Mount Rainier, Success Glacier Middle Finger. The Success Glacier sits in a cirque between Success and Kautz Cleavers. On the headwall are three snow fingers. The right finger was climbed in 1960 (Success Glacier Couloir). No information was available on the middle finger. Although it may have been climbed previously, we could find no record of it. Starting from Indian Henry’s, we crossed the Pyramid Glacier to camp at 9200 feet on the Success Glacier. Our route then ascended to the schrund at 10,600 feet and into the middle snow finger. The angle being less than expected, we moved quickly, in part motivated after being bombarded by rockfall in the lower part of the couloir. The sudden rockfall came from everywhere as it bounced off the sides of the couloir. Fortunately no one was hurt. Keeping to the right, we ascended to near the couloir’s head at 11,500 feet and crossed over, following the right side of the rib through rock bands to 13,000 feet on Success Cleaver. With evening closing in, we camped. The next morning we traversed under rock bands and up a short ice gully to Point Success.

James Couch, Unicorn Adventures