[TR] Mt. Rainier- Gib Ledges Attempt 3/12/2004

[lummox]

it was an agonizing defeat for me though I know the summit is not the most important thing.

actually the summit is the most important thing. that and chocolate milk and microwave burritos at the minimart on the way back home.

[griz]

Yeah, sounds like you got more out of this climb by turning around, for sure. I think the more you climb and the more experienced climbers you go with the less emotion goes into bailing.

 

When the going is good- GO!

When the going is bad-FUCK IT w/o regret.

Doesn't matter if you have flown half way around the world and dropped a chunk of $ or it's in you're backyard for a weekend climb.

 

The "Summit at all costs/under all conditions" attitude is for beginners and morons.

[geordie]

 

When the going is good- GO!

When the going is bad-FUCK IT w/o regret.

Doesn't matter if you have flown half way around the world and dropped a chunk of $ or it's in you're backyard for a weekend climb.

 

The "Summit at all costs/under all conditions" attitude is for beginners and morons.

 

Amen, Brutha!!

I'm never too upset when weather or conditions shut me down, the real bummer is having a great weather window and you can't get a partner to commit to climb.

[Gripped]

CG-

You are a good writer.

 

I think that Lummox and Cracked are right: Not summitting is a failure... but did you make the right decision? Yes.

 

If you don't fail sometimes, then you're not living your life right... you're not pushing hard enough.

 

When a climb turns me back, I always come back at it... it stays in my mind, and on my knock-off list. It becomes a grudge match. My most rewarding climbs have always been the ones that turned me back once or twice before I was able to send them. I'm sure you'll be back at those Gib Ledges in the next year or two.

 

Cheers

(well, cheers in two years)

[Thinker]

re failure:

 

If you set the summit as your ultimate goal, then not summiting IS a failure.

 

If you set coming home alive as your ultimate goal, then you succeeded.

 

If you hoped to give it your all, experience the rush of winter climbing, and push yourself a little further than the last time out, then it sounds like your weekend was ultimately fulfilling.

 

If Mallory and Irvine really reached Everest's summit, then they did NOT fail according to the logic Gripped, Lummox, and Cracked are using. But they did ultimately fail by dying on the climb in the opinions of the greater and more conservative numbers of climbers.

[catbirdseat]

It took Marek six tries before he summitted in winter on Rainier. Each time the weather or other factors beyond his control had turned his party back. How's that for persistence?

[Gripped]

 

If Mallory and Irvine really reached Everest's summit, then they did NOT fail according to the logic Gripped, Lummox, and Cracked are using. But they did ultimately fail by dying on the climb in the opinions of the greater and more conservative numbers of climbers.

Thinker,

Most people who go climbing have multiple goals. Safety, Fun, Learning, Obtaining the Summit- these are all measures of success.

 

If you failed to summit, then you failed.... UM. yeah, you failed to summit. How are you failing to understand the logic of this?

 

Can you fail to summit and still succeed in your other goals? Certainly.

 

Is safety the most important goal? Well, yes, to any sane person.

[Alex]

girlclimber and Aaron, hey this was a great trip report!

 

girlclimber, I'd say you exercized not only good judgement, but your team had excellent mountain skills all the way around - slow pace...hey, its early season, so Aaron found out the hard way he needs to train a little

 

you might consider looking around cascadeclimbers.com more often for partners if you want to climb with others besides your family...it may be hit-and-miss sometimes, but I've always had great experiences with the partners I've met through this board. hopefully your dad and others appreciate climbing (with you as) a strong and experienced climber

[layton]

Hanna,

You can't strike out if you don't step up to bat.

Feel free to quote me on that.

[Billygoat]

Hanna,

You can't strike out if you don't step up to bat.

Feel free to quote me on that.

 

Well I quoted you and I still don't know WTF you are talking about... What does baseball have to do with climbing?!

[Alpine_Tom]

I've always felt like you learn a lot more from your failures than your successes.

And not getting to the summit on a winter climb of a mtn the size of Rainier is no shame at all; the conditions are way more problematical than in summer.

 

When I have to turn back, I take comfort being able to tell my wife "gosh, the conditions just didn't look safe enough, so we turned back." Trust me, parents love to hear that sort of thing as much as wives do. Maybe more.

 

Besides, you can always get it next year (or next week) unless you get killed because people have told you that not summitting is a failure.

[Norman_Clyde]

Besides, you can always get it next year (or next week) unless you get killed because people have told you that not summitting is a failure.

 

Nobody gets killed just because someone tells them that. A person is only at risk if they actually listen. A big part about being a good climber is tuning out the noise and listening to your inner voice of reason-- as Girlclimber did.

[Alpine_Tom]

Well, yeah, that's what I meant.

[Ryan]

Good report...I don't view it as a failure in the least. Remember what Dr. Doom has to say- "Surviving is succeeding, standing on top a bonus." Good luck in the future!