A White Summit

The RMI climb today was 100% to the top of Rainier!  Although the weather wasn't the greatest, all of the climbers sill made it up!  RMI guide, Walter Hailes said the climb left Camp Muir around 1:30am in baselayers and softshell jackets - a warm morning heading up towards a cloud capped summit.  The climb was greeted by increasing winds as they ascended higher up the mountain.  The upper mountain brought low visibility with the growing cloud layer.  Walter said the the climbers' view from the summit was just a wall of white.  Upon descending, they managed to escape the clouds around the Ingraham Flats.  The team descended in similar conditions until they were below Muir on the Muir Snowfield, where the snow conditions turned a bit worse.  The snow was "punchy" and they were post-holing most of the way down to Paradise; however, the climbers welcomed a bit of sunshine on their descent.  Everyone's enjoying some sunshine down here in Ashford after a hard-earned summit this morning!

RMI guide, Win Whittaker is on his way up the mountain today.  Here's a photo that he took en route to Camp Muir on the Muir Snowfield: