ljwoodw - Aug 6, 2017 3:08 pm Date Climbed: Aug 4, 2017
Sweet trip
Climbed with RMI over four days. Camped at Castle Rocks, Camp Hazard, and at a camp whose name I forget around 13,000 feet. Easy downclimb from Camp Hazard to the glacier. Many crevasses up high. Fun and smiles all around.
Slow descent via DC due to huge crevasses and some traffic.
We started at Christine Falls due to the density of the crevasses on the standard approach. This required a 7000 ft climb on day one to reach Camp Hazard. Otherwise, all went as planned and was an enjoyable climb.
We started at Christine Falls due to the density of the crevasses on the standard approach. This required a 7000 ft climb on day one to reach Camp Hazard. Otherwise, all went as planned and was an enjoyable climb.
Climbed with two other teams from the Sierra Mountaineering Club. We started at the Comet Falls TH to avoid the ugly and broken lower Nisqually glacier. The hike up to the Turtle was a grueling 7,600 feet but beautiful and straightforward. Camped at Hazard and left the next morning at 4am. The ice was solid and not too steep, very fun in fact. Negotiating endless massive crevasses up the Kautz and Nisqually glaciers occupied us for the rest of the day. We summited around 2pm and descended the DC, taking all our gear with us, arriving there around 6pm. Long day, but such a great route! Would definitely do it again the same way - except leaving a bit earlier on summit day would be advised.
Very windy at the summit. Like 70 MPH winds. We went up the Kautz and down Dissapointment. Slept at Hazzard Camp above the Turtle, and also slept at Camp Muir. It felt like walking up a sledding hill for 3 days. Would I do it again? While on the trail I'da said, "No", but in looking back I enjoyed the experience. Now I'm thinking of Liberty Ridge. Hmmm
sout528 - Jun 26, 2013 7:19 pm Date Climbed: Aug 15, 2012
kautz glacier
Great weather, enormous crevasses on the upper Kautz made for circuitous nav
Ben Beckerich - Jun 8, 2013 11:26 pm Date Climbed: Sep 1, 2012
Soloed
Bailed below the headwall.. rotten glacier, crumby weather, way too late of a start
Camped just below Hazard around 10,900. Early start made for a successful summit on a clear warm day with mild winds. Memorable climb despite the long slog up to camp.
Vertigo soul - Jul 16, 2012 11:14 am Date Climbed: Jul 12, 2012
Kautz
Fun route! Camped below Hazard at around 11k, rapped the rock slot under the chute to get to the glacier. Conditions were pretty good on the Kautz. Perfect weather and great partners made for a memorable trip. The slog up to high camp seems forever though!
jacobsmith - Jul 9, 2012 11:44 pm Date Climbed: Jun 29, 2012
Kautz attempt
Due to very iffy weather, reported high winds near the summit, and our group's uncomfortableness with descending the ice shoot above the rock step, we turned around just past the rappel, effectively turning our summit attempt into a route reconnoiter (as such, we hope to return in the following weeks, if this is successful a full trip report will follow). with the unusually warm temperatures we found the snow extremely slushy and were surprised by rain at our base camp. also of note: as we ate lunch on a rock outcropping on the edge of the Kautz we witnessed a massive ice fall that triggered what looked to be a wet loose avalanche in the gully just west of the one we would have ascended (the next one over, away from the Kautz headwall).
Bluecube22 - Nov 20, 2011 7:09 pm Date Climbed: Jul 10, 2010
Epic below the wall
we kept leap froging a group of 2 up the mountain one of them stumbled there way to the summit they were climbing unroped with bad altitude sickness then long story short we were on and one of them lipped into a cravasse stuck up to there chest my friend pulled her up as she held on to his ice tool as she had no harness on we all decended safley together happy to still be alive fun climb amazing sun rise deffentally do this climb you will not be dissapointed.
blakemj33 - Oct 9, 2011 12:02 am Date Climbed: Aug 6, 2011
Kautz
Was a great climb! We set out from paradise and hiked up to Panorama Point. We dropped into the nisqually and upon exit we climbed up what is called The Fan. This brought us up to the Wilson Glacier. We made our way up this and eventually onto the Turtle snow field. We camped at aprox. 11,000ft at Camp Hazard. We had an early alpine start and 10 minutes after leaving we had to down climb the rock step which had fixed ropes. We also set up our own anchors and belayed down. This brought us onto the Kautz. The chute itself tops out at aprox. 12,500ft..ish. We had to navigate around several large cravases and eventually to the summit. We descended via the same route where we camp the same place as the previous night. And hiked out the next morning. Conditions were great. 15 degree F with maybe 20mph winds. The chute itself was in excellent condition.
SFMountaineer - Aug 19, 2011 10:28 am Date Climbed: Aug 16, 2011
Chute
Successfully climbed with RMI guides. Belayed on ascent and lowered for descent, used ice screws mostly and some pickets for the last pitch. Lot of snow still, just about a 100 foot ice section at the bottom an 150 feet at top. Fun.
