Tag Archive for: Cascades

Whole team summits Mount Rainier!

Photo pulled from the Madison Mountaineering archive. (Photo by Terray Sylvester)

100% summit success on the highest peak in Washington! The Madison Mountaineering Mount Rainier team left Ingraham Flats under clear, starry skies as they started up the climbing route. The team navigated technical terrain and were treated with an epic sunrise as they neared the summit, ultimately topping out and enjoying the moment and views with all of Washington below them. Congratulations to the entire team on safely and successfully reaching the summit of Mount Rainier! Team leader, Terray Sylvester checks in with this final dispatch for the 2025 Mount Rainier team:

Hello! This is Terray calling in for the Madison Mountaineering Mount Rainier (4390m/14,410ft) climb with Ed Viesturs – today is August 22nd.

Yesterday morning, we topped out in perfect weather on Washington’s highest peak! The entire team summited, 100% success rate. Conditions were excellent! We left the Ingraham Flats (3383m/11,100ft) at about 1:00 am and summited not long after sunrise. We had beautiful, starry-skies and had a beautiful sunrise just as we were approaching the crater rim. Then, we descended all the way back down to Paradise (1646m/5,400ft) yesterday evening, and our climbers are all headed home!

So, all in all it was another great trip on Mount Rainier.

Guide Terray Sylvester on the summit with Ed Viesturs and our climber, Jared!

Guide Terray Sylvester on the summit with Ed Viesturs and our climber, Jared!

Guide Peter Horsman on the summit with climbers, Lewis and Sarah!

Guide Peter Horsman on the summit with climbers, Lewis and Sarah!

In addition to these expedition dispatches, you can also follow our teams as they make their attempts on the world’s most formidable mountains on:

– Amazon Alexa devices with the Madison Mountaineering Flash Briefing skill:

  • Enable the skill and add to your flash briefing to hear our daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions.  Just say, “Alexa, play my flash briefing.“

– Instagram:

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Primed and ready to go for the summit!

Photo pulled from the Madison Mountaineering archive. (Photo by Terray Sylvester)

The Madison Mountaineering Mount Rainier team practiced glacier travel skills in preparation of the summit push ahead! Walking in crampons, traveling as a rope team, self arrest and more are essential skills needed for traveling on any glacier, and ones that the team will certainly put to use when they start their climb soon. After finishing up class, the team packed up camp and headed for Ingraham Flats – the next stop on their way to the summit. The team has had beautiful weather so far, and more of the same forecasted for the days ahead! Team leader, Terray Sylvester checks in with this dispatch from Mount Rainier:

Hello! This is Terray calling in for the Madison Mountaineering Mount Rainier (4390m/14,410ft) climb with Ed Viesturs – today is August 20.

Today, we did a little bit of snow school at Camp Muir (3105m/10,188ft) after we woke up. We practiced crampon technique, rope team travel, self arrest and other essentials for glacier mountaineering. Then, we hiked on up to Ingraham Flats (3383m/11,100ft).

The whole day the weather’s been really nice! Last night, there was no wind at Camp Muir. Today, we have clear skies above a broken cloud layer. And yeah, really beautiful views!

So right now, we’re just relaxing here at the flats. We’ll have dinner in a bit, and then we’ll wake up early in the morning for our alpine start for our summit push. It looks like good weather in the forecast tomorrow – low winds and ideal temperatures.

So, all is well here on Mount Rainier! We’ll be in touch tomorrow.

In addition to these expedition dispatches, you can also follow our teams as they make their attempts on the world’s most formidable mountains on:

– Amazon Alexa devices with the Madison Mountaineering Flash Briefing skill:

  • Enable the skill and add to your flash briefing to hear our daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions.  Just say, “Alexa, play my flash briefing.“

– Instagram:

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Mount Rainier team is off!

Photo pulled from the Madison Mountaineering archive. (Photo by Terray Sylvester)

The Madison Mountaineering Mount Rainier team started their climb by moving up from Paradise to Camp Muir with near perfect climbing conditions, making good time and with excellent views along the way! After settling into their camp for the night, the team enjoyed a nice dinner together while taking in the views of the volcanoes that sit to the south of Mount Rainier, amongst other peaks. The team is off to a great start and looks forward to continuing up the route tomorrow! Expedition leader, Terray Sylvester checks in with this dispatch from Camp Muir:

Hello! This is Terray calling in for the Madison Mountaineering Mount Rainier (4390m/14,410ft) climb with Ed Viesturs – today is August 19.

Today, we climbed from Paradise (1646m/5,400ft) up to Camp Muir (3105m/10,188ft). We had pretty much perfect climbing conditions! It was really nice, it wasn’t too hot, we had some cloud cover to keep us cool on the way up the Muir snowfield. We arrived in Camp Muir around 2:30 and since then, we’ve been relaxing, enjoying dinner, and enjoying the sunset views out over the Tatoosh Range toward Goat Rocks and Mount Adams (3743m/12,281ft), Mount Hood (3429m/11,249ft), Mount St. Helens (2549m/8,363ft) – all the beautiful sights from the south side of Mount Rainier!

