To_The_Top

I'm sure the Dissapointment Cleaver is still in..and I think RMI is still keeping it in shape.

Polarized glass glacier glasses cut down on the UV and glare off snow better than poly non polarized glasses. I have noticed a big differance having gone through several sets. I only go on snow with polarized glasses after I got headaches and vision problems after snow climbs. Both poly and glass offer polarized options, but I think that glass cuts down UV a little better than poly. Ranking them goes like this (for me): Polarized glass (w/sideshields or wrap arounds), poly polarized, glass (NP) and poly (NP)last. For the money REI has glacier glasses with shields (polarized) for around $40~on up. I wont go non polarized any more. Bill

Ok, Mountaineering stories of idiots. One time on Baker we were doing a ascent in a total whiteout at the summit, which is bigger than a football field with cliffs around some of it...I felt comfortable enough to go up since I was up a week before, comfortable but with wands. We thought we were the only ones on the top, since we started late, trying to wait out the whiteout with snowfall, and after dinking around the summit, we started down, pulling wands, and like ghosts in the mist, we were astonished to see many parties headed up, totally ill prepared, stuff falling off packs and COTTON. A few mumbles to the parties about being careful, and I told one of them that hey, maybe we will leave the remaining wands so they can get down... "OK", and we went home to watch the news if there was anyone missing on Baker. The week before we saw a crazy Canadian (sorry Dru) with two screwdrivers going up and he just handed us Billy Graham flyers, saying God will watch us all. Bill

I only travel two on a team with an expieracened partner, as it is very difficult to pull yourself out of a slot by yourself. I think it can be done, but I have heard that four climbers fell in a crevasse on Baker this weekend. I have fell in a crevasse up to my armpits several times, and it is dangerous to go with one other person on a glacier, or even more. TTT

Other mountain books..."Nanda Devi" by Roskelley, and "Deborah&The Mountain of my Fear" by David Roberts. Also second Minus 148 and Kon-Tiki. Bill

OK, I may get spray for this....but I have seen a lot of Subarus at trailheads. The roads are not so bad, and despite the ads, I see few SUV's at the trailheads, probably fighting out parking spots at the G-Store in Issaquah. The second most seen vehical is a truck, maybe with a canopy, I know several climbers who sleep in the back and get a early start in the morning. My Girlfriend has a Subaru, and I usually drive when we go to trailheads (my Honda has made some surprising ascents to say the least), but I have never slept in the back of either, but you can. I see very few of these vans (euro,vw...) at trailheads, but I bet they can get to 80% of the roads. In the winter chains do help, as do a few 2x6's (not me). The trailheads don't see many cops/rangers at night up on the logging roads or trailheads from what I have heard (usaully set up tent in brush), but have seen several parties sleeping in vehicles. Bill [This message has been edited by To The Top (edited 08-20-2001).]

Another thing, I like to support local shops too, and in my expierance if you tell your local shop about a price at another place (say REI), they match it or come close, and there is usually better service at the local shop. I shop at REI too, and second ascent (its like treasure hunting there. TTT

Turning to the next page is the book..... Our climb seemed to return to normal...at least for the time being. We started to talk about the funny things that have happened so far on the trip. We went further into the things we liked, remembered the things that happened in the past. It almost seemed that the strange things that happen when ever I am around Kristi only happen when I am around her. My life has gotten more boring until I met her. I remember how much I liked it when she was along....I was getting deeper into this, forgetting the fact that we are nudely hiking to the climb that is in several guide books...lost in this crazy thought I almost tripped over this guy who was laying across the trail.. I didn't see him and neither did Kristi. I actually had to jump over him and Kristi let out a yelp just as he almost got kicked in the side by her. He was smoking a joint and had on tye dye and his frizzy hair stood on end. "Dude....that was way wierd the way you jumped over me...." "What the hell are you doing lay-" "Dude you got no clothes on.....your butts sunburned...." Anyway, that was how it went, he was surprised to see us, told us he was from Mazama..he was out to climb too, said the clouds were building up or something...Said two guys with croquet stuff was just ahead of us....

I agree with the above posts about Pro Guiding Service and Martin. I have hired Martin a few times when I get to a level I feel I need more instruction. I feel that if you hire a guide to get you to the summit, you miss out on instruction that you can use to get to many more summits. I prefer hiring a guide, and they will take more than one person, even up to three. No harm in hiring a guide for instruction with a few friends that are at your level to split costs. I just learn better this way than in a class, but others may have better luck in a class. TTT

Just heard there is a Lahar on the Nisqually (MT RAINIER) according to the Pierce Co Sherriff. May have taken out two campsites but not considered serious--no one injured as of yet. A lahar is a slide of snow, ice or dirt debreis sweeping down a river drainage. Just heard it in the "breaking news" on the radio. The bridge does not seem to be effected as of yet. TTT [This message has been edited by To The Top (edited 08-14-2001).]

