Mike_Gauthier

great snow-man story... i’ll remember that one. and good point tom, i'm NOT implying that ALL climbers are cynical (isn't that OBVIOUS?!)... anyway, climbers (and some might add alaskans), seem FAR more likely to give public servants an earful about what they think (good or bad), than the average park visitor... or at least that's been my experience (and the experience of other people i've known). i think that some of the posts on this web site lay testimony to this statement too. i bet there are a million, "they'll believe anything stories," perhaps that would make a good thread? hey dan, you're totally right about taking the bone and running with it... perhaps "lurking" is the better (safer) way to go?

Let’s be VERY clear 1. I’m am NOT serious about this proposal,2. No one else is proposing this policy and,3. My posts on this site do NOT represent the NPS in any way imaginable (in fact, I’m not even working for the NPS right now.) I’m just playing, but hey, “hands soaking in ice” isn’t a bad idea. Thankfully for ALL involved, we don’t grill climbers like that anymore. As stated, we focus on education and accurate information sharing. A few other things… To the best of my knowledge, rangers don’t run “interference” for RMI. Can you expand on what happened to you on the DC? What time of year was it? Personally, I’ve never heard of a ranger shoveling or maintaining the climbing route (unless it was for emergency purposes). On another note, it’s rather refreshing to see so many of you defending the work that rangers (and other public servants) do. Thank you very much. You correctly note some of the difficulties we face. Its true, any yahoo can show up here and we’re left to pick up the pieces when things don’t go well. This could mean a rescue, but usually, it’s more like garbage, trampled meadows, wrecked cars, or wildlife that’s been fed too much. I’m not sure, however, that talking to people at the lowest level of competence goes over very well though. I find straight, no bullshit comments gain the public’s respect more than anything. The creek crossing and avalanche stories sited above are CLASSIC examples of sharing bad information. I’ve been told the same stuff before and personally such misinformation frustrates me. Part of the issue here though is that the public wants information so badly that they’ll insist on anything. Most employees really want to help the public, so they repeat what they’ve heard, even though that information may not be accurate anymore. Many people find it difficult to say, “I don’t know,” or “we don’t know.” This is especially the case when you’re pressed to “speculate” or give a best guess. As we know, the information age doesn’t always apply to the wilderness. But try telling that to someone who has 1 week of vacation and the Wonderland Trail is their objective. All they want to here is, yes, all of your campsites are available, the weather will be great, and they’re a no hazards to worry about. Like you folks, I’m an avid user of public lands. Therefore, I too get snagged in the same bureaucratic quagmires. I’ve been told all sorts of crazy stuff when applying for permits in all sorts of parks and forest areas. And like Matt, I also believe that alternative agendas do exist. Sometimes it’s just plain laziness (something that EVERYONE can be guilty of), but sometimes it’s a concerted effort to keep information away from the user. Just the other day for example, a well-known writer (who shall remain unnamed) shared a story with me about a backcountry permit situation he had. Now keep in mind, this guy has been hiking and climbing all over the NW for 30 plus years. Anyway, he had to press the ranger for a permit in a cross-country camping zone b/c they didn’t trust his skills to camp in the backcountry. They barely issued him the permit, even though he has every right to get the permit without hassle. Sure, you’ll hear all sorts of information about established camps, but try to get information on the “cross-country camping zones.” That can be difficult, unless of course, you’re in the know. Do you get irritated when you know this is going on? Personally, I found it difficult to deceive the public, and ESPECIALLY climbers. (btw, many rangers agree that climbers are about the smartest of all park visitors. They can also be the most cussedly independent and cynical, but that's ok too). Anyway, I hate game playing that is associated with getting permits… b/c let’s face it, not everyone is “in the know” yet many of you can handle camping in a cross-country zone just fine. Right? About the American Pie reference; I had to watch the movie to figure out what Barcott was talking about, as I was unfamiliar with Stifler. Needless to say, it got me laughing. Gauthier (aka Stifler, without the jackass qualities) And by the way, when visiting Rainier in the winter, carry tire chains (that fit halling).