BLong - Jul 6, 2011 3:22 am Date Climbed: Jul 4, 2011
Kautz
Enjoyed a trip up Rainier via the Kautz on the 4th of July. The route was a fun climb on hard-packed snow. We got shut out of the summit on the 3rd after running out of wands with high winds and low visibility. I heard one team reached the summit on the 3rd from Camp Sherman, although the round trip took 22 hours. The weather was perfect on the 4th; you could see all the way to Mt. Jefferson. Great peak and route!
Climbed with Mark Connell in early July of a fantastic snow year, with a nice high pressure ridge. Camped at about 10600' on the left edge of the Turtle snowfield -- there was an existing rock wall and dry ground.
Around 11000'-ish was a fixed line to the glacier which we descended, avoiding exposure to the icefall gully at Camp Hazard.
The first pitch of the Kautz was still hard snow. Second pitch was glacier ice, perhaps 40-50-ish degrees, but very featured. On our way back we rappelled off a fixed snow anchor (probably buried pickets), some cheap leaver screws and an ice penitente.
Paul86 - Sep 14, 2010 1:09 am Date Climbed: Jul 13, 2010
Second Ascent
Extremely windy up top. The route conditions, however, were spectacular and made for a good challenging day. God I love Mt. Rainier!
metal4lyf - Jul 27, 2010 1:18 am Date Climbed: Jun 30, 2010
socked out
we climbed to the Turtle Snowfield on a gorgeous bluebird day and were blown off the mountain in horrible conditions the next day. Such is life
SKI - Jul 20, 2010 8:06 am Date Climbed: Jul 13, 2010
Sweet route
Excellent route with a memorable approach. Tagged with Paul-Wall on an epic road trip that spanned 6 states, 3000 miles, the Grand Teton, Smith Rock and of course, Mount Rainier.
skirtratt - Apr 12, 2018 10:38 am Date Climbed: Jul 11, 2017
1st Rainier attempt and SummitClimbed Mt Rainier via the Kautz glacier and descended the DC. Great to get away from the crowds! You can read my trip report here:
http://katieamckinstry.blogspot.com/2017/07/mt-rainier-via-kautz-glacier-14411-ft.html
ljwoodw - Aug 6, 2017 3:08 pm Date Climbed: Aug 4, 2017
Sweet tripClimbed with RMI over four days. Camped at Castle Rocks, Camp Hazard, and at a camp whose name I forget around 13,000 feet. Easy downclimb from Camp Hazard to the glacier. Many crevasses up high. Fun and smiles all around.
Slow descent via DC due to huge crevasses and some traffic.
Ritcheypac - Aug 28, 2016 8:06 pm
Kautz - ExtendedWe started at Christine Falls due to the density of the crevasses on the standard approach. This required a 7000 ft climb on day one to reach Camp Hazard. Otherwise, all went as planned and was an enjoyable climb.
Ritcheypac - Aug 28, 2016 8:05 pm
Kautz - ExtendedWe started at Christine Falls due to the density of the crevasses on the standard approach. This required a 7000 ft climb on day one to reach Camp Hazard. Otherwise, all went as planned and was an enjoyable climb.
Darren9 - Jul 15, 2015 9:00 pm Date Climbed: Jul 8, 2015
SuccessClimbed with two other teams from the Sierra Mountaineering Club. We started at the Comet Falls TH to avoid the ugly and broken lower Nisqually glacier. The hike up to the Turtle was a grueling 7,600 feet but beautiful and straightforward. Camped at Hazard and left the next morning at 4am. The ice was solid and not too steep, very fun in fact. Negotiating endless massive crevasses up the Kautz and Nisqually glaciers occupied us for the rest of the day. We summited around 2pm and descended the DC, taking all our gear with us, arriving there around 6pm. Long day, but such a great route! Would definitely do it again the same way - except leaving a bit earlier on summit day would be advised.
kevinhansen - Jul 17, 2013 3:29 pm Date Climbed: Jul 2, 2013
Up and OverVery windy at the summit. Like 70 MPH winds. We went up the Kautz and down Dissapointment. Slept at Hazzard Camp above the Turtle, and also slept at Camp Muir. It felt like walking up a sledding hill for 3 days. Would I do it again? While on the trail I'da said, "No", but in looking back I enjoyed the experience. Now I'm thinking of Liberty Ridge. Hmmm
sout528 - Jun 26, 2013 7:19 pm Date Climbed: Aug 15, 2012
kautz glacierGreat weather, enormous crevasses on the upper Kautz made for circuitous nav
Ben Beckerich - Jun 8, 2013 11:26 pm Date Climbed: Sep 1, 2012
SoloedBailed below the headwall.. rotten glacier, crumby weather, way too late of a start
gcap - Jul 17, 2012 1:50 pm Date Climbed: Jul 12, 2012
dittoclimbed with fellow SP'ers Vertigo Soul and lutty11. Best glissade ever down the Turtle snowfield. 1.5 hours to climb. 5 minutes to descend.
lutty11 - Jul 16, 2012 4:22 pm Date Climbed: Jul 12, 2012
Great Route!Camped just below Hazard around 10,900. Early start made for a successful summit on a clear warm day with mild winds. Memorable climb despite the long slog up to camp.
