The summit climb reached the summit just after 7am on this beautiful summer day! A big change in the weather is creating big changes on the mountain. With a cold, wintery past few months, we're now experiencing warmer than usual temperatures. The teams left a breezy Camp Muir around 2am and made their way across the Cowlitz Glacier with a starry sky and nice, firm snow. RMI guide, Mike Hinckley said the wind dissapated while they were crossing the Cowlitz and making their way up Cathedral Gap. While ascending the Ingraham Headwall, the climbers enjoyed a beautiful sunrise and soon, the sun began to heat up the mountain. With perfect, clear weather on the summit most folks made the trip across the summit crater and up to the true summit. After enjoying some time on top, the climb descended in the softening snow. When they arrived back at the ladder spanning a crevasse around 11,700', the climbs noticed that things had been melting out in the heat throughout the morning. After everyone crossed the crevasse, the guides pulled the ladder marking the end of the the Ingraham Direct route for this season. Back at Muir, it became really hot and the climb went down the snowfield in the blazing, hot sun and slushy, but manageable snow.
Congratulations, climbers!
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