[TR] MT.Baker up shit creek solo with out a paddle - MT.Baker Colman Deming/Easton 9/9/2012

[Khartoum Wood]

Re: [TR] MT.Baker Up Shit Creek Solo With Out A Paddle - MT.Baker Colman Deming/Easton

 

Date: 9/9/2012

 

Trip Report:

sep 8 2012 Not to long after I got off the boat in Alaska I was really busy it had been a month or so since my last trip.I wanted to get out again so I thought with winter aproching fast and my busy sceduale I figured I would climb up the colman and decend the Easton I would be repeating a trip from last year only latter in the season with more open cravasses than my last time.

 

I started out of base camp early but as I left Base camp I took off to the left when I should have took a stright shot up the glaicer to gain the hill top above only latter to be stoped by the jumble of broken ice around 150yds below the Black Butes.

 

I decended back to base camp where I layed with my down jacket and naped around till 1:00AM.Annoyed with my self and determined to make a good trip out of a turn around I headed back up this time taking the correct route straight staying close to the Black Butes and latter making it up into the Col.At this point I'm feeling drained and crapy with every step my stomach turns I lean over on my ax suporting my head damn I have Alitude sickness.

 

I know I can finish so I continued on step,step,step puke haha hay I have a rhythm this continued as I climbed higher.A guided AAI group follows not far behind with around 5 clients we climb together talk a little and top out I think she says it's her first year guiding nice climbing with a woman guide and shes hot what more can you ask for.Wemen and and a sea of snow covered mountains that go on for ever.

 

I asked for info on the Easton glaicer route.down the opsite side she tells me theres a long truverse to get around a large cravase I weaved my way around,then a few others and to a small bergschrund.I seen it as a problem with the ice melting out under cutting the ice that would force me to jump a bit farther than I wanted too comfortably.

 

I took a look around cravasses were everywhere there was no other way except reclimb back to the summit and crossing back.Or make the jump I looked my landing over readied my self.Damn if I could only take my pack off I thought but I couldn't because it was to steep my pack would slide into a cravasse.

 

A rope would have helped in this situation how ever I didn't take one I went for it,then my ankle turned side ways in I herd a loud pop I fell to the hard Blue ice turning as I fell to avoid the cravasse at this point I was on my right side facing inches from a tinted Blue glazed cravasse wall I carefully stood up looking around in compleat denial of what had just happened.

 

Fuck wait I thought how high are you I looked out at the Twin Sisters I'm above them then I looked over at MT.Rainier and into the cascade mountain range and back to the summit,it was no more than about 700 hundred feet above me.I was thinking to my self did you take them both out.I only felt one go but that don't mean nothing it happened so quick.Wait before you loose your mind get up and check both legs,first my left fine now my right.I screamed in pain oh god what the fuck.

 

Again I looked around all the mountains seemed be magnified at that second.I sat down awkwardly to calm myself and figure out a plan I got it,there will be another person coming up soon I looked over the glaicer know one around except another AAI guided group far below in the red tents in Base camp.

 

My friends had my iteniery but they didn't expect me back for another day.Then another thought I had talked to some one just days before about accidents in the mountains I remember him if you hurt a joint you only have so much time till it snow covered mountains.As we stood on the summit I asked for route info for the Easton glaicer she told me theres a large traverse around one the of the cravasses I made it around,weaved my way around a few others and to a small bergschrund.I seen it as a problem with the ice melting under cutting it that would force me to jump a bit farther than I wanted too comfortably.

 

So I took a look around cravasses were everywhere there was no other way except reclimb back to the summit and crossing back.Or make the jump I looked my landing over readied my self.Damn if I could only take my pack off I thought,but I couldn't because it was to steep my pack would slide into a cravasse a rope would have helped in this situation how ever I didn't take one I went for it,then my ankle turned side ways in I herd a loud pop I fell to the hard Blue ice turning as I fell to avoid the cravasse at this point I was on my right side facing inches from a tinted Blue cravasse wall I carefully stood up looking around in compleat denial of what had just happened,fuck wait I thought how high are you I looked out at the twin sisters I'm above them then I looked over at MT.

 

Rainier and into the cascade mountain range then back to the summit,it was no more than about 700 hundred feet above me.I was thinking to my self did you take them both out,I only felt one but that don't mean nothing it happened so quick.Wait before you loose your mind get up and check both legs first my left,fine now my right I screamed in pain oh god what the fuck.Again I looked around all the mountains seemed be magnified at that second.

