Rainier 2010

“I'm mad at myself for not climbing Mt. Rainier this year. Anybody interested in climbing with me next year?”

“Yes I'm interested, but I'm already committed to traverse the Alaskan wilderness next year...”

“YES!

When? I am going to Alaska in July.”

“...roamaround might be up for this 2. date gotta work out.”

“Don't know about the dates Prolly late June or late July. I want to go so bad I'd be willing to use a guide. Wouldn't have to with you guys though.”

“alaska is july 1-11 so early june... a long weekend would work. i was going to take that winter mountaineering course rmi teaches...still want to do it bad. my job has gone to chit so i may get an unplanned vacation end of the year.”

“if you do it guide-less I might be up for it... would love to do it again, but wouldnt have funds for a guide....'

We could do what every one else does and just time it so we are on the mountain with IMG..

What route do you want to do? I want to do the Wonderland Trail also....

'32oz
last edited: 10/03/09 5:25:59 PM”

“I could do the DC route guide-less. Planned to do it the last two years but my old climbing buddy wasn't up to it. We'd make a good rope team - Roam can pull us out of the crevasses.

But I would really like to plan this so I don't miss another summer. Keep the ideas coming and we'll work something out. At this point any time works for me.”

“i was originally planning on going with a guided group this winter, not as much to summit as to train/practice for future, more aggressive climbs. with my shift to visit alaska this year this might not happen. i am thrilled about going to alaska, although not sure about using the time to just backpack. hours/year climbing are scarce for me living in flatland, and laying out that kind of cash to just backpack is a poor investment in gaining climbing experience.”

“I'll wait to see what dates you pick and what the winter looks like before I commit.. My first priority is the Wonderland Trail and I will be basing that trip on the winter/snowfall/melt...

'32oz”

“If I were to go do Ranier, I'd like to try Liberty Ridge. Not interested in spending money for a guide though.

A 3:1 haul system is easy to set up (and to teach - you gotta be able to pull me out too after all) to pull your butt outta the crevasse. But a better strategy is to just not fall in.”

“Liberty Ridge is the center of this picture, I believe. Looks like a shooting gallery with all the debris at the bottom. There are a lot of routes I'd rather try, but it would be a very satisfying rock climb.

”

“

http://www.summitpost.org/route/155602/liberty-ridge.html”

“i can set up a 3:1 but have never had to do it for real. it's got to be totally different when your buddy is hanging unconscious in a crevasse...”

“I need to practice hanging from a tree and climbing a rope with my home-made prusiks.”

“i can see why you would want to practice climbing a rope with prusiks, but why on earth would you want to practice hanging from a tree?”

“I"m sure it is Yogi. Tell ya what - you jump down a crevasse and I'll let you know what it was like when i get you hauled out.”

“thing is, i probably would do it.”

“so long as we set up a BOMBER anchor - why not?

:)”

“so long as i brought a change of shorts, i would see no reason not to try.”

“1. bomber anchor (double bomber)
2. change of shorts

check”

“did you see that episode of man vs wild where bear lowers down a crevasse into a glacier with water pouring down it... gets the bottom... then climbs/is raised out? oh man.”

“Crossing a crevasse on the 3' wide snow bridge in the dark was one of the great moments of my life. Some dork anchored the running belay in the middle so you had to get on your knees and futz with it - hopefully not unclip yourself.”

“So you guys think we are up to this? June is early for the Wonderland Trail. Think late July would work?”

“I think that will work. I would love to go.”

“I'm pencilling the week of July 18-24, or there abouts. I'll set up a trip later. Reply if you want an invite.”

“i would like an invite. i might only be able to go if i bail on the alaska trip.”

“Keep me posted on this.. It is stll too early for me to line up dates, but I am interested....

'32oz”

“Is there still talk of climbing Rainier this summer? I have been preparing for this for a few months now since I found out for sure I'll be moving to Seattle in March.

I know there was talk of Liberty Ridge. Having done a lot of reading on this route, for sure I am interested in climbing it, however I do have a few concerns. They are all based on my being a newcomer to climbing mountains and glacier travel.

First, the approach to Liberty Ridge involves travel on the Carbon Glacier including it's icefalls and crevasses. Cool! I have a lot of book knowledge on glacier travel and am very confident I could do what was necessary for basic situations, but I have no practical experience. I plan on taking a class after I move to Seattle this March, but by the time of the climb this summer I'll only be slightly less green than any other rock climber with new found ambitions to climb mountains.

