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Maksim Kalashnikov Premium Fotki Member

Mt. Rainier via Kautz Glacier

A technical late-season climb of Mount Rainier (14,411 ft / 4,392 m) via the Kautz Glacier route. Maksim Kalashnikov, Eugene Baron, Anton Matskovski. 2009/08/28-31.

       
    
    
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Can't see the summit, but it looks like it's going to clear...
1 Can't see the summit, but it looks l…
 
Countless meadows above Paradise Inn
2 Countless meadows above Paradise Inn
Comments: 1
We got a glimpse of Rainier while crossing the debris fields at the bottom of Nisqually Glacier.  Red arrow shows the Kautz Ice Cliff -- that's where we're going!
3 We got a glimpse of Rainier while cr…
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Crevasse fields and waterfall at the confluence of Wilson and Nisqually glaciers
4 Crevasse fields and waterfall at the…
 
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5 242.jpg
 
Mt. Adams
6 Mt. Adams
 
Camp I (7,700 ft / 2,347 m)
7 Camp I (7,700 ft / 2,347 m)
 
Evening twilight @ Camp I
8 Evening twilight @ Camp I
 
Mt. Saint Helen's the next morning
9 Mt. Saint Helen's the next morning
 
Day 2. Heading out of camp.  The false summit you see is Success Point.  The true summit is behind and to the right of it.
10 Day 2. Heading out of camp. The fal…
 
The day 2-3 route.  Red arrow shows location of Camp II.
11 The day 2-3 route. Red arrow shows …
 
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12 273.jpg
 
Yeah, it's a slog.  Hot.  Taking a snack break.
13 Yeah, it's a slog. Hot. Taking a s…
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A beautiful bottomless crevasse.  The first (slight) route-finding challenge.
14 A beautiful bottomless crevasse. Th…
 
Pushing on.  Red arrow shows location of Camp I.
15 Pushing on. Red arrow shows locatio…
 
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16 286.jpg
 
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17 291.jpg
 
First big crevasse field.  Trying to scout out a way through.  Had to significantly retrace our steps to find a passage.  Spent about 1.5 hours.
18 First big crevasse field. Trying to…
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19 299.jpg
 
Anton on a snow bridge.  He's smiling, but I know he's scared :-)
20 Anton on a snow bridge. He's smilin…
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Reconnoitering for a passage...
21 Reconnoitering for a passage...
 
Nope, can't go through -- it's a knife edge made of snow.  Climbing down.
22 Nope, can't go through -- it's a kni…
 
Crevasses have a magic pull on you.  You just have to crawl to the edge and look down.
23 Crevasses have a magic pull on you. …
 
Above the huge crevasse field.  Baron finally found a way around.  I'm coming up.  Anton is right behind.
24 Above the huge crevasse field. Baro…
 
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25 313.jpg
 
Camp II (10,700 ft / 3,261 m) -- finally!
26 Camp II (10,700 ft / 3,261 m) -- fin…
 
Anton & Baron @ Camp II
27 Anton & Baron @ Camp II
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Rainier's shadow at sunset
28 Rainier's shadow at sunset
 
4 a.m. on the summit day
29 4 a.m. on the summit day
 
4:30 a.m. on summit day
30 4:30 a.m. on summit day
 
Mt. Adams -- view from above Camp II
31 Mt. Adams -- view from above Camp II
 
Just circumvented the dangerous Kautz Ice Cliff by going below a rock gendarme.
32 Just circumvented the dangerous Kaut…
 
On Lower Kautz Glacier.  Traversing toward the ice wall that'll take us to the upper Kautz.
33 On Lower Kautz Glacier. Traversing …
 
Found someone's monster 100-meter rope.  It'll will come in handy on the Ice Wall.
34 Found someone's monster 100-meter ro…
 
Baron installing a running belay on lower section of the ice wall.  Red arrow shows the upper portion of the ice wall.
35 Baron installing a running belay on …
 
In the ice wall's upper section.  It's 60-70-degrees and 115 meters long.
36 In the ice wall's upper section. It…
 
Anton coming up to Baron.  I'm taking a break; reclining on a runner attached to an ice screw anchor.
37 Anton coming up to Baron. I'm takin…
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Coming up last.  Almost to the top of the ice wall.
38 Coming up last. Almost to the top o…
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A snack break at the top of the ice wall.  Still got 2,400 vertical feet to the summit.
39 A snack break at the top of the ice …
 
Another route-finding challenge. We ended up going through the upper Kautz Ice Fall.  Three dudes who were following us decided to turn around here.
40 Another route-finding challenge. We …
Comments: 2
In the upper ice fall
41 In the upper ice fall
 
In the upper ice fall.  That's the only place (besides belays/rappels) where we roped up.
42 In the upper ice fall. That's the o…
 
With Baron on Columbia Crest (the summit of Mt. Rainier), 14,411 ft / 4,392 m.
43 With Baron on Columbia Crest (the su…
Comments: 1
Anton and Baron on the summit.
44 Anton and Baron on the summit.
 
Maksim & Anton.  A close up with the summit U.S.G.S. marker.
45 Maksim & Anton. A close up with the…
 
Anton & Baron with the summit U.S.G.S. marker.
46 Anton & Baron with the summit U.S.G.…