Trip Report

The trail to Summerland took the group 2½ hrs at a good steady pace over 4.2 mi. The views of Rainier and Little Tahoma were excellent on this hot clear day. We arrived at the lush meadows at 5400' and found a campsite for the night. There were people arriving all the time, most camping in a small area. The temperature was 74. It would be hot on the mountain tomorrow. We arose at one to start the climb and managed to leave at 2:30, We moved up in twilight until sunrise at the 7500' level found us having a break for water. The glacier was hard snow, not steep. We climbed over crevasses quickly and scrambled through rotten notches, stopping for pictures and candy. We reached an almost impossible bergschrund which we finally crossed on a series of snow bridges, softening in the sun. Steep snow kick steps, sweat, pictures, sweat, snow sun. Scree slopes at 10,500' almost could have done us in but we found a trail and made it to the summit quickly, moving up on dinner plate, crud, a solid chimney, then no more up. 1110 gave us 8½ hours climbing time. We waited awhile, eating a terrible lunch (at least Bud and I) apparently Jan & Bill had put considerable more thought into theirs. We headed down plunge stepping and glissading and falling into small crevasses, arriving in Summer land at 1600. A good climb - but don't take your friends, keep it small & leave the mountain the way you found it. Jan Clark, Bud & Doug Procter, Bill Seller and Steve Ross who was the leader.