A flatlanders vacation - TR

[carolyn]

another great trip out to the PNW!

 

Started out in Portland visiting some good friends and family, while doing some training hikes, mostly in the gorge, for the outward bound trip. Daily schedule: early wake up call...long, steep hike....sit in a brew pub until bed time. Wake up...do all over again.

Enjoyed some Terminal Gravity brew...and even breakfast with the man himself!

 

Took a nice train ride to seattle. It was actually the only clear day up to this point, so I had some good views of hood, helens, adams, and rainier. Last fall there was very little snow on any of the mtns in comparison to what I saw this time. kinda kewl.

 

Had a few days to visit with friends in Seattle before heading out to L'worth with Erik and friend. Ran into someone I climbed with last time I was here....brief encounter with the caveman...put my hand into a crack for the first time ...saw some of the great ice climbs you all talk about (although it was all running water at this point)...did my first multipitch (R&D)...full moon...drank some peach(?)beer and decided to stick with water for once in my life. Thanks Erik for showing me that rock can be a close® second to ice! I had a great time!!!!!

 

Returned to seattle with enough time to unpack and repack for the next part of my trip....

 

For those of you around last year, you might remember I received a scholarship from OB to take a mtneering course. The course I signed up for last fall was cancelled...found this site...made contact with some of you....and...came out to OR and WA for a month anyway! I rescheduled the course for this spring. I was actually thinking as the course grew near that I didnt really "need" it. I had learned so much since my last trip...I have a lot more resources and people who are willing to teach me about climbing now...but...its free...what did I have to lose?!?!?!

 

It turned out to be an interesting experience with lots of ups and downs. I figured it would be much more physically challenging. Not to say it was easy...it was challenging..but reasonable. The difficult part was being in a group of folks who were all fighting to be "leaders". In these situations I tend to back down. In this case, backing down meant losing some important experiences (ie/navigating, kicking steps, assessing situations, etc). Fortunately the instructors were aware of the group dynamics and allowed time for me to go off on my own and figure out how to get from point a to point b...to identify various features and safety...etc..Sometimes I was grateful for being in a group. Other times I wished more than anything to can them all and just be out there with a few friends. And frequently I wanted my own gear.

 

We started with basic snow school shtuff.

Climbed Silver Star.

Crystal Clear Day.

posthole...posthole...posthole

Had some rockfall sweep my shoulder...had I not know what to do when I heard "rock" I would have absolutely experienced a helicopter rescue...Flashbacks of being hit by ice last season...acceptance (but not any less fearful) of climbing hazzards.

Glissaded down, ripping my pants

 

Moved over to the Copper Peak area.

Climbed the finger (?). Climbing in plastics made it a bit more interesting(never climbed anything but ice in my plastics)...downclimbed to add a bit more of a challenge...oogled and ogled the route next to us (kangaroo?).

Beautiful weather (again)!

 

Copper Peak

snow slog (getting a bit tired of postholing!)

Great nap on the summit.

nice feeling of walking off the edge of the world on the decent.

Iffy weather, but still dry.

Nothing better than decending uphill back to camp.

(that just seems sooo contradicting! )

 

Solo

psyched to have some 'space' and relax.

kick a hole in the ground for my sleeping bag and pad.

Set up tarp.

Nap in sun.

Wake up an hour later to incredible gusts of wind.

Nasty looking sky.

Rain.

Snow a couple hundred feet above...erie, but kewl.

Snow...rain a couple hundred feet below...UHOH!

22hrs...covered in sleeping bag...peering out every hour or so to brush snow off...cant see more than a few feet past my nose....keep head in sleeping bag....hear the wind come down the mtn....WOOOOOSH! Yell obsentities at the wind, like its going make any difference. This sucks!

 

Back toward the road...

Pass blue lake...f'in amazing! Felt like I was in the middle of a holiday card....beautiful snow falling...peaceful...liberty bell...early winter spires...dreamland!

 

Last night out...

lazy...dont take liners out of boots to dry...forget to bring into tent...snows 3 inches...FROZEN TOES on the walk out...(and I mean frozen...still waiting for feeling to come back in a few)

 

End of the course run...

8miles(?)

Knees and feet say NOOOOOO!

Walk past specialed's mailbox..."Hey I know that guy!" Walk back toward his property. DOnt think anyones home. Was hoping for a big cup of coffee and a ride to the end of the run . Oh well!

 

Overall, the ob experience wasnt too bad. Im not sure I was fond of travelling in such a large group. On the other hand, I learned a lot. The instructors were very respectful, patient, and knowledgeable. They answered a lot of my questions and elaborated on various technical skills which I already had some knowledge of. I was never bored!

 

After the ob trip I managed to make it out to "Da Tooth" thanks to Eddie and Michelle. Yet another snow slog...but I was able to use some of the skills I had recently learned. I was coerced to climb in my plastics, which I thought was bad until I saw the poor kids who did the approach and climb in their tevas! Actually, I will probly climb a grade higher after spending most of my time on the rock in plastic this month. I had the opportunity to experience "waiting" for another group on a climb -not something you get here in MN. In this case, it was the mountaineers! I can definately see how annoying a situation like this can be. Fortunately these folks were pretty polite.

Thanks again Eddie and Michelle!

 

We returned to the city just in time for the pubclub at golden gardens. Great way to end my trip. Thanks Jay for the ride 'home'...and the tip on the airport shuttle!

 

Im sure there is plenty more Im missing, but this is already long enough...and life starts again for me tomorrow too early in the morning...time to hit the hay!

 

Thanks again all for great beta and hospitality while visiting your territory!

 

-c