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knelson

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Everything posted by knelson

  1. Dogs. Peanut butter. Good stuff... But seriously, glad to see after almost a decade folks still realize that having fun is what's important. Challenges and speed are cool, but it's a personal challenge, rignt?
  2. Funny I should see this post after not being around for probably 10 years! I think it's a lot of things, but the young folks are going to gravitate toward social media. I was just talking out loud trying to remember my login here, mentioned it to the wife, and my 11-year old overhead and asked "What's a forum?" That probably sums it up pretty well. That, and many of us that *do* know what a forum is have drifted away due to family, work, etc. It's nice to log in after all this time, and still see familiar names. It really surprised me. Really *really* surprised me to still see the same folks running it that ran it last time I was here. Hats off guys! I've been on a lot of other hobby-centric forums, and I have to say that looking around here after all this time... there's a TON of life left in this place! Long live CascadeClimbers! -Kurt
  3. Actually, both. Jimbo summed it up pretty good. If you come up the ridge from Camp Curtis, you just keep going up the ridge. If you come up the Interglacier, then you'll peel off right and head up the ridge instead of dropping over onto the Emmons.
  4. Regarding that route Feck mentioned... approach the top of Steamboat Prow on climber's left. Just several hundred yards below the top of the Prow, you'll find a pummicy/ballbearing scree slope that you traverse across. You'll probably see a trail across it. For me, this was the most uncomfortable part as it seems like the whole slope is constantly moving under your feet. But then again, it was a few years ago for me too. At the end of that traverse, it will dump you out at the top of a gully. You can then just downclimb that gully and just before you hit the bottom, traverse left out of it on an obvious path. The gully runs a little north of the hut at Schurman. Regarding Interglacier, I saw it last weekend but wasn't on it. Looked icy, with a couple cracks about half way up, and a couple more at the top.
  5. Our little corner of the world is a better place because of Mr. Kloke. My prayers of peace go out to his family, and all who have been involved in this terrible accident.
  6. If you really want a "long" day hike, then Grand Park from Sunrise would work. Great views from Grand Park that people normally don't see. Of course... there's the short way to Grand Park from the Forest Service Road there by Lake Eleanor - but that wouldn't be a long hike then! A not so long hike (and definitely not off the beaten path), but the best in my opinion out of Sunrise would be 3rd Burroughs Mountain. Hike out to the "end" of the trail at 2nd Burroughs, then take the path out to the 3rd bump. Can't beat the non-stop views. Never done Mystic from Sunrise, but from the Carbon would be a long day - don't forget the road is closed at the Ranger Station.
  7. http://mountrainierconditions.blogspot.com/2008/05/emmons-winthrop-glacier-w-inter-glacier.html
  8. I did notice that it seemed like the same color of a certain Volvo.
  9. Damn. Very red. Very nice. Wife must've gotten another animal, eh? -Kurt
  10. Beargrass it is. Congrats Kurt! Helluva first hike you picked there. Welcome back to the addiction! -Kurt (the other one.)
  11. From the NPS via Gator's blog: State Route 410 will open as usual in mid-May. The road to White River Campground will open May 25, providing trailhead access to hikers and climbers. The Sunrise Road and Visitor Center will open two weeks earlier this year than in years past, on June 15, to offset the loss of access to other areas of the park. I believe the normal opening time to the White River Campground is Memorial Day weekend and it sounds like it's the same this year too. Ack... that trail damage report sounds nasty. That'll turn that normal quick hike in to Glacier Basin into a trek in itself!
  12. Did I miss it, or is there a speculation thread somewhere? I think we need a speculation thread. And before y'all jump all over my ass, I'm JUST KIDDING.
  13. Porter, From one daddy to another daddy... focus and kick this thing in the ass. If you're not out in a couple weeks, we're gonna have to send in the heavy guns to get you. Yup... Chaps. Prayers to you and your family, Kurt
  14. knelson

    Foto Caption Fun!

    Yeah... but what's behind it? Thought there was another H20 bottle back there.
  15. knelson

    Foto Caption Fun!

