Terminal_Gravity

Sorry about leaving you guys hanging, The wife (boss) called.

Damn, it is hard to type with frost nip on 2 of my fingers! Part one: I left the parking lot at 3:15 Friday afternoon. A small linticular cloud had formed to the east of the summit but otherwise the weather was perfect. One Gu consumed, I dropped down on to the lower Nisqually. My thoughts were already turning toward my planned breakfast at Paradise Inn the next morning. An 18 hour trip time seemed well within sights. My mood was extatic. This was my type of climbing. I had gotten my solo permit and was smug that my pack was only 17 pounds, I moved fast across the glacier, un-roped and un-encumbered by partners. I reached the ridge at 5:30 passing 3 climbers with serious packs that had left the parking lot at 11:00 and were heading for the Kautz. I moved as quickly as was prudent back across the glacier, scanning for the surprise cravasse. The recent avalanche debris from the serac that had swept the Wilson Head wall a week ago was abundantly clear. I turned and headed straight up toward the finger just when Rainier decided to say hello and dropped a half a dozen 5 gallon bucket sized rocks from the east wall. They bracketed me but passed harmlessly. It was just before 8 pm when I reached the middle rock outcropping derectly below the chute. I melted 4 quarts of water, drank 1 1/2 and stuffed the rest into my pack. I put tights and crampons on, traded one pole for an axe, reset my altimiter, and ate a hand full of pine nuts...half of my solid food for the trip. As I rested, I watched the mostly full moon slowly rise and Hood, and Adams turn pinkish orange. At 9:15, tired of the in-activity I headed up. The snow was already firming nicely and there wasn't even a diabatic wind coming down the chute. By the time I reached the hourglass the last of the twilight had left but the moon was so bright that a head light was silly. It was truly bucolic, my spirits were high and my focus was solid. If anything, I was wishing that the climbing was a bit more challenging. (Be careful what you wish for) The snow above the hourglass was softer but I put my head down and postholed another 1000 feet. By 11:00 my lunar friend was ducking in and out behind clouds. I used my light the first time to cross the little step just above where the thumb joined the route. A breeze picked up, clouds filled the sky and I said good by to the moon. I reached 12,500' by midnight, a bit ahead of schedule and feeling strong. At 12:15 I felt the first sting of driven snow on my face. Well, the weather report said to expect snow by morning; I guess it was morning. Part 2: By 1:30 it was a whole different ball game. The breeze had picked up significantly and the needle shaped snow was occluding any view beyond my head light. My movement had slowed considerably as I pushed on. I started veering right without really knowing where I was. I was above the last of the rocks but I could not tell when to start across the glacier and the thought of getting out the map in the wind was ridiculous. I pushed up along the left side of some small seracs hoping for a smooth opening but found none. I was worried about getting off track, so at 3:15 I jumped into a cravasse to get out of the weather and wait for first light. Breakfast was seeming less likely. Snowfall continued to increase and my little hole started feeling more like a tomb. I kept hopeing for a little break but it never came. At 5:00 I could take no more and decided to move rather than freeze. It was light but the visibility was even worse. I litterally could not see a delinitation between the snow and the sky. I tried to put on my googles but they occluded with snow so fast that they were useless. I am quite nearsighted but my glasses iced so badly that I was better off without them. The batteries froze in my GPS and died so fast that it would proved no help. It wouldn't aquire sattilites without holding it to the wind for a couple of minutes and by then the screen was to encrusted with ice to read and my ice encrusted gloves made a terrible wiper. I thought I was heading more or less directly up but as it turned out I must have traversed a fair amount left. I ended up at the top of the snow feild below an inverted U shaped band of looming seracs. ( Looking at photos later they must be the ones at the top of the Kautz, far west of where I thought I was) With out a horizon they seemed overhanging at first. I decided that up was the lesser of several evils. At the top the wind freshened further and visibility reduced. Any sort of real navigation was a joke so I just climbed on. I kept to a rising traverse, with the slope to my left. With the absolute lack of visibility I found that my balance was better with my eyes closed and would take ten steps or so before taking a look. On a rare occasion I would see a boulder in the distance, hoping that I could hide from my niemisis the wind, only to realize that it was just a rock in the snow. My addled mind refused to grasp distance. Simple functions became problimatic. Rime Ice built on my windward side. Fastic buckles on my pack were challanging to open and refused to close. I occasionally had to bang my left leg to break up the ice to lift my leg. At one point I tried to take off my pole and found 1/2 and inch of ice had welded the strap to my glove. Time slowed and the wind increased as I found a ridge with some rock. Strangly the slope up was to the left. Insanity started knocking on my forebrain. A hole in the snow appeared... one of those blessed steam vents. I climbed down into relative warmth and regrouped; ate double Gu's drank what water was liquid and put in a fresh plug of bourbon Copenhagen. My altimiter read 14,819 feet... Hmmm; must be close. I put fresh batteries into the GPS and taped a heat pack to the case. Heading back into it I was forced to walk crouching backwards, up hill, into the wind. I reached the summit minutes later at 7:45. I followed the GPS directly toward the top of the DC. The wind abated some, but visibility didn't improve until I reached 12'800. Until then, I had to watch the little arrow more than my footing or I would change direction without knowing it. From ingrahm flats it was easy walking and I shed layers. I got a kick out seeing trudging climbers with heavy packs heading up to muir. They kept asking if the weather was better farther up. At 2:15 I was drinking Makers and gingerale in the back of my truck. It is my understanding that a couple RMI guides made it to about 13,000 ft but turned back. So, my first time up Rainier I was the only person to summit. I have heard that you should expect serious crowds on Memorial day weekend. <img border="0" title="" alt="[big Grin]" src="images/icons/grin.gif" /> I got a bit of surface frostbite on my left cheek and two tinglely finger tips, but am not really any worse for wear. However, I look forward to climbing easier things in the near future. Cheers, Steve <small>[ 05-29-2002, 10:50 AM: Message edited by: Terminal Gravity ]</small>

