Mt. Rainier attempt 6/30-7/1 2010

Even defeat tastes sweet on such an incredible mountain

The short version: 20 hours to WA to rendezvous with Jeff and Noah. Wednesday in the sweltering heat we crossed the Nisqually and Wilson glaciers and climbed to our high camp at the base of the Turtle Snowfield around 9300'. Expected a bit of snow on the lower mountain Thursday and factored in an extra day in the chance it didn't clear til Friday. Awoke Thursday at 3 am to poor visibility and increasing winds. A nearby group received word the weather had shifted and would not clear up in the next 48 hours. Teams began fleeing the mountain in droves as avalanche conditions worsened. We called off our own summit bid and descended, crossing the glacier in a whiteout. Drove 20 hours back to CO where my non-triumphal return was greeted with a speeding ticket.

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