Showing posts with label Emmons Route. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Emmons Route. Show all posts

Thursday, July 4, 2013

Testing Out the Mammut Sphere Sleeping Bag and Light Pump Mat on Rainier's Wilder Side

It seems that the "blue bubble" may have finally arrived in Washington.  After a largely damp and gray May and June, we hit a blue streak last week.  Under clear skies I headed out with a team to explore "Rainier's Wilder Side"--the Emmons Route.  By the numbers, about 70% of Rainier aspirants climb via the Muir/DC Route, 20% climb via the Emmons Route, and 10% climb via other routes. So Rainier's Emmons Route tends to be a quieter, wilder way up the mountain.  


At ~13,800', nearing the summit via the Emmons Route.

A few of the reasons that the Emmons Route is quieter than the Muir/DC Route are: