Mt Rainier & Adams July 2009

“Wow thanks!!

I also had Grove of the Patriarchs down

I did some of the Oregon Side of the Gorge including Multnomah Falls and Angel's rest. We wanted to do the bridge of the gods but ran out of time..

I didn't include any Seattle stuff because I wanted to hit the mountains.. Maybe next year..

thanks again for the info...

"32oz”

“Grove of the Patriarchs is awesome!! It got trashed in the storms a few years back though... don't know what it looks like now.

I'm sure I'll make 100 more suggestions between now and then! This will be FUN. :D”

“Rainier - Wapati Woolies

I went there last time and bought a hat! I love that place.”

“I'd like to climb Mt. St. Helens.”

“There are still openings on the Rainier Climb... Come on y'all, let's bag the mutha...

'32oz”

“Skyline Divide is nice - the road can be iffy year by year though. There are other options in the Baker area as well. :-)
Ask away! I have hiked most of them.”

“Which Skyline! There's one on Baker, one on Rainier and one in the Olys! lol.

I've been on 2/3.”

“I'm lusting to go on this trip. I hope to make it up there sometime this summer (an maybe Hood in spring). There is so much good stuff to see.

But I'll be climbing un-guided with another guy. If anyone thinks they are up for DC un-guided, let me know.

I'd love to do Adams and St. Helens again, and also Glacier and Baker. It's gonna take several trips.”

“I climbed Rainier in the summer of 2005 with the Views from the Top team (VFT). We did one day of training with the Rainier guides, and then 12 of us (two teams) went up ourselves. Because of a combination of our great technical skills (and greater weather and snow conditions we made it up and down safely). It was a lot of fine.

Having IMG hump up the heavy stuff to Camp Muir is a great thing. Those 60+ backs from the parking lot to Muir suck up a lot of energy.

Damn....I'm real tempted...it's such a great mountain.
last edited: 11/10/08 7:34:55 AM”

“You might include in your plan spending an extra day and night on Rainier, in case sickness or the weather defeat your first summit bid. Also plan on the possibility that after climbing Rainier you might be too tired to move. If the latter is the case, I would go to a motel with a hot tub, and spend a day resting.

If you wanted some gems to fill a two week visit to Washington, here is my list:

climb Rainier: two days if you are self guided, fit, healthy, and have good weather. The older you are, the fitter you have to be.

Mt. Adams: that would be fine, but after Rainier, pretty much a repeat.

backpack to Tuckie and Robin lake in Mt. Snoqualmie area: scenic like you wouldn't believe.

Climb Mt. Daniel, with a 2-3 day bacpack to a high camp above Peggy's Pond

get a mid week permit to the Enchantments near Leavenworth if you can get one, and hike in via Colchuck lake or Rat lakes. Stay 5 days and hike the upper basin.



go to Lake Chelan, get a ride on the boat to HOlden Village, hike from Holden across the Cascades to the Darrington side, via Image Lake, Suiattle Pass. 4 or 5 days.

Hike to Cascade Pass, hike up the ridge to Sahale arm and camp. You can't camp at Cascade Pass, and there is no water on Sahale Arm except snow, but the view can't be beat.”

“Thanks Idaho,

I was planning a rest day or two between adams and Mount St. Helens... (although that Mount Daniels Hike looks interesting)

So much to do, soooo little time...”

“"so little time"?

I want to say stfu. HOW many bagnights have you had this year? How many are planned for next SO FAR?

Hmmmmmm?”

“Dang I lost count.. I will lose one this weekend, as I decided I needed a little income so I'm going to 'work' Saturday Morning.. then off to SNP for a few miles (possibly up to Mary's Rock the hard way) and a night at Birds Nest #3...

Yeah next year is setting up quite nicely isn't it?

'trashcan”

“Good suggestions from Idaho Bob, with a coupla quibbles:

backpack to Tuckie and Robin lake in Mt. Snoqualmie area: scenic like you wouldn't believe.

It's Tuck and Robin, and it's in the Cle Elum River area, not far from your other mentioned place (Mt. Daniel). Here's a shot I took of Daniel across the valley from Lower Robin in '07.



get a mid week permit to the Enchantments near Leavenworth if you can get one, and hike in via Colchuck lake or Rat lakes.

Apply for permits beginning in January, or take your chances with the lottery the day of the trip. But I'd never recommend going in via Rat, especially for someone who's never been there.

go to Lake Chelan, get a ride on the boat to HOlden Village, hike from Holden across the Cascades to the Darrington side, via Image Lake, Suiattle Pass.