I climbed Eldorado with Jerry, and I agree this way was longer, but way more scenic, adventurous, and one of the best bivi spots I have seen. We bivied a few hundered feet below the pass just past the Triad. It had running water, great views to the south and east. Two other climbers showed up a half hour later, and we all shared climbing stories, schnapps, and some had herb. The Milky way was bright, tons of shooting stars, it was very comfortable, didn't need the bivi sacks. There were no flies there, and NO SNAFFLEHOUNDS! We saw lights near the top of Forbidden, and the moon came out later. The next day we had a great climb, got stuck a little behind some Mountaineers, but a great climb. You can down climb the rocks to avoid the other parties on the knife edge. On the way up as you leave the Eldorado Glacier there is a notch a few hundered feet up from the base of Eldorado, you can bypass going around the base of rock. Two friends went up the other trailhead in six hours, both ways take almost as long to get out as it took to get in. I liked our approach, permits were sold out for the other approach. Highly recommend, the only real difficulty was finding the best gully down as Jerry describes. Outstanding views, a zillion biting flies down in the valley. Bill [This message has been edited by To The Top (edited 08-14-2001).]

We need to get a petition going on stuff like this. As a supposed enviormentalist myself, and for the people I climb with, and those I see in the mountains every weekend, we all care about what we climb in. IMHO climbers I see care very much about the mountains, and speak up about it. These out of control wacko's are shooting thier left foot (US) by doing all this with fixed anchor stuff and limiting Hood climbs to a solitude issue, or even bringing back the Griz in the N Cascades. HOW CAN THERE BE SOLITUDE when half the route is filled by skiers who take the Tahoe to the lot, and get multiple rides up a mountian with hundereds of thier closes friends. I understand the Rainier limits (except that shuttle thing), and have climbed Baker with Snowmobiles blatting close by, but 25 when I have been to Hood and seen 200...big deal, what about light pollution from the ski area? There is no envioremental damage that I have seen. Just steps in the snow, no trail damage. Time for a petition. TTT

It can be done in two days. The first six+ miles in to Kennedy hot springs the trail is really good. The next couple of miles goes up some hill and is slower. The climbers trail to Boulder Basin is one mile and takes more time. Mark the turnoffs on the PCT and you should be there quicker than you think, and watch out for the Marmots! The climb up is pretty easy with a couple of scramble moves near the top. We did it in 2 days, and I know of a few that have done it in one day. Bill

I started out scrambling, and climbing things I shouldn't have. After a while I wanted to do more and more, and found that I was getting up some things that were dangerous. After a bit I hired a guide to learn the right way (only a opinion). Then I joined a club that went up mountains alot, read a ton of books, but I agree there is nothing better than expierance.

Kyle, The guy that died a few years ago (5) on Rainier was not a client, but was on a independant team on the Emmons at Emmons Flats. He died of a possible allergic reaction maybe to tea. He was asthmatic, which was a factor. It was not mentioned in the AAC accidents but it was in Climbing magazine "Passages". Bill

GO!!

Neri, I agree that for lower angle glacier travel a 30 meter 8mm is good for a team of 2-3. Jim Nelson has them for around $80 at his shop Pro Mountain Sports north of the U-District, I'm not sure what kind it is but it is a dry rope (must be for glacier travel). Also another option is the Ice Floss by Blue Water ~$80, it is 37 meters and 7.8mm (available at many shops). I know that this rope will stay dry for many hours on a glacier, but I wouldn't take it on anything steeper than 35 degrees. Bill

Arrogant Bastard Ale.....

Newbie, If you want to climb Rainier in September I agree that it may not be too late to train for it if you are in reasonable shape the best thing to do is hike up Si or Granite Mtn. and running (6-8miles 3x to 4x a week). For me this is the best way to train. Aim for 1 1/2 hours up Si and 2 hours for Granite. I think that RMI will maintain the route up Rainier on the DC as long as they can get people up the mountain on thier schedule. Wow $750 to camp Muir or above, now that is a profit. I have been up many times, and the best way to train is to do all the above and rest the last week, it is the differance between making it up and making it up and having fun. Bill

Allthumbs, I've soloed both routes, and done them in one day and the Colman-Deming I think is way safer, more scenic like previous posts mentioned, and faster. The Easton gets a lot of sun, and usually get crappy later in the season. Once you get above Heliotrope ridge stay right until you get to Black Buttes, camping here (I prefer Heliotrope) then turn left, don't pass to close to Colfax as icefall happens here. I agree Colfax is a fun side trip once you get to the saddle around 9000'. I only go on a rope team now days though. Bill [This message has been edited by To The Top (edited 07-26-2001).]

California Ubber Alles! Holiday in Cambodia! Bad Luck! [This message has been edited by To The Top (edited 07-18-2001).]

If it is your first time up and "low snow fall" you might find the DC the only option in september, mainly because RMI will keep the route in shape for thier clients, but I think they stop in september. TTT

Accountant that can't post correctly...

Wow...too much of that cheap beer.

Or the old school is "no pain, no gain" or newer is "whatever doesn't kill you will make you stronger" or music Nirvana's Territorial Pissing.....TTT