Mt Rainier 3.5 Day Expedition

Mount Rainier National Park

FROM:$1,725

Months of Operation:

May-August

Duration:

4 Days

Begins:

2:00 PM

Age Requirements:

Minimum Age: 12

Overview & Highlights

Our 3½ Day Disappointment Cleaver route summit climb is designed for those looking to experience the elite alpine world of Mount Rainier with a training-based approach. We maximize training by beginning the program with a half-day instructional orientation at IMG's Headquarters in Ashford, WA, just outside Rainier National Park. The training continues on the mountain during the ascent. Our program has more training and time to acclimatize than the typical 2-day climbing program, giving you the opportunity to enjoy the majestic alpine environment with your climbing team. We make use of two camps on the route: Camp Muir (10,080ft) and The Ingraham Flats (11,400ft.) The use of multiple camps over a 3-day program makes for shorter climbing days and a shorter summit day from the higher elevation of The Ingraham Flats.
Climbing Rainier's Disappointment Cleaver route has served as a training grounds for much bigger climbs, from Denali to Everest and everything in between.

  • For greater personal attention from your guides, a more measured pace, and higher chance of success IMG summit climbs on Mt. Rainier are guided at the lowest climber-to-guide ratios (for more information on ratios, please see the Rainier FAQ).
  • Training starts the very first day and continues throughout each program. We choose to teach many skills up on the mountain rather than at the base prior to the climb. We feel this provides more realistic training conditions so you start out better prepared on summit day.
  • At IMG we feel it is worth the extra expense to provide two nights on the mountain for our shortest summit climb option. Better acclimatization, realistic training environment, and an easier summit day really pay off!
  • We provide breakfasts and dinners on all of our programs at no extra cost. The guides work together to help prepare you tasty, nutritious meals during the climb, and we eat together as a team in a social and positive learning environment.
  • Throughout the climb, every accommodation is made to include you in the IMG family and make you feel welcome.
  • Mt. Rainier is the best training grounds in the lower 48 states for glacier climbing and expedition skills. IMG is a world class guide service. Our guide staff has the expertise to take you up Mt. Rainier and then on to the world's great mountains.Professional, knowledgeable guides.

Mount Rainier National Park

Washington, USA

Additional Information

  • Itinerary

    The Ingraham Glacier/Disappointment Cleaver route on Rainier is a classic ascent route on one of the most well known and recognized mountains in the world and the best "first step" in learning safe glacier travel skills using a proven curriculum and top-notch professional guides and mountaineering instructors.

    Day 1 — Your orientation begins at 2 pm at IMG Headquarters in Ashford, WA on Day 1. Your lead guide will take you through a gear check and training session. If you need to rent any gear, it can be taken care of during this portion of the program, no need to reserve in advance. Your lead guide can help make decisions about your gear and will ensure each team member has everything needed for the climb without carrying unnecessary weight. During the training session, you will cover Leave No Trace Principles, the Mission of the National Park Service, crampon adjustment, and packing up together. Day 1 will wrap up by 6 pm and the team will be free for the evening. Note that lodging is not provided for the night of Day 1.

    Day 2 — Day 2 will start at 8 am at IMG HQ in Ashford. Each team member will receive a small amount of group food to be carried to Camp Muir. After meeting the guides, the team will travel to Paradise in an IMG van. You'll begin your ascent around 9:30 am and will break approximately every hour until reaching Camp Muir (10,080'), around 3 pm. Once at Camp Muir, you'll rest and enjoy a burrito dinner in IMG's semi-permanent dining tent. After dinner, it's off to bed for a full night of rest!

    Day 3 — Pancake breakfast with bacon and French press coffee will be served at 8 am sharp on Day 3. After enjoying breakfast, your snow skills training begins. Guides will lead the team through several hours of training covering the skills needed to summit Mt Rainier: cramponing, self-arrest, and rope travel. After training, you will put these skills into action, making the two hour climb up and over Cathedral Gap to Ingraham Flats (11,000') nestled in the Ingraham Glacier. At "The Flats", dinner and hot drinks are served early and we head to bed soon thereafter to rest and prepare for our summit push early in the night.

    Day 4 — On Day 4, you will wake up early to make your summit push. After leaving the Flats, you will climb to the top of Disappointment Cleaver (12,300') before continuing onto the upper mountain and climbing the Ingraham Glacier to the summit. Snap some summit photos and enjoy the views before we descend. Upon reaching The Flats, the team will pack up camp and continue descending to Camp Muir and then to the waiting van at Paradise. From there we travel back to IMG HQ in Ashford together. Here you can return rentals, make retail purchases, and share in a closing ceremony with your guides.