    OK... you posted it twice, so you must reaaallllly want a comment. Hmm, helmet (properly worn over ball cap), slings, 47 water bottles, and a properly tethered ice ax. All seems adequate for the hike up Trapper Peak?
  16. My teeth hurt. I think I bit too hard on that one. Have to admit he was subtle at first.
  17. You can climb a mountain for whatever reason you want. We all have our reasons. But to assume your sense of "adventure" is the same motivator for everyone else, and should be the gauge as to whether or not they should be proud of themselves is just plain wrong. Why is Denali any different? Wouldn't having a guide take the "adventure" out of it? Hate to tell you, but depending on the route and the weather, Rainier IS just a long walk at somewhat high altitude... with or without a guide. Yup... we'll agree to disagree. I just hope you learn some skills and lose the hubris before you seriously hurt yourself or others.
  18. If someone I didn't know came up to me after I got back from Denali on a guided climb (which I haven't, nor have any desire to do) and said "Well... you didn't really climb it since you went with a guide. I don't have as much respect for you as Billy Bob over there that went by himself and some buddies - even though he lost four fingers and six toes." can you guess which finger I'd be holding up in his face? I guess I'd consider it a slam. Even if he prefaced it with a lame "don't take any offense" disclaimer. Sorry for the thread drift, but it guess it just kind of hit a nerve - as it did with others obviously - that someone thinks they should be able to tell someone else what they should and should not feel proud about. Especially when it's someone that's getting jazzed up about their climb this summer. Unless someone needs to stroke their own ego at the expense of others. [Edit: Oh my... I just read the FWA thread in the climbing partners section, and a few others over on NWHikers. I hope you learn to respect the hills Jamin before they bite you in the ass.]
  19. Yes. I've actually invited somebody to climb Rainier with me that had absolutely NO guided or unguided climb experience. Ohh... the horror. And I'm sure whoever it is that's telling you they did Rainier with a guide will just absolutely be crushed that you don't respect their climbing ability. Crushed, I tell you.
  20. Wow. And I wonder why people think climbers are stuck on themselves! But don't be offended or anything.
  21. I think your experience is very rare, or something of the past. While I've never hired RMI, I've been around them enough on the mountain for several years to say with certainty that this is NOT their modus operandi. The only screaming I've ever heard from their guides is either screaming encouragement to their group, or screaming at bozos around them not being safe. Cursing? Again, never had heard it. I'm not a big fan of RMI's past lone grip on guiding services, but I think your blanket statement about them is off base. Have fun Earth and Sky, and concentrate on your training... not whether or not you hired the absolute best guide service.
  22. knelson

    What...

    Hmm. You must finally be coming back into the land of the living now that the little one is sleeping through the night? Or am I confusing you with someone else?
  23. Actually, this is quite new. Place has kind of gone to hell recently. And I mean recently. Bug is right. Spray belongs in spray. The Newbie forum has usually stayed pretty respectful and sprayfree.
  24. As someone else commented, don't schedule too much if you really want to do the Olympics. Driving from the coast to Seattle will take you half the day to start with. Also... you might want to plan a real quiet day after your climb. Regardless of how in shape you'll be, I'm pretty sure rehydrating and napping will be higher on your priority list than hiking. No matter how great of shape I'm in, I'm always toast the "day after." While the Olympics are really nice, you can't do much with limited time. Personally, if I only had a couple days to burn after Rainier, I'd head north on I-5 and stay somewhere along the North Cascades Hwy. Maybe do a couple day hikes like Trapper Peak/Thornton Lake and Hidden Lakes Lookout. Those would let you peak into the N. Cascades area and give you more bang for your buck, in my opinion. Olympics are great, but you're going to spend more time driving for just a couple days than it's worth. Better to budget a week or so for that, and use your free couple of days closer to the I-5 corridor. Oh... and if you hadn't figured it out from Gator's post, the book you're looking for is "Mount Rainier - A Climbing Guide", ISBN 0-89886-956-0, published by The Mountaineers Books.
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