NSS 2006 Convention: News March 7

The Mt. Rainier Summit Steam Caves Trip has been cancelled due to insufficient interest before the April 1st dead-line. Convention attendees still have the option to arrange their own trip. Be aware that climbing Rainier requires a permit from the National Park Service. Reservations are recommended. Contact the convention trip coordinator if you have further questions.

A once in a lifetime opportunity to go caving on the fourth highest mountain in the continental U.S.!

The Birdroom - The Birdroom is a large room in a steam cave on the summit of Mt. Rainier. Note the caver in the upper right corner.

At 14,410’, Mt. Rainier is the highest mountain in the Cascades and the fourth highest mountain in the 50 United States. It is the most heavily glaciated peak in the contiguous United States and is still an active volcano. The heat from the mountain forms substantial steam caves in both craters. For the hardier soul, this could be a unique caving experience.

Rainier Mountaineering, Inc. (RMI) has agreed to offer a private guided group. You can find general information here and specific itinerary information here.

Registration and payment information is as follows. Please note registration deadline date. If you are interested in this offering, please contact RMI before the deadline.

The dates for this program would be August 1-5, 2006. The price is $1,730 per person. We will need a minimum of four participants for this program to operate. Due to this minimum requirement, it will be necessary for four participants to be registered for this program by April 1, 2006. If we have not reached the minimum registration by April 1, 2006 the program will be cancelled.

In order to secure a space on this program a deposit of $275 per person is due at the time of reservation. The final payment is due 90 days prior to the start of the program. Payments can be made via Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, or check.

Clothing and equipment rentals are available from Whittaker Mountaineering. Please visit their website at http://www.whittakermountainering.com for more information.

For the experienced mountaineers, another option is the self-guided climb. There are various guidebooks available for climbing Mt. Rainier and the National Park Service page at http://www.nps.gov/mora/ contains links and information on climbing Mt. Rainier. Please be aware that Mt. Rainier is a technical mountain with real risks. Anyone attempting the summit must research and be prepared for the conditions the mountain can present.