Mt. Rainier  -  2006
Day 4  -  Sunrise on Rainier, Breaking Camp #2, Descent out
Sunrise on Emmons Flats - Camp #2
Amazingly, on the 4th day, Thursday, I woke up pretty early (6:00 ish) and couldn't sleep any longer with the sunlight starting to show on the tent. So I got up (no one else out & about) and went outside to see if I could capture any early morning pics of Rainier and the camp.
Little Tahoma Peak Camp #2 with Liberty Ridge in background Teams ascending Rainier in early morning Zoom in on 3 person team Glacier / seracs on Rainier Boot liners a dryin' in the sunlight
WAG BAG'n on the glacier Sunrise over Camp#2 Oh yea - I did it ! Just me! Just the shot I wanted! Alright !  Let's break camp & get outta here!
When we set up camp, we dig into the glacier, in spots 2-5 feet deep depending on the tent and need.  So when we break camp, it's important to fill in the holes and smooth spots out as best we can.  This is good Leave No Trace practice in action and also, makes it less of a surprise for anyone skiing down the glacier - yep people do that!!
After breaking Camp #2, we briefly stopped at Camp Shurman before continuing down the route we came up.  Even in the few hours since coming up, the route was continuing to melt out and a small crevasse was now appearing at the ridge by Camp Shurman.  After crossing that and back up over the Steamboat Prow, we continued down the Interglacier.  The snow was pretty slushy the whole way down preventing any really good glissading.
Posh Tent - GONE! Almost all gone - wrapping up! Starting down from Camp Shurman Yes - step there and there - only. It was NOT a fast glissade... But we still saved some downhill steps
The lower we descended, the warmer it got with clearing weather.  We took the forest trail out of Glacier Basin.
Finally unroped and heading down Glacier Basin A little rock fall in the background Yea - the forest trail - but still snow Weather clearing in Glacier Basin! Into the trees
From Glacier Basin, we made it down in good time.  It was a little warm with the sunny weather, but I'll take that over rain while hiking out.  We had a group dinner and then were back in Seattle by 6:00pm on Thursday evening.
A little fun on the way out Dave (AAI guide) in action Last look back at Glacier Basin Not the best pic - but there are waterfalls along the trail Surrounded by the forest growth Sorry! Only Mtn Climbers allowed !!
Yea - back to the van.  Don't sit down - it's hard to move afterward! Well, not fancy, but it was on the way! They oughta sell these!  Our Menu.