It was great hanging and climbing with you man. Hopefully I'll hook up with you in the valley. Later - steve [ 05-20-2002, 01:55 PM: Message edited by: Terminal Gravity ]

quote: Originally posted by J_Kirby: All Would it be possible to actually contribute something of value here? Anyone out there have a more convenient/quicker way to rack your cordelette besides the ole wad it up and stuff it in a pocket method? First Question...no. Second Question...yes; I do have a quicker better method.

No , we did a rising traverse out of the east gully, so we were pretty far left by then. The step looked more like one rolling ice section, not two distinct steps. maybe 60 ft total at about 75 degrees. My best guess only. have fun [ 05-14-2002, 07:50 AM: Message edited by: Terminal Gravity ]

What time of day did you cross the 'schrund & what time did you summit. I'm not trying to find out what kind of shape you are in. It is just that willstrickland and I had very different snow conditions than you on the North Face. We passed the upper Schrund of the West Gully at 5 am (to late by at least an hour). At that point we were starting to kick off micro slab avalanches. Higher new snow had managed to accumulate on the 50-55 degree slopes. I assume only because there was some sun cupping below the fresh with a thin glazing of ice on top. We were simul-soloing fast but decided to escape left at about 10,000 ft due to what I considered to be moderate big slab release conditions. I have to say this was the climb I had the most fun on without summiting. We constantly had to change from low dagger to cane position as we traversed the slopes to Cooper which lokeed like it had slabbed during the prior snowfall. Fun fun fun. Sunrise was spectacular.

I thought this was a thread about testicals & fridgid pussies

Well said, iain.

quote: Originally posted by Cpt.Caveman: TG, Rumor has it Beckey sent that too with Heinrich Harrer and Heinrich Himmler during a 3 day effort in 1953 You are, no doubt, right again Caveman.

Yes Klenke, that's the face I was refering to. The Matterhorn west face is a mix of the crumble stone and solid rock. It has been climbed only once, by Dave Jensen in the early 70's. There is a big mix of stuff out here. Some is crazy loose and some is bomb proof ...and every thing inbetween

quote: Originally posted by Ade: Out of interest how many of those advocating not using a rope have fallen in a crevasse? As a side note I happened to spend Saturday afternoon practicing crevasse rescue. A few points to add to Andy Selter's book on the topic. [*] Forget the Z-system to haul someone your own weight (even without their gear) you need a C-system. . I have something to add Ade. I have fallen into a cravasse with & without a rope. I do not unilaterally advocate the use or disuse of a rope. Read my first posting on this thread. Ironically, I did fall into a biggy in the hymalayas on a trip with Andy Selters...but just up to my shoulders because I reacted with my axe very fast and my partnes reacted very fast, and I was very glad I was using a rope and my partners had just completed a course taught by Andy. To restate my point, an aware and expierenced climber can cross glaciers ( particularly below the firn line) with a reasonable amount of risk. And as you experienced, in-experienced people are not neccesarily safe with a rope...roped travel is certainly slower. As far as pulling a heavy climber out...a system I have used is to clip the prusik or ascender to your rear tie in loop of your harness, cinch the harness very tight, dig your front points in hard, use two axes like you were ice climbing, squat and pull with all the might of your legs. In practice, I managed to pull a climber of equal weight to the cravasse lip with no pully or Z. It helped that a third adjusted the ascenders for me. It is a lot faster than fucking around with a "C" system.

I'll second the opinion...The Coe is cool Any one know if you can drive to Cloud Cap inn yet this year?