  • Includes

    • Ground transportation from Moab to the River
    • Deluxe, freshly prepared meals from your departure to your return
    • Camping equipment (cots, tents, sleeping bags, chairs and water-resistant bag
    • Hiking -short walks to longer, more difficult hikes (all optional).
    • Scenic return flight over Canyonlands National Park and shuttle back to Moab

Policies & Agreements

  • Minimum Trip Capacity

    We reserve the right to cancel any departure if we have insufficient reservations. We will do all we can to reschedule or accommodate guests reserved on any departure with insufficient reservations. If your departure is cancelled for this reason, a full refund will be provided.

  • Minor Policy

    All minor guests under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.  Any guest that is 17 and younger traveling without a parent or legal guardian on the requested trip will not be allowed to participate.

  • Cancellation or Change Due to Other Conditions

    If we cancel any charter due to weather, mechanical failure, or unsafe conditions, a full refund will be provided. If a tour departs but is modified or shortened due to weather conditions, refunds will not be provided.

  • Guest Responsibilities for Multi-Day Rafting Trips

    All guests will be required to follow safety policies and procedures and the guides' instructions during activities. All guests must meet minimum age requirements at the time of participation.  All  guests will be required to sign an Acknowledgement of Risk Form prior to participation.

  • Important Requirements: Dietary Needs

    We can accommodate guests who note vegetarian or gluten-free in their reservation comments.  However, due to the limitations of space, remote location, and the unique nature of a group trip, we may be unable to accommodate guests with other restrictive diets, life threatening allergies or serious health conditions.  If you have questions please contact us at (555) 555-5555.

  • Lifejacket / PFD Policy

    All guests will be required to wear our coast guard approved whitewater life jacket (personal flotation device or PFD) at all times while on the water. To fit into this life jacket, all guests must meet the following requirements:
    • At least 50 pounds
    • Chest size under 52 inches

  • Terms & Conditions: Cataract Classic

    A non-refundable $500 per person deposit is due at time of reservation. Final payments are due 90 days prior to your trip departure date and are also non-refundable.  Final payments are due 120 days prior to trip departure date for groups over 12. The balance due date on your confirmation will be updated accordingly. All final payments are non-refundable.
    • Updates to contact information, cancellations, or name changes must be received in writing. 
    • Any name change or name submission within 90  days of trip departure will incur a $50 fee. Replacement name, phone number, and email address must be submitted at time of request.  
    • Trip or date transfers, within the same season, may be made prior to 90 days of trip departure for a $75 per reservation fee.
    • Transfers within 90 days or your trip departure date are not allowed. 
    • No transfers are allowed to a later season. 
    • All existing payments become non-refundable at the time of a trip or date transfer.
    Sample Company will not be deemed in breach of these terms or otherwise liable to you, by reason of delay in performance or nonperformance of any of its obligations under this agreement to the extent that any such delay or nonperformance is due to any Force Majeure. “Force Majeure” means any circumstances beyond our reasonable control, including without limitation acts of nature, terrorist activities, insurrection, explosion, flood, tempest, forceful wind, fire or accident, war or threat of war declared or undeclared, sabotage, civil disturbance, labor strikes, requisition, sickness, quarantine, pandemic, epidemic, diseases and viruses that are known, unknown or novel such as coronavirus/COVID-19 (including any spread thereof), food-borne, airborne, and communicable illnesses and disease, government intervention of any kind that affect domestics and/or international travel, government restrictions or warnings, border closings or restrictions, weather conditions, and unforeseen circumstances.

    If Force Majeure prevents, significantly hinders, renders it difficult, or makes it impossible for us or our Suppliers to provide the Services including but not limited to your trip, we and our Suppliers shall be entitled to, in our sole and absolute discretion, vary, reschedule, postpone, cancel any tour itinerary or arrangement, including trip dates and the entire tour itself. We may, in our sole and absolute discretion, give you a travel voucher with certain terms and restrictions that can be used to book one of our trips or we may rebook you on another departure. We may also change the action that we choose to take in our sole and complete discretion. No cash refunds, including credit card refunds, will be given in the case of Force Majeure.
     
    If we are affected by Force Majeure, we, if practicable, will notify you of the nature and extent thereof.

Grab your spot today!