Unicorn Peak (6971')
Sunday the 13th was the probably last nice day of fall, and many of the access roads to Mt. Rainier were closing the following day. Highways 410 and 123 should be open to mid November, but the White River, Ohanapecosh entrance, Stevens Canyon and Mowich Lake roads are now in hibernation. I proposed to Peter that we should hit Unicorn on Sunday. My motives were quite selfish, in that I don't have the skills or the experience to do this peak, and I needed a partner. Peter and I had done a ski trip together and I knew he had interest in alpine climbs. We met at Mt. Rainier’s Snow Lake trailhead Sunday morning and set off. The video of this trip is at the end of this post.
Unicorn Peak (6971’)
I had some knowledge of the route to the Unicorn Glacier from my failed attempt at Boundary a while back...I had to turn around below the saddle, stymied by the moat and my lack of an ice axe. This time we had tools, and although this same area was shrunken compared to my past visit, it was tricky in that we needed to descend steep scree to the side of the snow ramp. Peter set a hand line, sent down his pack, then we both followed. There was muck and rock over hard ice, some of it sliding in small sheets. I had an ice tool and this served me well in providing some protection from sliding to where we could walk on the snow. Clearly the best time to access this peak is in the spring, when the gully and boulder field below are covered by firm snow. Our travel was not especially difficult, but tedious and slow. After skirting the base a bit, we attained the shoulder of Unicorn via a class 3 gully; then it was a nice ridge walk to the base of Unicorn.
Looking south to Mt. Adams on the route to Unicorn Peak
Bottom line, I had never done a trad climb before, only scrambles. Peter had the gear and experience and I appreciated his attention to safety and protection. He easily climbed the route, placing protection in the process. When I was ready to follow, I just couldn't get the first move; a left leg up on a skinny ledge feature. Every time I came close my foot slipped off, especially since I was in trail runners. Gotta invest in the proper gear if I'm gonna do more of this. Peter was very patient as I tried over and again until my grip gave out, then suggested I move to the right. This did the trick and I had no further problems going up the route. The weather couldn't have been better, it was a perfect fall alpine day with no one else in sight. The 360 degree views were nothing short of eye popping. We reconfigured at the summit and I elected not to rappel, as I hadn't done this since my mountaineering days over 20 years ago. He belayed me as I down climbed the route, then he rappelled off a good size boulder, leaving an additional sling.
Peter rapps off Unicorn Peak
The rest of the day was just reverse course, with a few deviations, and then the nastiness. We got to the place of the hand line and he got himself up, but in the process of opening his pack to improve the anchor, one of his rock shoes fell down the slope. He had to extend the hand line for me to reach his shoe, and then I struggled to get up the slope. I had just about made it when the crap under me slid, and down I went in slow motion, still holding the hand line with a twist or two so there was enough friction to keep things slow. Peter: “Do you have the video of you sliding down the Unicorn glacier? Cause that was intense to watch.” Indeed I do.
Tatoosh Range from Unicorn Peak
I eventually tied his shoe to the end of the line and moved lower to a slightly less angled area, using my ice tool in the dirt to eventually make the top, completely anaerobic from the effort. Type II fun for sure. This didn't dampen the spirits though and the remainder of the trip down the boulder fields to Snow Lake was just kinda cool, both of us looking up with satisfaction at what we had just climbed. My thanks and appreciation go out again to Peter for his exemplary geriatric baby sitting, his attention to safety and just being a cool guy to hang out with. I was quite pleased he agreed to take me on my first trad climb, but hopefully not my last.