a few posts on tire chains got me thinking... since so many climbers on rainier are new to glaciers, should all climbers be checked for crampons before they are allowed to continue onto a glacier? and to prevent the tricksters that grab their wife's crampons instead of buying their own, should we require everyone to put the crampons on to ensure a proper fit?

the west side road is pretty much closed at the turn off on 706. there are plans for a shuttle bus, but they've got a few details to still work out. beck’s comments are accurate; some enforce the "new" procedure more fervently than others. robert has a great point too, chains are really cool b/c most drivers around here are new to snow. the specifics of my "chain incident" however were VERY frustrating but that is unimportant now b/c i ALWAYS carry chains. when visiting rainier, carry chains, and your boards, tools, crampons, etc

sorry to hear you got turned around b/c of tire chains. that happened to a lot of people... with regard to people making it to muir, the answer is yes. a few teams definitely reached muir last week. i'm not sure if anyone summited though (i don't think so.) now for a weather update. it's snowing big time again. at least a foot dumped here in longmire overnight and it's still coming down hard. additionally, it got rather warm last week, so i'd guess that the ice climbing conditions in the nisqually have fallen out of favor... at least temporarily. [ 11-11-2002, 09:17 AM: Message edited by: Mike Gauthier ]

the road has been opening all the way to paradise for a few days now. when the NPS road crew gets the road open is always a mystery to me, and even to the rangers who are now working for that matter. usually though, it's sometime between 8-11 am, depending on the recent (i.e, overnight)snowfall. the skiing looks good, but there will be a crust. things got sunny and warm yesterday.

Dwayner, awesome! that's a great story, i've been curious about the ascent history on those falls. thanks for sharing. rafael, your description of where the bridge is, is correct. leave your car in the parking lot on the down hill side of the bridge. cross the bridge and ascend the right hand side of the river, maybe a 1/4 to 1/2 mile. it's rather close. the only bad news is that it's getting warm again (i.e. the ice is melting off my house.) also, the falls are west facing. there are a few other frozen falls in the immediate area, however they seem pretty stiff. sometimes they come in all the way, sometimes they remain mixed with rock. i've never heard of anyone climbing them, but have always assumed someone did. if it gets really cold, narada falls sometimes freezes entirely. that's always a fun one. if you don't mind, let me know what happens on your expedition. cheers

mt. hayes is an AWESOME mountain... mike wood and colby coombs from talkeetna have co authored a new climbing guide to alaska for the mountaineers press. if i recall correctly, it includes routes on hayes, moffit, deborah and a few others in the region. i'm surprised it hasn't been released yet (or maybe i haven't seen it.) anyway, i've done some research on the mountain before and found the most helpful information in the american alpine club journals. the mountaineers library in seattle should be a good place to start. you can also call talkeetna air taxi 9057-733-2218, ask for paul roderick, he may also be able to help you with access questions. good luck ps, i found this on amazon, it seems the new book will come out this may... it should be REALLY good http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/089886724X/qid=1012764993/sr=8-2/ref=sr_8_3_2/102-5809755-6630563

there IS a bigger, mellower ice flow hidden from the road and in a ravine near the other ice falls. i'd say it goes at wi4+. i've definitely seen a few ascents too, about a handful, over the past few years. the approach is straight forward, but watch the avalanche conditions closely. b/c to reach the falls, you have to ascend a broad open slope that DOES slide on occasion. the alternate way to reach the falls is to descend from the top and rap the route. routefinding from the road to the top of falls can be difficult. the other consideration is temperature... i.e., is it cold enough? the falls come in every year, but usually not for too long. by the way, the falls are in, and they look great.

well, the road to paradise hasn't been open for quite some time, so i'm not really sure. my guess is that the climbers' left hand side of the falls will be in good shape... it's been cold here, but not excessively. the temps in longmire have generally been in the 20's... generally, it takes temps in the teens or lower to produce stable ice on the main narada flow.

