Which way is magnetic, again?

Now all I need to do is figure out how to use this thing. Making me wish I hadn't quit Boy Scouts after Webelos.

Crampons

I've been trying to find crampons on Craigslist for weeks now. I almost found the right pair, a set of Black Diamond Cyborgs, but thankfully the seller altruistically told me that they wouldn't be the best for Rainier. The frontpoints were modular and he said they tend to cut into snow/glacier ice.

Woah! Speaking like a mountaineer. How'd I figure some of this stuff out? A sweet site put out by the folks down at REI. Thanks!

http://www.rei.com/expertadvice/articles/crampons+snow+ice+climbing.html

The seller said the Black Diamond Sabretooth crampons would be better. Don't think I'll shell out the $170 needed for new ones so back to CL for me...

New Stair Climber

Getting in shape for Rainier, Seattle apartment style.

Really, Mt. Pilchuck?

Having climbed Mt. Pilchuck numerous times, albeit always during summer months, both Cody and I decided it was time to ascend our hometown peak during the winter. Right.

Employing the patented McCarty start, which is similar to the alpine start but instead of trekking out at midnight we left Lake Stevens at 10am, we arrived at the Heather Lake unscathed - our under-britches only slightly streaked after avoiding a cluster F caused by a Pontiac TransAm trying to do donuts on the road to the trailhead. Not really, but some dude in a Jeep Cherokee almost opened his door into the radiator of Cody's rig. Snow makes people in the PNW demented, I swear.

The forest road up to the MP trailhead was blocked at Heather Lake. It can't be THAT far up to Pilchuck, right? Wrong.

"How far's this hike again?" - Cody Brooke

Especially on snow shoes.

Our spirits remained high for the first 4 miles until demoralization sank in at the sight of a cross-country skier (who siddled up behind and scared the living feces out of me, I might add) who benefited from our tracks nearly the entire way up. Although, making fresh prints in the 4-foot-deep snow made me feel like one hell of an American.

Fresh tracks up to the MP trailhead

A little higher up the demoralization turned to unbridled exhaustion based on a) the fact after 4 hours we hadn't even reached the MP trailhead yet and b) the damn skier was on his way down, coasting past us.

About that time, Cody died. Cause of death: left abductor muscle strain.

Cody dying

I, on the other hand, did not die.

Pat not dying

In the end, 10+ miles in 7 hours... capped off by our ubiquitous trip to Ixtapa!

Ixtapa being awesome

Delay of Game due to Rain

Pat and I came ready to snow shoe 10 miles up to Lake Kelcema from the bottom of Deer Creek Rd. While making a quick stop at the Verlot Ranger Station, we were enlightened on the fact that there were numerous avalanche spots all along the highway; including the trail we were planning on going up.

We decided to still head that way and just do a shorter length of the trail and turn around right before the avalanche shoots about 2.5 miles (which also was one of the better views along the hike). After we pulled in, geared up and started to walk up to the trail it started (or maybe we finally noticed) that it was raining very hard. A quick conversation led us both to believe that we should probably bag it on the grounds of rain, possible death due to avalanches and the fact that our destination/turn around point was the most dangerous part of the hike.

We still wanted to make what we could out of the day so after a quick recharge once getting home, I pulled out all my ropes, prussiks cords, caribeaners and anything else I had in the world of technical rescue. We started to go over and practice figure 8 type knots, basic belay systems and a few other things that would be essential to know before ascending Rainier. Why waste a good Washington winter day?

successful knots

Pat ready to climb something

Basic rope stuff from Rescue Tech I manual (copyrighted material)

Thanks USAF

Almost three months into this adventure, we have all realized that the costs are really more than what we expected. Obviously there was the money that we dropped on the actual guide service for the climb itself, which was probably the most anticipated. Once that was paid for we all figured there would be a few hundred dollars each person would have to spend on gear. How wrong we were.

There really is no set amount or even estimate that each person is going to spend on gear. It all depends on how much stuff one wants and how fancy that stuff has to be. There is also the possibility of renting items as well to keep cost down.

After going through my gear a few times, I realized that I really had hit the jackpot. It took me several times perusing through my garage and man cave to actually realize what I have. Each time I went through my stuff I came across a new item that I had somehow acquired in the past. Ive even found extra items that I was able to loan out!

Once I started gathering all this stuff up I realized that I really made off well when I got out of the military. All of the items (with a couple exceptions) on the gear list for Mt Rainier that I already have and don't have to purchase, came from the USAF. I left there with easily over a thousand dollars of gear. It took a few trips to REI and frequent surfing on backcountry.com to realize that I am saving a lot of money thanks to the military.

Some items I wont be purchasing because of the Air Force: Gortex jacket and pants (2 sets of each, desert and woodland: Ill be rocking the desert), fleece jacket and full zip fleece pants, down sleeping back with compression sack (rated to -50), gortex boots (still need mountaineering boots), summit bag, glacier glasses, basic climbing hardware to include webbing, prussiks, rope, beaner, long underwear, a couple MRE's and my backpack (although I wont be using my military issued pack).

I've always told people when asked about the military, that it was the best decision I have ever made; this is just one more reason why it is. A big thanks to the United States Air Force.

Down sleeping system with configurations for temps from 30 to -50

Boots

Waterproof pants and jacket

"See America First"

I picked up a few books to read when this adventure all started and I'm currently working on The Challenge of Rainier by Dee Molenaar. I caught something the other night that really stuck with me. I was reading about the history of how the park came to be and the efforts put forth to get Rainier nationally recognized. It was during the late 1800's that the railroads coined the term "See America First" in an effort to get the American people to head west and see all the beauty their country had to offer.

Lets face it, America has a lot of bad ass places to go; like Mt Rainier. There is no doubt that Rainier has unmatched beauty and is a gem to the Pacific North West. Before the "See America First" slogan ever came to be, Vermont Senator George Edmonds had described in the Portland Oregonian the splendor of Rainier. He had been all through the Alps and said you cant compare even the best of what the Alps have to what he has seen while on the approach to Mt Rainier.

I believe Seattle mountaineer Edward S. Ingraham said it best: "It is un-American to visit other shores when our own country contains so many places of interest".