GUNUNG · United States

Mount Rainier

Information

Elevation: 4.389 m
Country: United States (US)
Mountain type: Volcano
Volcanic?: Yes — volcano
Coordinates: 46.8517, -121.7603

Description

Mount Rainier (4,389 m, prominence ~4,030 m) is an active stratovolcano in Washington state, USA, and the highest peak of the Cascade Range. Located about 95 km southeast of Seattle within Mount Rainier National Park, it is the most heavily glaciated peak in the contiguous United States, with more than two dozen named glaciers descending its flanks. Though it erupts only rarely, Rainier is ranked among the world's most dangerous volcanoes (a Decade Volcano) because of the lahar risk to the densely populated valleys around Puget Sound. As a climbing objective it is both popular and serious: thousands attempt it each year via glaciated routes such as the Disappointment Cleaver and Emmons Glacier, yet only about half reach the summit owing to weather, altitude, and crevasse hazard.

Gallery

Foto bersumber dari Wikimedia Commons — klik untuk memperbesar & lihat sumbernya.

Routes

Disappointment Cleaver (DC)

Berat

+2700 m 2–3 hari

Rute paling populer lewat Camp Muir & Ingraham Flats—glasier dengan crevasse, tangga, dan tali; summit attack dini hari.

Emmons Glacier

Berat

2–3 hari

Rute glasier terbesar di lower-48 dari sisi timur laut (White River)—lebih sepi dari DC.

Safety Statistics

Moderate risk

Aggregated for prevention and awareness — not a casualty list. Read alongside the safety tips below.

84 Recorded deaths

Period 1947–2018 · About 84 people died in climbing accidents on Mount Rainier in 1947–2018 (≈89 recorded deaths since 1897), an average of roughly two deaths per year from rock and ice fall, avalanche, falls, and hypothermia. Around 10,000–11,000 people attempt the climb each year (471,792 recorded attempts 1950–2022) with a summit success rate near 50%. Because the attempt volume is very large and the numerator/denominator periods do not align, a per-attempt fatality rate is not computed — the per-person risk is small, but the glacier's objective hazards are very real.

Causes of death

Icefall / serac

💡 Rainier is the most heavily glaciated peak in the contiguous US; ice and serac fall on routes like the Ingraham Glacier–Disappointment Cleaver caused the deadliest climbing accident on the mountain. Move quickly through serac zones in the pre-dawn cold while the ice is frozen, and avoid camping or resting long beneath ice walls.
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Fall

💡 Falls on steep snow and ice slopes are a leading cause of death, as in the 2014 Liberty Ridge tragedy. Master self-arrest and roped-travel technique, place protection on exposed sections, and descend before the snow softens in the midday heat.
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Avalanche

💡 Avalanche is among the main objective hazards on Rainier's open slopes. Check the avalanche forecast, avoid loaded slopes after storms or during rapid warming, and time your climb for stable snowpack.
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Exposure / hypothermia

💡 Rainier's weather can shift dramatically, and hypothermia — compounded by fatigue, dehydration, and high winds — kills climbers caught without shelter. Carry warm layers and an emergency bivy, watch the forecast, and turn back when the weather deteriorates.
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Notable incidents

1981 1981 Ingraham Glacier icefall disaster — 11 deaths

In June 1981, ten clients and one guide died when an icefall/avalanche swept their party on the Ingraham Glacier below Disappointment Cleaver — the deadliest climbing accident in Mount Rainier's history and one of the worst in the US. Their bodies remain entombed in the glacial ice. The event stands as a reminder of how lethal serac zones are and the importance of minimising exposure time beneath ice walls.
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2014 2014 Liberty Ridge tragedy — 6 deaths

In May 2014, six climbers (two guides and four clients) died on Liberty Ridge after falling about 1,000 metres (3,300 feet) while attempting the summit. The incident highlights the danger of Rainier's steep technical routes, where a single slip can be fatal — underscoring the need for adequate experience, proper protection, and honest assessment of conditions.
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Statistics source: Source Source

Climbing Experiences

Mount Rainier (4,392 m), Washington's glacier-clad volcano — the popular Disappointment Cleaver (DC) route needs glacier skills, ropes, and crampons. Climbers highlight crevasses, ladders, and the alpine-start summit.

References

The summary above is compiled from the following sources. Click to explore them yourself.