Tomorrow, we’re looking forward to moving up to Ingraham Flats (3383m/11,100ft)!

So, all is well. We’ll be in touch tomorrow!

In addition to these expedition dispatches, you can also follow our teams as they make their attempts on the world’s most formidable mountains on:

– Amazon Alexa devices with the Madison Mountaineering Flash Briefing skill:

  • Enable the skill and add to your flash briefing to hear our daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions.  Just say, “Alexa, play my flash briefing.“

– Instagram:

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100% Summit Success on Mt. Rainier!!

Entire team on the summit of Mt. Rainier!

Super psyched to report that our entire team dug deep and stood on the highest point in Washington State:  the Columbia Crest of picturesque Mt. Rainier (4392m/14,411ft) yesterday!  Well done all!!

We were honored to guide such a wonderful family group on this, the hardest endurance climb of the lower 48 states.

It’s not too early to book your group of four for our 2022 Mt. Rainier climb.  Please contact our office for details.

Ready to conquer Mt. Rainier!

Ready to conquer Mt. Rainier!

Sunrise on Mt. Rainier

Sunrise on Mt. Rainier

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Shuksan Summit!

Climbing the summit pyramid on Mt. Shuksan

A perfect Shuksan summit with weather and conditions providing a beautiful climb as reported by climb leader, Garrett Madison:

Hello, this is Garrett calling in for the Mt. Shuksan climb in the North Cascades. We had a wonderful summit day today on Mt. Shuksan. Steve and I left our high camp about 4 AM and climbed up the Sulphide Glacier in the dark, watched the sunrise over the North Cascades and illuminate the summit pyramid as we approached the base of it.

We got up to the base of the summit pyramid and started climbing the rock. It was about four pitches of rock scrambling up to the summit. Great view from the top of Mt. Shuksan over Mt. Baker, Baker Lake, and the North Cascades. A little bit of smoke to the south which actually accentuated the ridgelines between all of the peaks.

So, a wonderful day! We made it back down and a very, very successful climb. All’s well! Heading back home from Mt. Shuksan.

Smoke accentuating the North Cascades ridgelines

Smoke accentuating the North Cascades ridgelines

Climber on the rock pyramid of Mt. Shuksan

Climbing the rock pyramid of Mt. Shuksan

Joyful climbers on the summit of Mt. Shuksan

Steve M. and Garrett Madison on the summit of Mt. Shuksan

Garrett Madison on the summit of Mt. Shuksan

Garrett Madison enjoying the view from the summit of Mt. Shuksan

In addition to these expedition dispatches, you can also follow our teams as they make their attempts on the world’s most formidable mountains on:

– Amazon Alexa devices with the Madison Mountaineering Flash Briefing skill:

  • Enable the skill and add to your flash briefing to hear Garrett Madison’s daily audio expedition updates

– Instagram:

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High camp on Mt. Shuksan

Triumphant climber at Mt. Shuksan high camp

Under great conditions, expedition leader Garrett Madison calls in this audio dispatch from the slopes of Washington State’s Mount Shuksan:

Hello, this is Garrett calling in for the Mt. Shuksan climb with Steve!  We are up here at high camp.  It is a beautiful day!  We just feel like we are spoiled rotten because the views are as-far-as-the-eye-can-see, there are no clouds, no smoke in the sky… Just a perfect evening temperature here as we have diner and get ready to go to bed early in preparation for an alpine start, pre-dawn start to our summit climb tomorrow.

Our plan is to climb the summit pyramid on Mt. Shuksan – some 5th class rock scrambling.  Then make our way all the way back down.

Having a good time up here, looking to the climb tomorrow!

In addition to these expedition dispatches, you can also follow our teams as they make their attempts on the world’s most formidable mountains on:

– Amazon Alexa devices with the Madison Mountaineering Flash Briefing skill:

  • Enable the skill and add to your flash briefing to hear Garrett Madison’s daily audio expedition updates

– Instagram:

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Awesome Conditions on Mt. Baker

Garrett and Don on the summit of Mt. Baker!

We closed out August with a great one-on-one private climb with awesome conditions on Mt. Baker.

Mt. Baker is the most heavily glaciated peak in the lower 48 contiguous United States and the second most active volcano in the Cascade Range after Mt. Saint Helens.  Its location near the Canadain border and the Puget Sound of the Pacific Ocean combine to make it one of snowiest places on Earth – in 1999 it set the world record for recorded snowfall in a single season, a remarkable 29 m or 95 ft.!

This year’s snowfall and cooler than normal spring and summer have created excellent later climbing season conditions.  Over the weekend, Garrett led a private client on glacier travel and expedition camping skills reinforcement culminating in a perfect summit on this 3,286 m / 10,781 ft. jewel of the Pacific Northwest.

There is still time to book your Mt. Baker climb for this month of September while the awesome conditions continue!  Please contact our office to join a group climb or arrange your own private climb with one of our excellent guides that specialize in Cascade climbs.

For more inspiration, here’s Garrett’s recap of the weekend’s climb and stunning photos.  Enjoy!