Vertigo soul - Jul 16, 2012 11:14 am Date Climbed: Jul 12, 2012
KautzFun route! Camped below Hazard at around 11k, rapped the rock slot under the chute to get to the glacier. Conditions were pretty good on the Kautz. Perfect weather and great partners made for a memorable trip. The slog up to high camp seems forever though!
jacobsmith - Jul 9, 2012 11:44 pm Date Climbed: Jun 29, 2012
Kautz attemptDue to very iffy weather, reported high winds near the summit, and our group's uncomfortableness with descending the ice shoot above the rock step, we turned around just past the rappel, effectively turning our summit attempt into a route reconnoiter (as such, we hope to return in the following weeks, if this is successful a full trip report will follow). with the unusually warm temperatures we found the snow extremely slushy and were surprised by rain at our base camp. also of note: as we ate lunch on a rock outcropping on the edge of the Kautz we witnessed a massive ice fall that triggered what looked to be a wet loose avalanche in the gully just west of the one we would have ascended (the next one over, away from the Kautz headwall).
Bluecube22 - Nov 20, 2011 7:09 pm Date Climbed: Jul 10, 2010
Epic below the wallwe kept leap froging a group of 2 up the mountain one of them stumbled there way to the summit they were climbing unroped with bad altitude sickness then long story short we were on and one of them lipped into a cravasse stuck up to there chest my friend pulled her up as she held on to his ice tool as she had no harness on we all decended safley together happy to still be alive fun climb amazing sun rise deffentally do this climb you will not be dissapointed.
blakemj33 - Oct 9, 2011 12:02 am Date Climbed: Aug 6, 2011
KautzWas a great climb! We set out from paradise and hiked up to Panorama Point. We dropped into the nisqually and upon exit we climbed up what is called The Fan. This brought us up to the Wilson Glacier. We made our way up this and eventually onto the Turtle snow field. We camped at aprox. 11,000ft at Camp Hazard. We had an early alpine start and 10 minutes after leaving we had to down climb the rock step which had fixed ropes. We also set up our own anchors and belayed down. This brought us onto the Kautz. The chute itself tops out at aprox. 12,500ft..ish. We had to navigate around several large cravases and eventually to the summit. We descended via the same route where we camp the same place as the previous night. And hiked out the next morning. Conditions were great. 15 degree F with maybe 20mph winds. The chute itself was in excellent condition.
SFMountaineer - Aug 19, 2011 10:28 am Date Climbed: Aug 16, 2011
ChuteSuccessfully climbed with RMI guides. Belayed on ascent and lowered for descent, used ice screws mostly and some pickets for the last pitch. Lot of snow still, just about a 100 foot ice section at the bottom an 150 feet at top. Fun.
BLong - Jul 6, 2011 3:22 am Date Climbed: Jul 4, 2011
KautzEnjoyed a trip up Rainier via the Kautz on the 4th of July. The route was a fun climb on hard-packed snow. We got shut out of the summit on the 3rd after running out of wands with high winds and low visibility. I heard one team reached the summit on the 3rd from Camp Sherman, although the round trip took 22 hours. The weather was perfect on the 4th; you could see all the way to Mt. Jefferson. Great peak and route!
rhyang - Dec 20, 2010 1:03 pm
July 2006Climbed with Mark Connell in early July of a fantastic snow year, with a nice high pressure ridge. Camped at about 10600' on the left edge of the Turtle snowfield -- there was an existing rock wall and dry ground.
Around 11000'-ish was a fixed line to the glacier which we descended, avoiding exposure to the icefall gully at Camp Hazard.
The first pitch of the Kautz was still hard snow. Second pitch was glacier ice, perhaps 40-50-ish degrees, but very featured. On our way back we rappelled off a fixed snow anchor (probably buried pickets), some cheap leaver screws and an ice penitente.
Paul86 - Sep 14, 2010 1:09 am Date Climbed: Jul 13, 2010
Second AscentExtremely windy up top. The route conditions, however, were spectacular and made for a good challenging day. God I love Mt. Rainier!
metal4lyf - Jul 27, 2010 1:18 am Date Climbed: Jun 30, 2010
socked outwe climbed to the Turtle Snowfield on a gorgeous bluebird day and were blown off the mountain in horrible conditions the next day. Such is life
SKI - Jul 20, 2010 8:06 am Date Climbed: Jul 13, 2010
Sweet routeExcellent route with a memorable approach. Tagged with Paul-Wall on an epic road trip that spanned 6 states, 3000 miles, the Grand Teton, Smith Rock and of course, Mount Rainier.