for all those interested, it has been snowing gang busters here at mount rainier for the last 2 weeks. there's 188 inches on the ground at paradise (as of yesterday) and nearly 500 inches total the winter. my house in longmire is slowly getting buried... this should make for great skiing and climbing conditions this spring and summer!!!

just to be clear, i think his record stands... all three trails in one year... rather impressive... has anyone ever hiked the entire length of north and south america? and would they have to swim the panama canal? i can't get enough of this guy...

well, it's freshies all the way to the parking lot at paradise. the snow level dropped to 4k and paradise added at least 6 inches to its base today. ride on....

yeah, i agree, i suppose setting a "record" should have different standards. b/c traversing the coast range in one push would be much harder if there were no break/resupply... that would be setting a speed record for rainier on different days... one day you run to muir, the next you run the summit, then the next, you run from the summit back down... not quite the same... strip him of the title... or put an asterick by it... ps, i like this beer drinking guy....

i read about this guy in the ny times... they did a big piece on him and the hike. he ate 3 snickers bars a day, YUCK! he said salad "was a waste of time." which i found interesting... he consumed 6K of calories a day. as for the gear he carried, they said little. i can comment on a good friend of mine who did the PCT in 83.5 days this summer. shortly into his trip, he really started to strip his gear. he used a "go-lite" pack, keeping his load below 15 pounds. he also used an aluminum can and alcohol for a stove... only a tarp for a tent, and basically threw everything out that didn't involve hiking, eating or staying warm at night... he hiked all day till night fall. sometimes covering 40 plus miles. b/c there was no one to talk to, he just kept moving (ie nothing else to do but walk). stefan lofgren (his name) is a VERY driven dude, hiked the length of sweden once and gets off on these long walking adventures. i get the impression that these guys like this don't really "relax" like you or i might. bongs and doobies (though liter than liquor) don't factor into their driven, get the hike done equation. so, throw everything out of our pack, don't talk to anyone and hike your ass off, perhaps the record could be beat... oh, as for not doing the hike in one push... who cares... not finishing a trail seem to be NOTHING like not finishing a route. maybe it would be if the PCT or AT had ZERO access to outside resources, etc... but since these trails cross so many roads, ranger stations, etc... a resupply is generally only a few days away... so what gives, it's all just a hike, it's not the same as pulling down another pitch of 5.10, after 5 pitches of 5.10 in the morning... in fact, i thought his trip made since. good job i guess, whatever floats your boat. it all seems to weird to me though, (kind of like bouldering...) did i say that? mike

the snow for boarding is GREAT, i'm not sure how the skiers will manage though... it is and has been raining at paradise for the past few days, but there was a foot of snow there this weekend... if you were really careful, you could probably keep your boards on all the way to the parking lot. if the freezing level dropped a 1000 feet or so, we'd be in snow heaven... regardless, the snow is falling up high and it's only getting deeper. mike

