Kraken

Andy and I both agreed that if given the chance we probably would have gone without Bruce. It was my fault actually. We woke up in the morning and Bruce asked and without thinking I blurted out "sure." After that it was kinda too late. I guess it can be seen as climbing karma. Someday one of us may be in need and will get helped or allowed a rope up. Oh well. It made things interesting. I still would have rather gone with just one person but whatever. It WAS my fault.

haha, either way it really doesn't matter. We climbed it...whenever, in tremendous conditions. We are all proud of our performance. Enough said. I'm still just utterly amazed we got that weather window. It just came out of nowhere. It was a gift from God.

who cares. we did it what... 2 days after? I read that it was a winter ascent as long as it was done in march. either way we still did it. I climbed the mountain to climb it to the top, not for a technicality.

not according to those who I talked to. I'm counting it as a Winter summit due to the cold and 12+ inches of fresh snow. It was no spring/summer conditions

think about it. When a bear is charging you, wouldn't you at least rather have bear spray to use as a chance? It sure would be better than nothing. I have one, but i got it for free.

Yeah I used Cytomax, thanks to my partner Andy. he gave me taht and it helped me. It helped me a lot. From now on I'll take a multi vitamen several days before a climb, make sure my sodium and potassium intake is steady during a climb, and continue to stay hydrated. Banana chips, Cytomax, Gu, and tons of water seemed to help me on Rainier. I'll continue this regiment.

haha! Yeah, I was beat after and had Andy drive my car back while I took a power nap for the 2 hour drive home to my house. We had a good time, you should have had faith!

When I climb (alpine) I almost always get terrible muscle freezing cramps which virtually make it so I can't move. It has happened at various points in the Chugach in Alaska and it happened on Rainier. Dehydration? I just don't see how that could be. I always drink a ton of water and my urine always shows white when i'm climbing, which means I'm hydrated. Lack of potassium? This is one of my theories. Lack of sodium? Another theory...doesn't hold water in my body. Stretching? I always stretch and it goes away for a while, but returns later on. This is something which is really bugging me. Any input would be great. Thanks.

hey it can't hurt to try here. I was climbing Ptarmigan peak a while back (Feb 28) and I dropped my glove and watched it tumble down to rabbit creek valley. Looked for it but didn't find. If you find it, PM me. It was brand new

haha, that's the smart man's thinking. I'm with you there. I've woken up with a pack of wolves outside my tent, but not a bear...yet. I find the things inside the tent (smells) are usually worse than the large animals outside.

I thought you were talking about the Moose's Tooth, but then again I'm from AK. I'd like to climb ham and eggs some day!