Also, Liberty Ridge involves some pretty committing sections of steep ice (up to 55 degrees) with significant exposure. Having zero experience in this type of terrain is a big concern to me.

I know many of you are more experienced than I in this type of environment. I am thinking that my best choice is to opt for one of the more standard routes and bow out of Liberty Ridge until my 2nd or 3rd climb of Rainier when I have more experience.”

“I'm planning to do the Kautz route with RMI July 24-28. I was hoping to talk someone into climbing the Emmons route with me the following weekend (7/30-8/1). There are a bunch of routes I'd like to try before Liberty Ridge.”

“OK, well it sounds like there isn't a group planning on going. I am certain to hook up with some people in the Seattle area. Absolute worst case I'll take a guided trip (probably with RMI) my first time up.”

“I've been putting off signing up for this trip because of a couple of small issues but I'm committed in my mind. I'll be off for two weeks and was thinking about climbing Shasta, Hood and maybe Adams before the RMI trip. I hope we can get together. I really want to do that Emmons Route.”

“Yeah, for sure. Let me know the RMI session you sign up for and I might try to sign up for the same one.”

“ok i am sold on this rmi trip if you are willing to have the company and i can get signed up (i.e. the trip is not full). let me know dude.”

“I'll call them up this weekend. They want a "climbing resume" for the Kautz trip. I liked the fact that it's 3 nights on the mountain and its a classic route that's not so busy. It would be great to have your company on a mountain again.”

“Yogisan, you gonna be around when I'm up there to climb Rainier?”

“i am climbing it this july 10th and 11th”

“Yogi is headed up Rainier today. I bought 10 dehydrated dinners and a dozen packets of goo. Really looking forward to vacation. Hope my old car makes it...”

“he called me on his cell yesterday while he was driving up. had a terrible connection”

“Yeah, it will be nice to get out of cell phone range. I think reception is pretty good on top of the mountain, but there is none at the Whittaker bunk house in Ashford.”

“yall have a great climb!”

“what ever happened?

did you all summit?

'32oz”

“Just got back. Long story to follow. I had excellent snow & weather and climbed 5 volcanoes. Yogi went to Rainier with some buddies and didn't make it all the way up. I paid a bunch of money and took 3 days to get to the top (Kautz route).”

“Congrats Toejam!!!! Curious as to which 5 you did?

Just realized that it was a year ago yesterday we were on top of rainier (8/1) and tomorrow it will be a year since Adams... Where the hell does the time go..

Was Yogi with RMI guide service?

'32oz”

“Thanks. In order climbed, Shasta, Hood, Rainier, Adams, Lassen. I was so busy bagging peaks I wasn't able to get together with Yogi. I signed up for a "prior experience required" trip with RMI so Yogi wasn't able to get in.

I highly recommend the Kautz route. It's more like a backpacking trip than the normal DC slog. It's 3 nights camping high on the mountain and none of the days are really long. The guides love the route.

I had tried to summit Hood & Shasta before with my buddy Paul, but I was much faster without his ass and conditions were perfect this time. Took me 7 hours to get to the top of Shasta (7200' climb), 5 hours to the top of Hood, 6 hours to the top of Adams (real fast glissade down), 1 hr 15 min to the top of Lassen with a bunch of fat people & kids in street shoes.

Here's some pics on Facebook - not sure if everybody can see them and doesn't include Lassen.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=57969&id=1661775972&l=e56e45ff1b”

“Yeah, I would love to do the Kautz route some day.. That's what was nice about IMG, we spent 2 nights on the mountain.. paid a little more, but it was well worth it... The night under Dissapointment Cleavor was amazing.. probably had more fun there then at the top...

'32oz”

“I met an IMG guide on top of Hood who promised me I would like their product better if I climbed with them sometime. We'll see. The whole Whittaker Bunkhouse/Basecamp experience is great.

Anyway, you know you were the motivation for me doing this trip. I was mad at myself for not going with you guys last year.

Can you see the pictures in that link?”

“Good climbign tj!!!”

“Awesome Toejam!!”

“I havent been on FB, I need to get on. (filtered right now)...

Yes I remember you originally wanting to do it with Crazypace and me.. Crazypace used RMI and IMG so he would be a good judge of them both...

We spent some time down by the bunk house when we were there... IMG's set up isnt anything like that, but it suffices.... And for first time climbers of Rainier you get 2 nights on the mountain as opposed to 1.

Congrats again!!!!

'32oz”