FYI... Sasquatch Books, Backpacker Magazine and REI present a very special slide show event with: John Harlin, author of Mount Rainier, Adventures and Views and Northwest editor of Backpacker Magazine, James Martin, photographer of Mount Rainier, Adventures and Views and Mike Gauthier, author of Mount Rainier, A Climbing Guide and lead climbing and mountain rescue ranger at Mount Rainier National Park. "If you wish to understand what a great mountain means to mankind, read this book. Through the fluid prose of John Harlin and the majestic photography of James Martin, Mount Rainier is richly and personally revealed. They have captured the fundamental dichotomy of a famous peak: the flesh of the mountain may be composed of glacier and rock, but its heart is found inside the men and women who love it, respect it, and have been tested by it." —Mark Jenkins, columnist for Outside and author of To Timbuktu and Off The Map On Thursday, October 18th at the Seattle REI at 7:00PM, Backpacker Magazine's editor John Harlin and photographer James Martin will give a slide show presentation from their new book, Mount Rainier, Adventures and Views. They will be joined by Mount Rainier National Park's lead climbing and mountain rescue ranger Mike Gauthier to discuss his numerous experiences up, down, and the entire way around one of North America's most spectacular volcanoes, Mount Rainier-—or as Northwest residents simply call it, "The Mountain." Mount Rainier Adventures and Views is a stunning new book which puts readers up close and personal with the Northwest’s most powerful icon-—Mount Rainier—magnet to more than 2million visitors a year. James Martin captures the awesome beauty of this majestic peak, from its icy glaciers to its lush alpine meadows, while climber and writer John Harlin provides engrossing accounts of adventure on the mountain. From hiking the popular Wonderland Trail, to summiting the mountain in all kinds of conditions, Harlin shares his own adventures as well as those of the climbing rangers who face daily risks and challenges to ensure safety on the mountain. EVENT: Thursday, October 18th o 7:00PM o Seattle REI 222 Yale Ave. North o (206) 223-1944

the emmons/winthrop glacier above camp schurman is in great climbing shape. if anything, it's better now than it was 2 weeks ago, i just climbed the route yesterday. last week's snowfall filled in a lot of holes, making some of the dicey crevasse crossings easier. there are some exciting crevasse crossings along the way, but nothing too alarming. and the bergschrund is straight forward too. i’d say, go for it… it’s totally doable. consider the route somewhat obliterated though, we had to kick the route in to the summit (1-2 feet of freshie….) since no one had climbed it in a week. to my knowledge, no one has attempted it since we came down. more than likely, our boot track will be somewhat filled in, but followable. good luck gauthier

in an attempt to further more misinformation, this liar writes… ; ) people have been climbing the route this year, though to my knowledge, no one has climbed p-ridge lately (i.e. since mid late july). generally speaking, mid august would be a less than ideal time to climb p-ridge. this is particularly the case this year with such low winter snowfall and warm summer weather. the extended forecast is for more sun and great weather. i suggest hitting the rock instead (alpine lakes, washington pass, n-cascades). but again, this too could be deceitful statement, perhaps i'm attempting to save the route for myself and friends : ) maybe the ridge is in excellent climbing conditions...??? i recommend waiting till late sept/oct before attempting the route (but there could be some duplicity in that statement too). it would be better to let things cool off and refreeze. interestingly, the first ascent of the ridge was in sept. but maybe that information is inaccurate too... and maybe I don’t know shit about mount rainier… and maybe,... and maybe, and maybe... you never really know, till you go and find out for yourself... that's why advice (good or bad) is cheap and experience is INVALUABLE! gauthier

wow, what great encounters with lou... i feel silly for missing such monumental events all these years. suddenly management meetings between the NPS and RMI take on more significance. i'm so, so lucky... maybe lou will sign my uniform or ranger hat? now there's an item for e-bay...

well, there are a LOT of changes going on at rainier. a new visitor center at paradise is the works, so is a new general management plan for the overall development of the park, and then there are a few other projects in the pipe. which "changes" are you talking about? as far as climbing, not too much is happening these days. (well, a big rock almost took out the new camp muir toilet last week) you are correct though, any significant changes or developments in the will generate not only a media release, but more importantly, a public comment period. 360 569 2211 ext 2301 is the supt's secretary, she keeps her fingers on pulse of such topics... the website should also hip you to anything big going on. www.nps.gov/mora you're also welcome to send your thoughts and comments to the park's supt (jon jarvis) at, mt. rainier national park tahoma woods, star route ashford, wa 98397 gauthier