Awesome trip, but would require two cars, or someone to pick you up on the other side. Better to do via Spider Meadow/Gap, looping around via Buck Creek Pass to Trinity.”

“That picture is from near the top of Asgard pass looking down at Colchuck Lake, in the Enchantments. Here is Cascade pass, the low point on the ridge, with Sahale Arm on the other side of the pass, in the evening light. Forbidden Pk is in the distance.

”

“I did the hike from Holden to Darrington, and hitch hiked back around to Chelan, so its doable. Its Tuck lake, you are right. My wife's name is Tuckie, so the fingers can't stop at the "K". I call the Cle Elum area near Snoqualmie Pass. From Idaho, they seem pretty close to each other.

Via Colchuck is definitely the preferred entry route to the Enchantments. Here are some more Enchantment pics, taken by Marc Dilley:

This is hiking around Colchuck Lake with Asgard Pass above the lake.



This is a lake in the the upper Enchantment Basin in the fall, when the larch turn yellow and orange.

”

“OK guys enough already. One of my disorders is kicking in, and if you don't stop I'm going to be up all night trying to figure out how I can rearrange my trip to jam as much of this in as possible...

You all are killing me (and me)..

'pillcase”

“I'll join you guys. CrazyPace is CRaaazyfast
but I'll train for the climb over the next 6-7 months, if you'll allow me in.

I don't know if I'll do any of the other hills though. Maybe Adams.... we'll see.

What'cha think?”

“Can I come play as support crew? I have no desire to summit, but I know how to cook. :)”

“Precision, we are doing this with IMG guide service. We would love to have you join us.

http://www.mountainguides.com/rainier-programs.shtml

Last I checked they still had spots on the July 30-Aug 1 climb.

I know you had been wanting to do the Wonderland Trail and I was hoping to get that done in '09, but with Rainier and Glacier National Park I had to post pone that one.

I have started tentative planning for a 2010 JMT hike, and will probably relook at The Wonderland trail again in 2011.



If this doesn't work for you we will be doing Adams a couple of days later. I am staying out to do Mount St Helen's as well...

Dicentra, I am sure that when we get back down your cooking will be greatly anticipated!!!!!!

'32oz
last edited: 11/14/08 4:25:26 AM”

“Alright Precision !! I was hoping you would be interested in this climb.
Hey, by the way, were looking at another Mt. Washington winter bag in January. Can we temp you for that one too ???”

“As long as others have started nit-picking your plan.... The first thing I thought was why Rainier first? It's twice the mountain Adams is and 3x St. Helens. Adams & St. Helens are basically long day hikes and I didn't need a rest between, but they were great prep for Rainier.

precision at 14k.
”

“Nit Pick away...LOL

We only had certain dates that were open with IMG... In addition I was planning a trip to GNP...

The way things fell I had a few dates left open. Adams was on my list to do, so when CrazyPace decided to do it, I figured I would bag it with him.

As for the day in between Adams and St Helen's, I figured after coming off of Rainier and then doing Adams I would need a day to rest and reload...

Adams and St Helens are fillers until Glacier.. If anyone else is going to be there that week I can be flexable.. Permiting for St Helen's doesn't open up until Feb.. (I believe, I gotta check again)..

If you are going to be out and want to do something different, I'm all ears..


'32oz”

“Hmmmmm...well we didnt book the flights yet. Doing Adams first ? or save all energy for Rainier first. I plan on being in "more then ready" shape for this. We should talk more about this. It would be a great confidence booster having already bagged the 2nd tallest and then showing up for the big boy with smiles.”

““Can I come play as support crew? I have no desire to summit, but I know how to cook. :)”
dicentra
10:59:59 PM
11/13/08

Hello!!
Do you guys have Dicentra on ignore?”

“Doesn't everyone?”

“Ooooops. Sorry Dicentra. I was all caught up in the climbing thang !

To your question = YES !! I thought you were already part of that 14 woman hike and party expedition that spindle is doing. This is kinda overlapping that with a merge planned after we get down.

Ps: Figures Marko spots the women posting !!”

“I wanna hike with 14 women who cook.”

“14 DRUNK WOMEN!!”

“I had already responded..

'32oz”

“"This is kinda overlapping that with a merge planned after we get down."
CP

Whoa!!!

Somebody got the urge to merge?

At least 32oz is on the ball.”

“What happens in Seattle - stays in Seattle !

Or was that Vegas ?

Ah....beer me.”

“Y'all gonna hump some mountains too?”

“Either. I hope the PNW is ready for this.

Di, got Patron? ;)”

“In nominae patris................”