Hello, this is Garrett calling in for the Mt. Baker climb!  We got back yesterday from Mt. Baker.  We climbed the Easton Glacier route and it was in fantastic shape.  Great snow conditions for this time of year, not too many crevasses, and really good weather we had on our summit day.  We had views of the North Cascades, of Mt. Rainier, and of the San Juan Islands.  So a fantastic time up on Mt. Baker, great shape for this time of year and looking forward to more Mt. Baker climbs in September!

Mt. Baker approach hike in

Mt. Baker approach hike in

Beautiful sunset on Mt. Baker

Beautiful sunset on Mt. Baker

View from high camp of the awesome conditions on Mt. Baker

Gorgeous view of Mt. Baker from high camp

View from the tent of a Mt. Baker sunset

View from the tent of a Mt. Baker sunset

Excellent Mt. Baker climbing conditions

Excellent Mt. Baker climbing conditions

Climbing above the clouds on awesome conditions of Mt. Baker's glaciated slopes

Climbing above the clouds on Mt. Baker’s glaciated slopes

In addition to these expedition dispatches, you can also follow our teams as they make their attempts on the world’s most formidable mountains on:

– Amazon Alexa devices with the Madison Mountaineering Flash Briefing skill:

  • Enable the skill and add to your flash briefing to hear Garrett Madison’s daily audio expedition updates

– Instagram:

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100% Sunset Summit Success on Mt. Rainier!

Climbers on the summit of Mt. Rainier for the sunset!

We have returned to the mountains in style with 100% Sunset Summit Success on Mt. Rainier!  Here’s climb leader Garrett Madison with the details from Camp Muir as the team makes it’s way back down to Paradise:

Hello! This is Garrett calling in for the Madison Mountaineering Mt. Rainier climb! Today is July 29th, and we are heading down from high camp at the Ingraham Flats on Mt. Rainier.

Yesterday we had a wonderful sunset summit at 8:30 pm. We stood on top of Columbia Crest and watched the sunset over western Washington. The whole team made it – 100% success. Beautiful evening weather and great route conditions all around. We made it back to camp late last night, had dinner, and went to bed around midnight.

Today we are just savoring the summit and the views as we head down Mt. Rainier. We are all very fortunate to have had a safe and successful climb, and we’re looking forward to getting down for a nice celebratory meal.

Terray and team approaching the crater rim near the summit

Terray and team approaching the crater rim near the summit

View from Columbia Crest, 14,411 ft.

View from Columbia Crest, 14,411 ft.

Shadow of the mountain at sunset

Shadow of the mountain at sunset

View from Camp Muir looking up at the route

View from Camp Muir looking up at the route

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Rainier 2020 is Underway!

The view from Camp Muir on Mt. Rainier2020 by Madison Mountaineering

It’s official:  we are finally back in the mountains, Rainier 2020 is underway!

Following all of the protocols of Washington State’s Safe Start and the CDC guidelines, our first climb since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has begun.  Climb leader, Garrett Madison, and the team excitedly began the hike up to Camp Muir (3105m / 10,188ft) on Mount Rainier yesterday morning.

The group hiked in style up to Camp Muir and captured this photo just before sunset with the peaks of Mt. Adams and Mt. Saint Helens in the distance.  Today the team will review and practice climbing skills including crampon techniques, ice axe use, self-arrest techniques and rope-team travel.  In the afternoon they will ascend up to Ingraham Flats (3383m / 11,100 ft) and hit the sack early to catch some sleep before the very early morning alpine start of the summit attempt.

Stay tuned!!

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Adventure on Mt. Baker!

Mt. Baker

Jayar and Winter Storms checking in from Mt. Baker.

We met with our clients Chris and Karen at their hotel in the Greater Seattle area on Sunday the 25th, and proceeded to the trailhead from there. At the trailhead we were met with some light rain. Rain continued for the majority of the approach but was never more than our rain layers could deal with. We found a comfortable location to camp that was close to fresh water and out of the wind.

Monday morning we all got up early, enjoyed a quick breakfast and headed up the glacier for snow school where Karen and Chris very quickly picked up the basics of snow travel. Unfortunately due to a recent injury to her foot, Karen opted to stay behind for the summit attempt. We commend Karen for making a hard decision and listening to her body.

The remainder of our party left camp at 1:00 am on Tuesday morning for the summit attempt. An unexpected amount of crevasses on the glacier slowed our pace and left our route rather circuitous. We used many techniques to get up the route including short roping, running belays, short pitching, and some rappelling to maneuver a crevasse. The added crevasse work effected our schedule and we decided to turn around at 9,700 ft, just at the top of the pumice ridge. Our descent was swift and smooth with Chris handling some technical terrain incredibly well. We returned to high camp before 2:00 pm and rested for the remainder of the afternoon.

Wednesday morning we all got up at 6:00 am, packed our things and made quick work of the return to the trailhead. Everyone is in high spirts! Karen is off to the airport and Chris is preparing for our next adventure. We will be leaving for Eldorado Peak tomorrow.

We will check back in after we get back from Eldorado!

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