Country Jake; I don't think I know Greg...but if he drinks beer he has probably been in my pub. Jarred; I have a friend in Pendelton that climbs...E-mail me when you get over here & i'll hook you up.

quote: Originally posted by imorris: 90% of Oregonians think Pendleton is a nice wool blanket and eastern oregon ends at Gov't Camp. Right T.G.? You got that right, Imorris...and I don't mind. As far as what is out here... 56 peaks above 9000' (by my count) including 13 of Oregons highest 20 peaks. ( Jeff Smoot is just wrong when he claims that Mclaughlin is OR's 6th highest...I believe it to be a tie for 22nd. Then again he probably thinks there is nothing east of the Cascades) Gobs of rock including grade 4 granite (800' wall) and grade 5 limestone (1700' wall) Killer backcountry skiing Water ice Dec. through April And my personal favorite... more alpine faces, couliors & ridges than even I know what to do with. BTW: both South (9648') & North (9673') Twin Peaks are class 4 (not class 5). North is the loosest pile of crap I have ever climbed sans rope. South used to be higher but in 1929 it fell over. [ 05-07-2002, 08:15 AM: Message edited by: Terminal Gravity ]

quote: Originally posted by Dru: Ya but if you were Catherine you would get the satisfaction of jumping then ditching like a used RAG, Jeff Lowe, in his mustache phase! [/QB] Rag: as in synominious with Tampon I assume!

quote: Originally posted by TimL: Ethical purist...elitist....bad ass mofo.... My vote is for Royal Robbins My opinion of RR is that he is a confused, self righteous, piece of shit asshole. That being said he WAS a better climber than me. If I were to pick dead or alive climbers Harding would be toward the top of my list. Joe Josepheson would be my choice if I had to pick a live climber, and Catherine Destiville would be a serious contender...then again; if I were her I would probably spend more time playing with myself than climbing.

I'm sure that if I die by falling into a big cravasse, some people I know will say "atleast there is one less asshole in the world". And the fall will have nothing to do with it.

One of my favorite things about Produce Row is they sell about two kegs of my IPA a week With those profits I can buy one Camalot or 2 bottles of tequilla a month...gee; I'd own a much bigger rack If I'd just stop drinking.

Good TR, iain. Congrates... And I can relate to the Walrus wallow thing

Any comment's on the new 555's. Also where would you suggest to get the cheapest pair (or new 505's). Unless I'm just getting cheaper in my old age, Barrabes seems like they are getting more expensive. Before shipping they are $186 Frankly, I really don't know much about AT gear but I'm finally ready to plunk down the dough and want to do it right. Correct me if i'm wrong in assuming that Silvirettas are the only binding that works well with mountaineering boots. And for what it is worth, when forced to downhill I am reasonably competant and fairly aggressive. Thanks in advance -TG

For what it's worth...unless there is a crazy cornice on top of C Spur I would pick it any day as a safer decent alternative to Sunshine. Late season Sunshine has more rockfall and a berg plus it gets steeper as you go down for a while where as the coop's slope eases as you decend. It is true that if you don't know the first thing about self arrest and stumble toward Elliot you could be in trouble on the Spur...but I trust that is not the case if you just climbed a NF Route. BTW How far can you currently drive up CS road...clear to Cloud Cap? What about LoLo pass; is it open? [ 05-02-2002, 08:29 PM: Message edited by: Terminal Gravity ]

quote: Originally posted by Alpine Tom: It sounded to me like tg was asking whether there were specific criteria that the Superintendant applied before deciding whether to allow you to do a solo climb. Or, are they granted as long as they get the letter? Yes; Alpine Tom that was my question. My climbing resume is very long but not really all that impressive, nor can I give any personal references from any super stars. (I have, however, spent a fair amount of time soloing). So... I was hoping to find out what sort of info the superintendant wanted so that I could abridge my resume accordingly. But at this point it is all moot to me. I got word back today that I have been approved for soloing any route. Thanks, Mike G for the info and BTW I think your guide book is excellent...it is a gem in a sea of shit. IMO

quote: Originally posted by rbw1966: in case you want to gape at enhanced breast tissue after my dogs hump each other. RBW, you are one beautifully sick Mo' Fo'. With you at the helm I'm sure we can make all of the Seattlights feel puritan!

Thanks, Will, for starting this. My vote would be Horse Brass, Produce Row or Beaulahland (if they don't have a band...too loud) And for a cheaper alternative; if someone wants to donate a house for the evening I will donate a keg ( or two). cheers - steve (TG) [ 05-02-2002, 03:35 PM: Message edited by: Terminal Gravity ]

I was on Hood 5 days ago and snow shoes would have been silly. They are rarely needed this time of year and has been said only immediatly after a storm. SS Hood consolidates very fast this time of year. Have Fun. IMO bring an axe and preferably crampons for the top but a rope is for gumbies.