposed rock islands along the way. There are no open crevasses or exposed ice along the climber's trail up the Inter Glacier. The snow is firm, and some folks may prefer crampons for the ascent.

Inter Glacier travel is quite good for late July - 7/27/25

Camp Curtis to Camp Schurman

This section still requires some downclimbing over loose and somewhat steep terrain with poor footing in order to access the Emmons Glacier. A great description and good photos of this section can be found in the previous Emmons blog post. Once the downclimb is complete, rope up, and follow the obvious climbers trail to Camp Schurman.

Camp Schurman to Summit

From camp, follow the obvious boot tracks up towards the Emmons Flats. Climbers will encounter some sections of exposed glacier ice shortly after leaving camp. The boot pack fades away here, but the navigation is mostly straightforward with some traversing to end-run crevasses. 

The established boot pack accesses the corridor higher than normal (an artifact from old ski tracks from early season). Rangers found a much better way to access the corridor on a solid snow bridge about 200' below the old trail. 

The corridor is sun-cupped and travel requires some French-technique with crampons to save energy. Near the top of the corridor, there are some crevasses popping out that will necessitate some back-and-forth traversing. When leaving the corridor, climbers will find some exposed glacier ice at the bridge that leads to the alpine meadow. This section requires some confident footwork with crampons.

Crevasses crossing near 13,300 ft (7/26/25)

Above the corridor, the route still has good snow coverage. The penitentes cause the trail to be troughed in some sections, but good travel is found off trail in places. The route zig-zags around some large crevasses here. Most notably at 11,900 ft, 12,200 ft, and 12,300 ft. The snow bridge at 12,300 feet is not difficult to ascend or descend but warrants a belay to cross. Rangers found that the ability to quickly lengthen the rope interval between the lead climber and followers greatly aided belaying across this crevasse with a picket anchor; both for the ascent and descent.

A Ranger descends on belay across the snow bridge at 12,300 ft (7/26/25)

The snow bridge over the 12,300 ft crevasse from above (7/26/25)

At 13,200 ft, the route begins traversing towards Liberty Saddle. From Liberty Saddle at 13,600 ft, parties can choose to continue up mostly on snow to the crater rim, or travel up gravelly slopes from 13,900 to the summit.

The traverse to Liberty Saddle (7/26/25)

Equipment

Because some sections of the route involve exposed glacial ice (albeit low angle) carrying a few ice screws is recommended to facilitate anchor building in these areas. The rest of the route is still snow, and picket anchors work very well. Parties should climb with a minimum of 4 pickets per group. Groups of 3 or more should carry at least 5 pickets. Every member of a climbing party should have the ability to build a snow anchor, and plunging an ice axe into the snow is not a viable plan. Ice axes with hammers are a good choice for the route in its current condition.

The Emmons-Winthrop route taken by Rangers on 7/26/25

Permits and Planning

More information on climbing on Mt. Rainier can be found on the Mt. Rainier National Park Climbing Page. Here, you will find information about how to pay the Annual Climbing Fee, obtain a Climbing Permit, and make Reservations.

On behalf of the NPS climbing staff: happy climbing, and we hope to see you at high camp!

Disappointment Cleaver Update 7/23/2025

First, as a reminder, the Public Shelter at Camp Muir is closed for the season.  Please plan on bringing a tent/bivy to stay at Camp Muir. 

The DC has been in great shape for mid-July, and lots of teams are making it to the summit.  Some unseasonable stormy weather has left a dusting of snow and graupel on the upper mountain.  Expect busy weekends through early-August - this is prime time to climb!  The Emmons/Winthrop Route has significantly less traffic and can offer more solitude this time of year.  

Trail conditions up to Camp Muir are now mostly snow-free until Pebble Creek.  Above Pebble Creek, consider trekking poles and even crampons (or at least some kind of shoe chains if only going to Muir) if traveling early or late in the day when the snow firms up.  No crevasses have opened up on the Muir Snowfield yet - but be aware of rocks melting out in glissade tracks and cornices on the snow rolls above Pebble Creek.  

Cornice collapsing above Pebble Creek, 7200'

 Above Camp Muir the route crosses the Cowlitz Glacier where both rockfall hazard and crevasse fall danger exist - don't forget to rope-up and helmet-up right out of camp.  Cathedral Gap has lots of exposed rock - and just past Cathedral Gap on the way to Ingraham Flats is some exposed firm glacial ice.  Take care while traveling on this ice - it's not steep, but a slip or trip would result in landing on a very firm surface.  There's a significant rockfall hazard here - move efficiently, but with deliberate footing, through this rocky and icy section just above Cathedral Gap and right below Ingraham Flats.  

The route just above Ingraham Flats goes up the glacier until around 11,200' and then crosses over a ladder and traverses to the Disappointment Cleaver.  Don't linger on this traverse - there's overhead hazard from both rocks and seracs.  From the nose of the cleaver the route ascends staying mostly on the spine of the cleaver with a couple of zigzags to climber's left.  

Glacier travel on the upper mountain, above the cleaver, remains fairly straightforward - ascend up from the top of the cleaver, crossing two horizontal ladders, at about 12,800'.  Traverse climber's right once above the ladders, over to the Emmons Shoulder, and ascend for another 600 or so vertical feet until traversing back climber's left towards the Crater Rim. As in other places on this route with overhead hazard, move efficiently on the traverse and plan to avoid congestion on the traverse due to serac fall hazard (see photo below).   

Traverse at 13,000 between the Emmons Shoulder and the route above the Cleaver. 

Surface conditions on the upper mountain off of the boot pack are rough.  Penitentes have formed and have made travel tedious and less secure when passing parties and venturing away from the route.  During these busy days on the route - please be extra courteous and communicate with other rope teams when trying to pass.  Consider stepping off the route and waiting versus trying to climb around with difficult footing. 

Looking down on the Cleaver, 12,700'

 Lastly - we've seen quite a few parties splitting up and climbing solo on the mountain.  Solo climbing or skiing requires a special permit and can be obtained through the Solo Climbing Application.  Please do not split up or off from your rope team on the upper mountain.  Once your rope team ascends past Camp Muir - stick together!  If one person on your rope team cannot keep ascending, come back down as a team.  Do not split up.  

For more info, check out our Disappointment Cleaver Route Brief.  See you on the mountain!