Climb: Mount Rainier-Gibraltar Ledges Date of Climb: 3/24/2005 Trip Report: I arrived at the parking lot at noon with my partner Andy (Soggyendo38, who I met on CascadeClimbers.com) and we proceeded to get ready. It was nearly whiteout conditions all the way up to Camp Muir, as we could tell. A foot of new snow blanketed the ground and with snowshoes we started out to the 10,200 foot level from Paradise (5,500 feet). We made first tracks all the way up to Muir, thinking no one else was up there. We were making good time and passed a group of four other climbers who seemed exhausted at about 6,800 feet. I experienced cramping in my quads and hamstrings at about 8,000 feet and had to stop every few minutes and stretch them out. I knew this would impede any summit attempt. I didn't understand why my body was responding this way since I had kept myself extremely hydrated and had been eating tons of fruit and stuff days before the climb. Me at Camp Muir (a stone hut) We made it to Muir by 6:20 PM and found a group of six climbers (their gear only) in the hut, as well as one seperate guy named Bruce. We melted snow, cooked dinner, and discussed the nasty conditions so far as well as the low probability of a summit attempt. At 7 PM, four of the six climbers returned after summiting the mountain and discussed the awfully exposed conditions on the Nisqually route. It was heavily crevassed and either really icy or really powdery. Moon behind Anvil Rock At 8 PM the other two climbers from the other group returned, obviously pooped and exhausted. We continued to eat and converse with the other climbers and I nursed my legs and did everything I could to make them better. I walked outside to gather more snow to melt and noticed that in a period of 10 minutes the entire sky had cleared and nothing but the moon and stars hung in the sky. Gibraltar Rock and our line of ascent lay visible many thousands of feet above, while an ocean of clouds blanketed the terrain below. By 9:40 PM, we were in bed, now much more hopeful of the following day's probability of a summit attempt. We awoke at 2:10 AM and began getting ready. Bruce, the 49 year old climber we met that night asked if he could come along and we agreed. Roped up and ready, we started at 3:45 AM and climbed towards Gibraltar Rock. We made first prints the entire way up the mountain. We crossed the Gibraltar Ledges and stepped carefully across the sketchy parts. The sun rose and Mount Adams, Hood, and a smoking Saint Helens came up through the sea of clouds. huge rock ledge and ice fall Mt Adams rising above cloud cover (It was much closer in real life, camera distorted it) Huge ice fall at least 100 feet tall. 13,000 feet We climbed for hours and made pretty good time. Bruce was the slower one of the group and fell a few times. At one point he punched through a crevasse and we arrested. He was able go reach out (he only went in to his shoulders). We stopped at 12,500 feet at the top of Gib Rock and rehydrated and ate Gu. After several false summits, we finally came to the top and rejoiced. We took off our packs, unroped, and looked to the south at the surrounding mountains. My camera continuously froze up and didn't allow me to take many photos. Bruce at 12,500 feet. Andy and Bruce @ 12,500 feet We relaxed at the top for a while, before crossing the summit crater to reach the true summit across the top. Wading through knee deep powder, I screamed a 'woo-hoo' and raised my ice ax as I reached it. Andy came second, followed by Bruce a few minutes later. We found the summit log and wrote our names and a brief message in it. on top of the mountain, below true summit Crossing summit crater to summit Summit shot, standing at 14,411 feet We descended the same route, picking up our wands along the way. Bruce fell a few times and we arrested, but nothing super serious. We were however worried about him as we came down the ledges, since they were trecherous and there were no places to arrest. He did OK however and I was quite relieved when we passed the steep and rocky chutes which would have meant certain death. Several large rocks came VERY close to hitting us as we crossed under the giant Gibraltar Rock. We saw Camp Muir and it took us nearly two hours to get to it. When we did, we were exhuasted, but packed up as the sun set. Two long hours, 4,200 vertical feet, and 4.5 fast paced miles later, we finally arrived at our cars, only to find the gates to the park locked. We were prisoners in the park and were mad. We walked to an Inn, only to find out they had the combo to the lock. We were freed and drove home. I drove Andy home, then took a series of power naps, arriving to my parents' house at 3:30 AM...absolutely exhausted and suffering awful throat pains. My face was extremely red from sun and wind burn and I look like a ChumbaWumba. It was an amazing trip and my first big mountain experience. This was Andy's fifth time summiting Rainier and I'm really glad the two of us met. We summited Rainier...in the Winter none the less, and made first tracks the entire way up the mountain. I feel we climbed the mountain at it's purest. No crowds, no boot packed trails up to the summit, no guides. Just pure mountaineering. It couldn't have been any better. -Clint Gear Notes: Crampons, ice ax, helmet, rope, prusik loops, snowshoes (MSR Denali's), locking biners, lots of Gu, etc Brought two anchors but never used them. Approach Notes: snowshoed up to Camp Muir from Paradise. About a foot of new snow and we made first tracks all the way up to Muir. Cramponed and roped up from Muir to summit from Gibraltar Ledges

I was at Muir yesturday and the day before. About a foot of new snow from 7000 up. Muir is in good shape and a well established trail is beginning to take shape thanks to my group and a few others going up and down. It is nice now. Weather might be turning sour though. Soggyendo (Andy) and I summited Rainier via the Gib ledges on Thursday and Friday (spent the night at Muir on Thurs). It was good. TR coming soon!

i'm toying with the idea of heading down there in about a year. I want to get more experience on big mountain stuff as well as lead ice and mixed, before throwing myself into a Mecca of climbing.

mountain hardwear has one...http://www.alaskamountaineering.com/Product.cfm?id=338

Myself and Andy (Soggyendo) are climbing Rainier via the Gib Ledges on thursday and friday. Finally after waiting for a week, my weather window seems to have opened for a few days. Is anyone else going up? We are planning on camping in the Muir hut to save weight and effort. Has anyone seen the hut lately? Is it snowed in? Any input would be great. Clint

Dave lives in AK and I actually have been talking to his wife (no it isn't like that) about him talking at UAA. She told me he was trying for the 50 summits nad i'm glad he has succeeded finally. Good for him. Clint

i'll take your 22 inch screw (black diamond) PM me for your addy and i'll send out ASAP!

