Day 1: Pre-Trip Orientation
3:00 - 6:00 p.m.	Meet at Rainier BaseCamp.

We will meet at 3:00 p.m. at our Rainier BaseCamp facilities in Ashford, WA. Please dress casually and bring your climbing equipment and clothing. We begin our Pre-Trip Preparation and Training with a welcome and introduction of team members and guides. Throughout the afternoon your guides will provide a focused introduction to a variety of topics. This includes a detailed personal equipment discussion and gear check, an introduction to safety practices including use of helmets, harnesses, and avalanche transceivers, instruction regarding Leave No Trace practices and environmental considerations, a discussion of mountain medicine, and a practical demonstration of various climbing skills. This helps prepare us for our climb of Mt. Rainier, and increases the likelihood of a safe, successful ascent of the mountain.

Please make your own arrangements to stay in the Ashford area this evening.

Days 2 - 5: The Summit Climb
7:00 a.m.	Meet at Rainier BaseCamp.

Day 2: After an initial team meeting at 7:00 a.m. a shuttle takes our group to the trailhead at the White River Campground (4,400 feet). Our adventure begins with a beautiful 3.3 mile hike through mature forests from White River Campground to the Glacier Basin Camp (6,000 feet). As we move up towards camp we review the foundational skills that make us more efficient and capable climbers. We establish our first mountain camp at the very edge of the forest.

Day 3: Shortly above this camp we rope up to gain access to the Inter Glacier, and then climb over the flanks of Steamboat Prow onto the Emmons Glacier. As we make the ascent to our high camp, Camp Schurman (9,440 feet), we begin to navigate through the immense crevasses for which this route in known. The grandness of the upper mountain route now rises directly above us. Once at Camp Schurman, we have a great arena for the preparation for our summit bid.

Day 4: With an early alpine start on day three, we make our attempt on the summit. The Emmons-Winthrop Glacier route climbs the northern edge of the largest glacier in the lower 48 states, the Emmons Glacier. A spectacular 35-degree central ramp of the glacier offers a corridor by which we are able to access the crevassed slopes of the upper mountain. We skillfully thread our way through these great crevasses toward Columbia Crest, the true summit of Mt. Rainier!

The summit of Mt. Rainier is spectacular. A large crater dominates the summit, with steam rising out of the cavernous summit vents. The bare ground near the summit can be warm to the touch. At 14,410 feet, Mt. Rainier is the highest point in Washington. After spending some time on top (depending on the weather), we begin the descent to high camp. This takes about half the time of the ascent, and requires definite effort. (Be sure that your training specifically includes preparation for descending.  This will help ensure that your ability to safely descend is not compromised.) Our group returns to Camp Schurman for the evening.

Day 5: The final day of the program is spent descending our route from High Camp, and returning to the trailhead. Our shuttle takes us to Rainier BaseCamp in Ashford. Plan on arriving back in Ashford in the late afternoon. After the group gear is unpacked and checked in, we celebrate our adventure with a presentation of certificates.

The duration of the climb depends on many variables including snow conditions, time of year, route conditions, weather during our climb, temperatures, etc.  We do not recommend scheduling an airline flight before midnight on the last day of your climb.