MountainMan Posted August 13, 2002 Posted August 13, 2002 We summitted today after a 14,000+ vertical gain weekend. I'm beat. That's my trip report. Sverdina, care to add something? Quote
klenke Posted August 13, 2002 Posted August 13, 2002 14,000 vertical feet! You're on the wrong continent, buddy. You should be in the Himalaya. Quote
To_The_Top Posted August 13, 2002 Posted August 13, 2002 Nah, you can take your bike from Tacoma and up to Paradise, with all your climbing gear. Camp in the meadows (rest) and hike to Muir, smoke some stuff and climb to the summit for a 14k day. You can do 14k in the lower 48. TTT [ 08-12-2002, 10:51 PM: Message edited by: To The Top ] Quote
klenke Posted August 13, 2002 Posted August 13, 2002 Here's some vertical for ya: ~8,500 vertical feet in 28 hours and won by a woman, no less: Home page: http://www.badwaterultra.com/ Results page: http://www.badwaterultra.com/2002webcast/2002results.html Quote
Norman_Clyde Posted August 13, 2002 Posted August 13, 2002 I've heard that you're not a real ultramarathoner until you've had visual hallucinations in the Badwater ultra. But it doesn't have the Western States 100 mile run beat for elevation. That one is something like 16,000 up, 22,000 down, and the record is about 16 hours. Quote
Norman_Clyde Posted August 13, 2002 Posted August 13, 2002 But wait, I signed onto this thread for a TR on Fisher Chimneys. That's only 4000 vertical from Austin Pass. Where were the other 9000? Come on, come on, don't be shy. Quote
DPS Posted August 13, 2002 Posted August 13, 2002 Mountain Man: What did you think of the FC? [ 08-13-2002, 08:12 AM: Message edited by: danielpatricksmith ] Quote
MountainMan Posted August 13, 2002 Author Posted August 13, 2002 See my W. Ridge of Sherpa thread for the other 8000. Also, Fisher Chimneys is over 6000 feet in elevation. Austin Pass begins at ~4700, descends into the basin at a low point of ~3900, then you climb from there to the summit (9131'). That right there is 5231'. Plus, on the way back, you descend back from Lake Anne back into the basin and climb to the car ... a vertical gain of 800'. That's 6231' total vertical gain for the Chimneys (including approach). Add that to the 8000' from W. Ridge of Sherpa in a day on Saturday and that equals ... I'm crushed! Quote
MountainMan Posted August 13, 2002 Author Posted August 13, 2002 danielpatricksmith, I LOVED the chimneys route. I thought it was one of the better Alpine routes in the Cascades. It has a little bit of everything, and you can vary the route to make it a little more interesting. And no bushwacking! I think the FC route is one that I'd like to repeat (and I rarely climb peaks twice). I agree with whoever said the FC is a better route than the N. Face. Quote
MountainMan Posted August 13, 2002 Author Posted August 13, 2002 And by the way, to give a little more complete TR than I did last night, here goes : I woke up at 9AM on Sunday morning feeling mentally drained from the 8000' day I had the day before on W. Ridge of Sherpa. We didn't get back in town until midnight after waking up at 4:30 the previous morning. I had got a little dehydrated on the Sherpa trip and didn't know whether or not I'd be able to complete our planned epic ... W. Ridge of Sherpa in a day, then Fisher Chimneys Sunday night and Monday. I promised sverdina I'd do the Fisher Chimneys, though, and I had to fulfill my promise. We got to the Lake Anne trailhead at about 5:30PM on Sunday evening and began the short hump to Lake Anne. On the way, we saw about 70 parties coming back from the Lake, warning us of the terrible insects around the lake. We made quick time to the Lake and set up camp. The bugs weren't too bad, but there was about a 20mph wind blowing through that [apparently] suppressed the little critters (and us). Sometimes, the wind would die down a little, and within milliseconds, thousands of mosquitos and those little black biting flies would appear from nowhere and start attacking. Then the wind would pick up a few seconds later and they'd be gone again until the next lull. The plan was to wake up the next morning at 3:30, and get on the trail no later than 4. But sverdina had to get his beauty sleep, and we didn't wind up leaving camp until about 5:15. We both packed up small amounts of food, clothing, and rope and began our trek up to the summit. I don't know why they call the Fisher Chimneys chimneys, because they aren't. They're pretty much just gulleys. The climber's trail from Lake Anne is unmistakable when there is no snow present ... very different than when we were here in June. We had no trouble following the climber's trails (and wands and flagging) through the class 3-4 chimneys. It took us about 2 hours to get to the base of the Upper Curtis. We booted it up onto the Upper Curtis and found a flat spot to tie-in and put on crampons. From here, we could see Hell's Highway, and it looked like heaven. Hell's Highway is in PERFECT shape right now. Heck, the entire Upper Curtis is in fantabulous shape right now. We worked our way over to Hell's Highway and topped out on the Sulphide with no problems. We expected to see Alpine Ascents gapers everywhere .. but we saw NOBODY once we stepped onto the Sulphide. It appeared we had the entire mountain to ourselves. We