3 companies to lead way to Rainier top

Wed., Oct. 11, 2006

Associated Press The Spokesman-Review

ASHFORD, Wash. – Three companies rather than one will be allowed to lead climbers to the 14,411-foot summit of Mount Rainier beginning this weekend, the National Park Service has announced.

For 37 years the franchise has been held exclusively by Rainier Mountaineering Inc., founded by famed mountaineer Lou Whittaker. In April 2005, Mount Rainier National Park officials announced that three companies would be allowed to bid for a part of the business.

On Monday the guiding rights were announced:

“Rainier Mountaineering will still hold the biggest share with up to 24 climbers a day through Camp Muir, the most popular route to the top.

“International Mountain Guides of Tacoma and Alpine Ascents International of Seattle are each allowed up to 12 climbers a day on the Muir route.

“Rainier Mountaineering won’t operate over the less-used Emmons Glacier route, which will be split between the other two companies.

Mount Rainier draws about 2 million visitors annually, including about 10,000 who try for the summit – two-thirds in private attempts and the rest in guided expeditions which, until now, were nearly all led by Rainier Mountaineering under a park contract first awarded in 1968.

The Emmons route was opened to other companies in 1997 and since then four companies have led about 190 climbers up the mountain annually.

“We are really happy,” said Eric Simonson, owner of International Mountain Guides, who sought to break Rainier Mountaineering’s monopoly for about a decade. “This is really good for the park and the public.”

Simonson said his company would conduct avalanche clinics and other training in the winter while preparing for the start of the next climbing season, which could come as early as May.

“We are very happy and honored that the National Park Service has selected Alpine Ascents International to operate a climbing concession on Mount Rainier,” owner Todd Burleson said in a statement posted on the company’s Web site. “We will strive to offer climbers the highest level of guiding as well as a diverse variety of summit climbs and training programs.”

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