“Whatever your date for climbing Mt. Rainier, do something real kick ass two weeks before. Then your body will have time to rest and rebuild, and your fitness level will get a big boost. What worked for me last time I climbed a big peak was first climbing a 12,000' peak (Mt. Borah), with 6000' elevation gain. It kicked my butt, and burned my calves, gutted my quads, and turned my knees into throbbing pain sticks. Two weeks later I felt very strong on Shasta, a 14,000 peak.

Here is what you have to look forward to on Rainier. Note the long ice axe, which was the norm in the 1970s. So how cold does it have to be to climb wearing a down coat? Damn cold!


last edited: 11/14/08 9:09:23 AM”

“I'm training for a triathlon in June, so I plan on staying in shape till these 2 mountains are bagged !!”

“Idaho Bob, you are going to make 32oz's head explode from those pictures!”

“Running is different than high altitude climbing, but it can't hurt. If you can work in some trail running at altitude that would help a lot.”

“I'll GET Patron!!

What they all failed to mention about Asgaard (and yes, I've done it!) is that from the lake to the top of the pass is 3/4 of a mile and 2200 feet of elevation gain. 4400 feet gain total from the Colchuck trail head to the top of the pass.

Bring on the pain!”

“you bagged mt.borah?? I've been wanting too, how'd you do it? are there roads that go to a trailhead at the base or do you have to hike in and set up a base camp? what's the best side to climb? what roads do you take to get there? please and thank you for info”

“Dicentra, I'm Confused about the Asgaard remark... Can you elaborate...

Thanks..

'32bottleofconfusion

and yes I've been up for an hour trying to figure it out..

time to roll over and go back to sleep...”

“http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/1404063043057758441LDykbi

is this what you are talking about?”

“Hm.”

“Thanks everyone.

were looking at another Mt. Washington winter bag in January.

I wish. But I can't get away this year. And I spent and oodle with Crash and Co. last August in Colorado.

I've got to wait a few days to put up the 300 skins for deposit. Hopefully they'll still have something remaining open.

Bob, how 'bout some work-out suggestions.... anyone else too...”

“precision - I think the mental challenge of a big mountain keeps a lot of people from the top. The guide services are good about keeping people motivated. When I climbed Rainier most of the people in my party weren't climbers and had never done anything like that before. But you've climbed some 14ers and you know what it's like up there.

I don't think you can beat a regular running regimen, first because it beats your legs & lungs into shape, and second for the mental exercise of pushing your limits, toughing it out to the end and finding out how much you can take. You also want to make sure you are used to carrying a loaded backpack.”

“Rockymtnr: I've only done Borah from the Challis side, the other side is quite remote. From the Challis Hwy, you take a dirt road for about 3 miles to the base of the mtn, and camp at the car. There is room for about 30 cars, and people sleep on the ground near their cars. From the car, its a hard hard, really hard day hike. It totally kicked by butt, and my knees were fire jelly at the end of the day. Trip report here:

http://patentpending.blogs.com/bob_shaver_photos/2004/11/mt_borah_72004.html



Precision, here is my take on working out. Running is great if you can do it more power to you. I can't run because of my back, so I do lower impact stuff, like walking with a pack and cycling. If you can work in a higher altitude butt kicking day hike two weeks before the big peak, that is good.

For big peak training I like to get on a treadmill with boots and pack, and tilt it to the highest angle, and over time increase the weight of the pack to 70 pounds, and increase the speed till you are walking damn fast, but not running. Past of the training is for legs, part for heart and lungs, part for shoulders, and part mental.”

“Thank you:) I'm shootin' for this spring before I leave for firefighting”

“32 oz: Here is another view of Asgard Pass, from the shoreline of Colchuck Lake, with Dragontail Peak to the right of the pass.



Here is a view of some lakes in the upper Enchantment Basin



Here is a view of two knuckleheads carrying skiis up Asgard Pass in the 1970s. We later climbed Dragontail Peak and skied off, climbed Little Annapurna and skiied off, then one guy fell on a steep slope and got a bad slash on his face from the ski edges, and then we packed up and skiied down Asgard Pass with full packs.
”

“As I mentioned earlier in the list, I last climbed Rainier in summer of 2005 with a an VFT group. I also said I'm tempted, it's such a perfect mountain - offering a little bit of everything.

I WANT TO GO!

There's room on the trip, just checked with IMG, so if it's OK with you guys let me know and I'll sign up. I'm from NJ and in the past I think I've hiked with CrazyPace EarthnSky and others in the Catskills and Adirondacks. Name is Bruce.

I have all needed gear, but since IMG is guiding we won't needs tents and ropes.
Let me know what other information you might need from me.”