took a short water (and tabasco/tuna/bagel) break and proceeded to gain the last 800' to the base of the summit pyramid. On the way, we saw two people about 500 vertical feet in front of us. We caught up to to them at the base of the summit pyramid. The guy in front was an Alpine Ascents guide (a very nice guy, we later found out), and his client from Ohio. While they climbed (shortroped together) up the summit pyramid, we ditched our rope and crampons and began the class 3-4 climbing up the summit pyramid. We asked the AA guide if he would let us pass, and he said that was fine. I didn't have a brain bucket with me and was leary about being below a gaper who wasn't calling out his falling rocks. The climb to the summit was very short, and we hit the summit before we knew it. The wind was HOWLING at the summit (I'm estimating about 30mph sustained and 45-50mph gusts), but the views were great. The summit of Shuksan has some of the best views anywhere in the Cascades. Sverdina and I signed the summit register, and headed down behind the summit block and out of the wind so we could indulge in some tabasco, bagels, tuna and beef nuggets. The hike out was uneventful, and we had no problems finding our way back through the chimneys. When we got back to Lake Anne, the black flies were out in FULL force. There were millions of them .. some of the worst bugs I've ever encountered. We very quickly packed our stuff and headed out of camp. We got back to the car at 6:30 and got dressed into cottons very quickly, as the deer and horseflies were out in full force. As we drove out of the parking lot and down the road, we looked back at Shuksan and thought about the long weekend we had just completed .. certainly a weekend that will stick out in my mind for a while to come. [ 08-13-2002, 09:14 AM: Message edited by: MountainMan ] Quote
MountainMan Posted August 13, 2002 Author Posted August 13, 2002 Iain, does your babysitter know you're using the computer? Quote
erik Posted August 13, 2002 Posted August 13, 2002 1234 Iamgonnabeatyourasstopulp Ave trailer #420 seattle, wa 98545 bring it!! Quote
Greg_W Posted August 13, 2002 Posted August 13, 2002 quote: Originally posted by erik: 1234 Iamgonnabeatyourasstopulp Ave trailer #420 seattle, wa 98545 bring it!! Quote
MountainMan Posted August 13, 2002 Author Posted August 13, 2002 HEHEHE Erik .. you, my friend, are funny! 420 .. hahah .. funny stuff!!!! That's the code for pot smokers. HAHAHA .. wow, you're killing me!!!! [ 08-13-2002, 10:27 AM: Message edited by: MountainMan ] Quote
Dru Posted August 13, 2002 Posted August 13, 2002 quote: Originally posted by erik: 1234 Iamgonnabeatyourasstopulp Ave trailer #420 seattle, wa 98545 bring it!! hey i think i left my crack pipe at that trailer last time i was visiting! it should be easy to identify cuz it was attached to my pit bull's chain! Quote
Alpine_Tom Posted August 13, 2002 Posted August 13, 2002 Not to change the subject, but I have to agree that the Fisher Chimneys route is about the nicest Cascades route I've been on (aside from the long drive.) No bushwhacking, a short approach, scenic, not crowded, interested varied climbing... it's got it all. BTW, I just learned recently that the basin between Shuksan and Baker is an ex-volcano, called the Nooksack Caldera, that blew up sort of like Mazama/Crater Lake. When you're up there on FC, look at it from that point of view. Quote
MountainMan Posted August 13, 2002 Author Posted August 13, 2002 WOW! It's comedy central in here today!!!!! Your pitbulls chain!!! HAHAHAH!!! Wow, have you thought about writing a stand-up routine? Quote
iain Posted August 13, 2002 Posted August 13, 2002 quote: Originally posted by MountainMan: Iain, does your babysitter know you're using the computer? once again you respond with immature spray to a serious question in the sacred "North Cascades" section rather than "Spray". Toujours pret? Ça, c'est trés amusant. Toujours bête et toujours ennuyeux, je decide, l'homme des montagnes. Quote
allthumbs Posted August 13, 2002 Posted August 13, 2002 Watch out for booby traps and claymores in the ally. [ 08-13-2002, 10:55 AM: Message edited by: trask ] Quote
MountainMan Posted August 13, 2002 Author Posted August 13, 2002 I don't know french. Toujour Pret is the motto of the US Army's 2nd Cav. Whatever you said, I'm sure it's just as juvenile as the rest of your posts. Quote
allthumbs Posted August 13, 2002 Posted August 13, 2002 quote: Originally posted by MountainMan: I don't know french. Toujour Pret is the motto of the US Army's 2nd Cav. Whatever you said, I'm sure it's just as juvenile as the rest of your posts. What Iain said was something to this effect, "That, it is trés amusing. Always stupid and always tedious, I decide, the man of the mountains." hahahaha Quote
iain Posted August 13, 2002 Posted August 13, 2002 yes I know. how can you have a motto if you don't know what it means? Anyways the only reason I respond is that you are so high-strung your responses are hilarious. I'll stop posting that trival galen rowell news then too. I know that was juvenile. from now on, only chest-beating trip reports! just remember to relax and keep the nitroglycerin Rx. for the M.I. S/S's close by. Quote
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