Personal Items
--------------
* - items to carry to summit
Backpack
Sleeping Bag
Sleeping Pad
* Water Bottles (at least 2 quarts)
* Headlamp
* Flashlight (mini)
* Crampons
* Helmet
* Ice ax
* Harness
* Belay/rappel device
* prussik slings (I'll provide)
* Chest Harness (I'll provide)
* Locking carabiner (I'll provide)
* Carabiners (I'll provide)
* Sling (I'll provide)
* Knife
* Compass
* Map
* Sunglasses
* Sunscreen
* Lip Balm
Cup, bowl, spoon
* Snack food
* Lighter
* Blue bag toilet kit (will get at ranger station)
* Boots (plastic or waterproofed leather with steel shank)
* Gaiters
* Socks (two pair)

[below is clothing I plan to bring, your
 preference may vary. Be sure to think "layers"]
* Long-sleeve T-shirt
* Light-weight jacket (breathable, not waterproof)
* rain jacket
* Parka (I've decided to scratch this item)
* Lightweight, breathable pants (not waterproof)
* Gortex rain pants
* Sun hat
* Insulating hat
* Wool gloves
* Wool mittens
* Gortex overmittens
* Face mask
[some items often recommended that I don't
 use]
* Long-underwear (lightweight)
* Insulating shirt
* Shorts
[end of clothing]

[optional:]
* Climbing poles
* Camera, film
Book
Earplugs
* Chemical heat packs for warming extremities

Group items
-----------
Tent or bivy sack
Stove, pot, fuel
Dinner/Breakfast food
* Rope
* More carabiners
* Snow shovels (2)
* snow/ice protection (ice screws/flukes)
* Whistle
* Cellular phone
* Altimeter
* GPS unit

I don't have any of the last three. If you do,
let me know. Please remember there is group 
stuff that must be shared, so please leave some
room in your packs for a portion of the above
items.


Friday we climb 4 miles and 4,500 ft, from 5,500 ft
to 10,000 ft at Camp Muir. There is a public stone
shelter there that can house ~25 persons on a first
come, first serve basis. If you go early, we should
get spots easily. We'll bring tent/bivy in case we
don't (and have to sleep outside -- brrr.)

We'll practice some ax use and self-arrest, as well 
as some rope and crampon practice on the way up, or 
when we get to Camp Muir. Ropes and crampons not 
usually needed on way to Camp Muir. It is not a 
technical hike, but the elevation is significant.
The route goes up the Muir Snow Field which is not
a glacier, so there are no crevasse dangers if you
stay on route. See search and rescue reports about
climbers that got off-route, fell into crevases on
this hike (link below).

There is also two other sleeping shelters at Muir, a
guide shelter, and one for their clients. Guides lead
3,000 climbers a year through this route. It can be
very crowded. Not a wilderness experience generally,
but there is safety in numbers. Getting behind a 
guided group on the way up will really slow us down,
but it may also increase our chances of getting to
the top since the guides will know the easiest, safest
route.

Saturday we start climbing around 2a. Cold outside.
We rope up and wear crampons, warm clothes, headlamps,
carry axes. We climb another 4,500 ft to summit. Slopes
are moderate for the most part, steep in some places
up to 45 degrees. We should be on the summit by 8a.
Back to Muir Camp around 11a, back to parking lot 
around 1-2p. We have at least another 6 hours of daylight
should we be going slower. Trick is to pace ourselves and
keep a steady pace, even if slow. This is a long day -
4,500 ft up, 9,000 feet down, around 13 miles. If 
weather is bad when we wake up, we go back to sleep and
abandon the summit attempt. Success rate on Rainier is
52%, usual deciding factor is weather-related.

Some links:
Route Conditions: http://www.nps.gov/mora/climb/climb_cd.htm
Search and Rescue Reports: http://www.nps.gov/mora/climb/cl_rpt.htm
Climbing Route: http://www.nps/gov/mora/climb/cl_rtes.htm
(We will likely take the Disappointment Cleaver Route)
General Info: http://www.nps.gov/mora/climb/climb.htm
RMI clothing recommendations and other info: 
 http://www.rainiermountaineering.com/htmldocs/sc_conf_letter.asp