FYI, the deadline was march 7 for comments, but due to public interest, it has been extended to Monday, March 14th. It isn't too late. We had people sign a petition all during Banff and got nearly 100 signatures. I hope it helps. Get out there and voice your opinion.

i have a shit ton from alaska...do you want those? PM me and let me know

Here is the letter I wrote to her. I am going to have the club members sign it if they agree with it on thursday night's meeting. I'll send it off on Friday morning. To Teresa Paquet, Special Uses Specialist of the Chugach National Forest, Glacier District: Rumor has been stirring lately that Glacier City Tours, which runs a summertime snowmobile tourist company out of Girdwood, wants to expand. From their current location on the Spencer Glacier, we understand that they now want to take over a portion of the Eagle Glacier. Being one of the most serene and pristine glacier ecosystems around, it seems almost morally wrong to even consider allowing for this company to gain access to this almost untouched environment. The University of Alaska Anchorage Outdoor Club has discussed this matter and we stand behind other outdoor associations such as the Mountaineering Club of Alaska, Alaska Mountaineering and Hiking, the Alaska Alpine Association, etc. Should Glacier City Tours receive permission to run their tour on what we referred to as this almost untouched environment, soon, it will become just the opposite of that. The Eagle Glacier will become yet another populated profit station. It will lose all aspects of appeal that it currently retains. Not only will this company disrupt the world famous glacier crossing, the Eklutna traverse, it will affect animals’ habitats, trails and migration routes and hunting grounds (such as the wolverine, wolf, moose, bear, fox, etc). Glacier City Tours states on their advertising pamphlet that tourists will get the chance to spot “real Alaskan wildlife.” Our response to that is simple...how many animals run towards or remain in one spot when the obnoxious revving of a snow mobile is heard? We believe that while everyone has an equal opportunity to use the Eagle, or any other glacier for that matter, that they should do so in a natural way. Furthermore, if one side should have the bigger say, and advantage, shouldn’t it be the residents of Alaska as well as the hikers and skiers (who use the traverse), as opposed to a few Florida tourists? If these tourists want a real Alaskan snow machine adventure, let them either have it on the Spencer Glacier, or in their choice of any of our seven to eight months of snowy season, where snow machines are perfectly acceptable. We have no problem with snowmobilers, we believe there is a time and place for everything, yet the Eagle Glacier is not the place and there will never be a time for it. We have nothing against the right for a company to make a buck, but we say “let them do son on the Spencer Glacier.” Imagine taking a week off from a hectic job in Anchorage, or perhaps even somewhere in the Lower 48 and setting out on the Eklutna Glacier to traverse south. Wanting only peace and quiet, and serene views, you are forced to deal with untrained snowmobilers and the constant noise produced by the six to nine machines which would be zooming around right within your immediate area. There goes the peaceful trip In short, we ask you to think of Alaskans first, and not the few tourists who would use this service. Think of the wildlife, the environment, and the hikers and skiers attempting to escape such madness. We as a club, as Alaskans, and most of all, as environmentalists and lovers of the Chugach ask you to make the right decision and vote against this company’s request to move their business to the Eagle Glacier. Thank you for your time. Sincerely, Clint Helander

oh no, a misspelling. Is this what it's come to?

funny how everyone is joining on the "i hate rei" bandwagon

yeah dude, here's what you need to know. Sleeping bag: go with the -20. you can always open it up if you get to warm, but it's harder to get warm if you are freezing. Flights: Go with K2 out of Talkeetna. Routes: Check out rockclimber.com's section on the ruth. http://www.rockclimbing.com/routes/listArea.php?AreaID=510 it has a few cool routes, but your best bet is just to pick up a book or talk to people on web forums. Good luck!

i shop at REI because when it comes to return policies, theirs simply CANNOT be beat. i've worn shoes for 7 months then taken them back no questions asked for new ones. I also support local shops like AMH though and buy from them a lot!