dougd

I did not know Dawes personally but had the pleasure of meeting him while on a fund raiser bike ride for Cystic Fibrosis a year or so after he summited Everest. Spotted him at a rest stop waiting outside the women's bathroom and as I awaited my wife who was in the long line at same, I introduced myself. We talked about climbing, and getting older and this was just a genuine, humble, kind soul. Climbing big mountains can have that effect of a person. He was also a neighbor who lived at the bottom of the long steep hill my wife and I live on and we would often see him running it, and right up to the end he trained on that hill. Saw him doing just that, grinding away, right before his last climb. Plenty of folks around the Spokane climbing community knew him. Chris Kopczynski wrote about climbing with Dawes in his book https://www.amazon.com/Highest-Hardest-Mountain-Climbers-Lifetime/dp/1493066471, John Roskelley &c.. RIP Dawes d

Man, good on ya for getting this done. This is a worthy mountain. A full on adventure solo. It's funny how some hills just stick in your craw.. Mt Rainier was like that for me way back in '81. The Matterhorn was on my list too for a while, and in 2012 my wife and I spent a week at the Bonhoff hostel in Zermatt, hiking, riding funiculars and staring it down. Couldn't even get to the Hornli Hut to scope out the route due to high winds. Out of curiosity (mostly) visited the guide shack and found out the price was 1100 Euro back then... Had thoughts about getting back to it after but never did. I'm good with knowing that at one time I was good enough... Thanks for sharing your story. Brings back good memories. d

I aged out of serious climbing a few years ago but still keep up with what's happening here and appreciate the effort given to the trip and this report. Top notch, including the images. Mt Triumph was my last real climb at age 62. After resisting the notion that it was time to turn away from climbing, I knew it was time. What a fine mountain to finish it on and your pic it was very satisfying somehow... Thanks, d

Good to see Pat getting out and about..

I really enjoyed this TR/pics. Quite a story, thanks for sharing it. d

I've had my Suunto Core for about 6 years and I like it. It's durable (I'm tough on gear) and easy to set up after replacing a battery. My recent experience of buying a cheap 5 pack replacement batteries from REI is that they last a few months each, if, I don't mess with the watch much... A good watch for climbing. I've not used the barometric storm warning system either but everything else works fine. d

This TR takes me back. I remember well, standing at that spot in your first pic, after the "hike" in, looking down that 40deg scree slope into the basin proper, and deciding rightly to just backtrack a bit and spend the evening at a nice little camp site just down from the col instead of heading on down that slope to camp. I was just up for one night to have a look around and man, the view from up there is one I'm determined to enjoy again. Jason, thanks. d

+1 on the Denny's.. Nice report. If I can ever get back in reasonable shape, I'd like to get to this area. Thanks, d

And a standout periwinkle blue to boot! Time to straighten up and fly right boiz... d

Thanks Jason. Beautiful pics.

Congrats fellas. If I wasn't quitting climbing, this would be a worthy objective... d

Smokey W side pic from Ingalls Pass on 12Aug...

Thanks for sharing Jason. I've seen some of this country up close thanks to you and others here, but no more 8 day packs for this kid... The third from the top is a sweet shot. d

The camping looks good to go for my Grandson and I later this week... Thanks for posting d

DPS for the thread win! I second that emotion. This would be a good first step to elimination of work altogether. Then, it might just be possible to get all the good climbs in you want while you're still not too fucking old to do so... sincerely

Always enjoy the Challenger TR's. I know now's the time to climb this mountain, but for an old hiker, easy ridge is beautiful in the fall and a person could just about live on the blue berries up there at that time of year. Thanks for posting. d

Great pics as usual Jason. Glad to hear the elbow's better. d

I've had trouble with my elbows and finger tendons since the '80s when I was training hard and climbing a lot. This was the first time I'd seen a Doc for it but I met this guy for an ITBS issue before and trusted him. Some of those guys might go to the needle too quick... The PT had my elbow supported through all the stretching/exercises and some deep tissue massage to moved that old blood out to try begin some healing in that old abused tendon. The little plastic tool she used for this was a bit uncomfortable. Every day, basic hand pull with light stretching pressure with arm outstretched, pull straight back 5 count then the hand is stretched downward for another 5 count. 5 reps. with super light weights 1 - 3 lb, arm resting on the recliner in the man cave, hand hanging down w/weight, pull hand up 5 reps 5 times. Also got my old 22oz framing hammer out of the shop, grab the end of the handle, arm on a table or, that favorite recliner arm, relax that lower arm and metronome that head back and forth. You just gotta feel it all and if it hurts it's bad. I also continued the massage best I could at home. I was back to "manageable" pain levels in about 4 months. I'm about a generation ahead of you in years but you've climbed more I bet so... And a little Hunters couldn't hurt. Good luck.

Yep. Back when mine was flared up (again) a couple years ago I went to a PT and she helped me a lot. She is a hand specialist that my sports Doc referred me to. Takes a while, and it did get worse before it got better, but in a few months I felt so much better. After about 5 visits to get the hang of things I kept working on my own... You'll be well served to repeat all work both sides long run Jason. d

You're a good man, Stuart. d

My only qualification to post on this is that I stayed in a holiday inn last night so it doesn't mean much. This deficit, in and of itself, apparently does not preclude me from becoming education secretary of the US someday or even President though so there's hope there. Rad seriously, hope everything works out man. d

You might want to check out the stroke thread dude... We have one of those right?

Where's that guy who likes to call presidents' shitheads when you need him? stormyweather, faithweather, or something like that...

Doubt he completes the first 4 myself. But then, I'm a glass half full kind of guy...