Anne psyched to be climbing Rainier
Camp Schurman
On Saturday, we got up fairly early and broke camp. We left the relative comfort of our ~8,500 ft perch on Inner Glacier for spacious camp on the Emmons Flats, above Camp Schurman (9,800 ft). It was important to make this move in order to give us the best possible chance to summit on Sunday.
Laurie and Crew Breaking Camp
Anne Exiting Inner Glacier
Since we only had to gain around 1,500 ft or so and re-establish camp, we could hike at a relaxed pace and also spend some time reviewing self arrest and snow anchors along the way (See Picture Above).
Approaching Camp Schurman
Anne Leads the Way to Emmons Flats
On our way up to Emmons Flats, we ran into another CMC group (the HAMS section) coming down after their successful bid for the summit. They were smiling ear to ear and looked strong. They gave us some beta about the mountain and then continued their descent.
View Up Mountain from near Emmons Flats
We were almost to camp at this point!
View of Camp Schurman from near Emmons Flats Camp
Camp at Emmons Flats was very nice. It was much flatter than on the Inner Glacier, so it was easier to construct camp. Also, our bathroom area and kitchen mess area were improved over the night before. We added shelves and benches, which made things much more comfortable.
We discussed the best time to leave in the morning and decided we should get started around midnight. So, we all ate dinner and got stuff ready. I almost felt like not even trying to sleep, but lucky for me, I nodded off and managed to get 4 hours. Sue was a very patient tent mate, as I did toss and turn a bit (as is normal for me!). I made it a point to thank her for being so accommodating.
Tags: Camp Schurman, Day 4, Emmons Glacier, Inner Glacier, Mt. Rainier