Camp Schurman, Glacier Basin & Mount Rainier Summit — Friday, Jun. 21, 2024

Glacier Basin is snow free until after the junction with the Emmons Morraine trail after that the snow is well packed down by boots and easy to follow the path but there are a couple small drop offs to the wooden bridges. Glacier Basin itself is mostly snow covered with some patches of avalanche lilies and early pasque flowers (white anemones). The crossing to the Inter Glacier did require some boulder hopping along the stream but once across it was straight forward slushy mess to Schurman. We summited yesterday about 930 AM. The route goes across the Emmons all the way to the saddle then up bypassing the bergschrund. The last crevasse crossing was pretty tenuous and getting worse in the heat so the route may have to drop down before ascending. Snow conditions on the route and objective hazards were mild. Most parties are starting quite late in the morning or afternoon and nearly all summited. It was quite cold and windy up top so we didn’t linger long great views at the top looks like Grand Park is mostly melted out and it looks quite verdant. Beautiful trillium, lupine, and avalanche lilies along the lower forest hike which would be a great hike by itself which I plan to do to Emmons Morraine with the kids. Go climb that mountain!