 

I sat down awkwardly to calm myself and figure out a plan I got it,there will be another person coming up soon I looked over the glaicer know one around except another AAI guide group far below in there red tents in Base camp,my family and friends had my iteniery but they didn't expect me back for another day.Then another thought I had talked to some one just days before about accidents in the mountains I remember one part if you hurt a joint keep it moving or it will sieze up.If there is any truth to this I got to go now.I know what a coincidence strange

 

I know the only way off this is to get up and go I told myself.So the journey starts as I stumble my way on to my feet some times tripping and falling down using my ice ax for suport all the while clinching my yelling with my teeth clintched shut I reach my first cravasse oh shit this jump is going to hurt.That is if I make,it I stood at the edege as close as I could get

 

I pushed off with my left leg landing on my right falling face first and onto the snow again stumbling to stand then hike on weaving my way around huge cravasses and jumping a few more with the same results.Finely I reach a another climber I had not seen him climbing earlyier as I was higher looking around.I'm trying to hold myself together as I come up on him I asked about the cravasses "hay I have a problem I told him I broke my ankle near the summit and I need some help getting over the last of these cravasses how many are there left.3 he tells me I know this sucks but could you help me over them he hesitates a moment then ansers you will be fine there small you jump easy.please just over the 3 last cravasses.You be okay he tells me I go to summit.

 

With that I wanted to scream but I thanked him and hiked away latter he turned to see me triping and trying to stand back up and screaming.For a while I was probing with my ice ax that was taking way to long so I told my self fuck it.If you make it good if you don't it's know ones falt but your own then I thought about family friends and old memories of my life I was scared but there was nothing to do but drag my own ass off this mountain I kept on only once stoping to drink the last of my bottle of water.I had a stove but I had to keep moving 9 hours latter from the summit I walked into the Easton glaicer base camp exhausted From the last 2 days.I talked with a mountain guide about my ankle and asked if they could call a ranger to help me out he told me if he calls it's going to most likley be a chopper

 

I told him no that I made it this far I'm going to walk out.Latter down on the Rail Road Grade below base camp I met a few people they gave me a few tylenol and trecking poles then I met a few others 2 miles from the end one steped in front of me and asked to take my bag I refused she insisted and I still refused then I gave in and she caried my pack down to the cars a few hikers drove me into Berlington where I cought my bus back home my family drove me to the hospital I stayed on crutches for 4 weeks I'm now walking and hiking I almost have my full movment back.

 

Gear Notes:

your snuggie

Edited December 19, 2012 by Khartoum Wood

[wayne]

Damn, that just awful. Glad youre healing.

[Water]

damn mr. wood. so a broken ankle eh? thanks for sharing the story and exemplifying the definition of aplomb. great TR title btw. hope the healing continues and without much long-term impact.

[mountainsandsound]

Use paragraphs.

[obwan]

You are hard f--ing core, and definitely have earned the Cascade Hardman award of the week! You really toughed it out - Good job.

[telemarker]

I'm sure this is a very compelling read, but it's almost impossible to read without at least a little bit of paragraph structure.

[matt_warfield]

I'm sure this is a very compelling read, but it's almost impossible to read without at least a little bit of paragraph structure.

 

I agree. Even if the story is compelling, people will still give up even on the internet if a long story doesn't read like a book. Books have been around a lot longer than the internet.

 

And telemarker, I like your signature, but keep in mind that we men have 7 orifices so our issues are not limited to the ones you list. Women have eight.

Edited December 18, 2012 by matt_warfield

[Khartoum Wood]

I know i have a little fixing to do to it thanks for reading it should have it done today.

 

[Khartoum Wood]

just got done with it hope that helps.

[telemarker]

Much better. Way to gut it out!

[danhelmstadter]

Way to tough it out Kurt! Awesome write up, I'm not sure I know anyone else who hitchikes to many/most of their climbs, I'll never forget the time I picked you up on 20 and droped you off at Greybeard, or the next year on 542, cool shit, good to hear your healing up.

[Khartoum Wood]

ya dan me too and thanks again hay arnt you suposed to be out on the slopes cutting new lines enjoy your winter and I hope to get out climbing or snow shoing with you this winter some time soon.

[Khartoum Wood]

thanks every one who read my TR and see you all In the mountains.

[PeakBeggar]

Hey I think we ran into you that night first night, my friend and I were heading up Hogsback as you were descending.

[Khartoum Wood]

ya I decided to go back and try it again I left back up made the summit and crossed over on to the Easton glacier and descended that was where I screwed my ankle up but I'm fully recovered now and going back up this weekend or next.