hey guys mr. leopard, you're a very polite fellow. thank you! it was good to finally meet in person. about the route. personally, it didn't think it was that bad for late june... it certainly had plenty of "freshie" above 10K. once, during a big snow year, i climbed success in mid july, the route was surprisingly covered in snow. about downclimbing. well, i've said a lot things that i wish i'd didn't. though i have downclimbed success, i recalled it being quite tough and very tiresome. the mid day, south aspect, conditions turned the snow to what i like to call, SHIT! if you intend to downclimb the route, leave early and hustle. try to be back BY 11am. the route is probably best done may or june, but remember that they NPS wont open the Westside Road till mid to late may. though, there is talk of a shuttle in the next few years to come., we'll see... also remember that this winter was a low snow year, otherwise there would have been more white stuff between 7K and 9K. about bivy sites. if you've got a small 2 person mountaineering tent, there are sites above 9K and up to 10,500ft. you may have to look around every few hundred feet, but they are there. my partner found a GREAT one for us around 10,200 (give or take a bit). it's a wonderful route but it is a long one. see you guys on the hill gauthier

about fee demo. a few accurate things were stated... Beck Said, "I doubt the climbing fees were earmarked for this, rather funds pulled from entrance fees and golden eagle passes." YES, VERY TRUE. Alpine Tom Said, "It’s my understanding that the fee demo program isn’t intended for things like Camp Muir, that’s what the summit fees are for. I had thought the fee demo program was intended for things like trail maintenance in national forests. The National parks have separate budgets, and they have things like entrance fees as well as a small cut from the federal budget. That’s what our fearless leader was going on about down in Yosemite last week. Hey - maybe the fee demo program has so much money they’re sharing!" YES MOSTLY TRUE, though fee demo is also collected in national parks, and goes to park related projects. by the way, the fearless leader was at sequoia last week. the word on the street now is that 60% of fee demo collections (the entrance fees) will go to backlog maintenance projects... 21% goes to the cost of collection itself... rainiers' climbing fee, like denali's, supports only climbing operations. it's a "special use fee." not fee demo… i know, it’s a play on words, but at least the $ stays in the park and support climber related services… on another note, Colin said, "I never register with the rangers when I head up Rainier. It is stupid that a climber should have to sacrifice his/her safety (They won't rescue you if they don't know you're missing), in order to go climbing without paying." that's fine colin, you certainly wouldn't be the first to avoid registering and quite frankly i'm VERY familiar with your expressed sentiment... but colin, you need to think about what you wrote. it's hardly anyone else's fault if you run into trouble. how can you justify breaking the rules, then blame your "potential" problem on someone else...??? if you don’t register, it’s YOUR sacrifice, not ours if you run into trouble… almost ALL of our rescues are called in by cell phone or ham radio anyway. RARELY, and i mean RARELY, do we begin searches/rescues b/c someone is late.... more than likely, someone will report you missing first... the climbing cards help us to monitor visitor use and give us information on your skills and resources if you DO get into trouble. if you climb without registering, and I don’t recommend it, carry your cell phone and/or ham radio. we WILL certainly help you if you need it… and we wont be jerks about it either (though you will be asked to register…) ; ) gauthier

Please everyone; I'd be VERY curious to hear what you think about rescue cost recovery for climbers? It's a topic of national interest and one that brings our sport/hobby/lifestyle to the attention of general American pubic. By the way, the 4 men in the avalanche were very thankful for the assistance; talking to media wasn't important to them. Sometimes you just have a bad day and you don’t want the entire country to know about it. Gauthier

kautz route again, it's looking good. though there was ice on route, most of it could be avoided. i'm mostly talking about the two steep pitches that allow access to glacier above. a few warnings though, i've always felt that the approach to camp hazard is prone to avalanche. climbing up "the fan" off of the Nisqually glacier, traversing north from there and climbing up onto the ridge crest above the Wilson glacier, and then again climbing up the turtle, are all suspect areas!*. we received a foot or more of snow this week, so play it safe...and bring your snowboard... ; ) don't camp at camp hazard, it's TOO dangerous!!! camp below it a few hundred vertical feet on "climbers left" of wapowety cleaver. avoid being under the ice cliff. that cliff will sluff off, and i've seen it slide down the ENTIRE turtle... gauthier