tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85983839570298635152024-03-13T22:37:13.190-07:00Where is she this time?A series of ramblings so you have any idea what I'm doing when I'm gone...Suzannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07363909418400517842noreply@blogger.comBlogger125125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8598383957029863515.post-40544703972356926012011-05-03T22:52:00.000-07:002011-05-03T22:57:14.699-07:00The High One... is a translation of one native name, Denali. Lhawang and I spent the last couple of days packing food and sorting gear for our trip, and are ready to fly on tomorrow with our crew, weather cooperating. The internet at the guide house is down at the moment, so no pictures, but here's the cybercast link, at least. We're Team 2, now only with 5 climbers, one having canceled at the last moment. <a href="http://www.alpineascents.com/denali-cybercast.asp">http://www.alpineascents.com/denali-cybercast.asp</a><br /><br />It's raining at the moment, so we'll see if we actually get out tomorrow, or if we spend some time enjoying beautiful downtown Talkeetna. Here goes...Suzannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03892006200828939444noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8598383957029863515.post-715216702234862812011-04-23T21:21:00.000-07:002011-04-23T21:40:44.922-07:00Downtime<img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CRjK9sfFDOo/TbOpdvpF48I/AAAAAAAAA5c/qVg3AylrVhc/s320/IMG_1362.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599005090221777858" />Believe it or not, it's not all glamor and high adventure. Sometimes even mountain guides have to sleep, get over jetlag, recover. So what does one do with a week and a half off?<div><br /></div><div>Well, mostly sleep. And unpack, do laundry, repack, email the expedition team, stop by the office, spend time with one's partner, sort through mail, etc. All the things everyone has to do, just on a compressed time schedule.</div><div><br /></div><div>We were fortunate enough to have two beautifully sunny days here in the Northwest recently, so we decided to go camping. Yes, camping - not climbing, skiing, scoping a route, or training, just camping. Bellingham has a few small mountains just minutes away with lots of trails and actual designated campspots, so we packed a minimum of gear and hiked up in jeans. Yes, jeans! Laid our sleeping bags out by a small lake, had cocoa and went to sleep, enjoying the quiet and surrounding nature. Woke up, had more cocoa, laid around appreciating that we didn't have to be anywhere, and hiked back down as dayhikers started to arrive on this beautiful Saturday.</div><div><br /></div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-t9_Sd2kGgkM/TbOo8Cn8qVI/AAAAAAAAA5U/HQ6cf073OXg/s320/2011-04-21_13-52-53_480.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599004511201700178" /><div>So there you have it. In another week I'll be back on a glacier, but for now it's nice to just be here, now.</div>Suzannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03892006200828939444noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8598383957029863515.post-21377851574925522952011-04-16T07:32:00.000-07:002011-04-16T08:18:57.680-07:00There and back againIt's kind of neat to go to a place every 6 months, with different people, different attitudes, different weather, just a chance to see the place in a new time and space and through new eyes.<div><br /></div><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SfSgVzuGq4U/TamxnvmWXXI/AAAAAAAAA5E/4DH6euNDmLI/s320/IMG_1316.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596199308334882162" /><div>We had a great trip up the Khumbu Valley, over to see Thame on the way, then up to Everest Base Camp and then up nearby Kala Patar to see where we'd been, and where we weren't going (Everest!). My second trip up in the spring, with all the climbers on the trail and in the tea houses - lots of characters around! Our own Alpine Ascents climbing team seemed like a collection of good people, great to get to know on the way up and usually getting to the evening's destination well before us! Good thing it's not a race... </div><div><br /></div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rDHoy--4Ceg/Tamw9gGWScI/AAAAAAAAA48/AULaC-qRxSg/s320/IMG_1309.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596198582619621826" /><div>We got a bunch of snow over the course of two weeks (way better than rain!), which kept the dust down and made things look pretty, and indicated that it was a little colder than last spring. This was validated when we got to our highest tea house and the indoor toilet wasn't working because the underground pipe outside had frozen solid! Ah, the nature of adventure. Fortunately the group was great, with a good sense of... adventure, and an ability to deal with what came our way, knowing it only makes for good stories later. (That's Ama Dablam in the background.)</div><div><br /></div><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YWdGeemK_PY/TamwbQxdE-I/AAAAAAAAA40/Q5x4AaM79aU/s320/IMG_1326.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596197994389902306" /><div>Additionally, our trekking staff was particularly wonderful - we had the opportunity to ask lots of nuanced questions about culture and experience, see Tsering's parents' home, and just generally connect and have a great time with them. The particular people on each trek tend to change from time to time, but I do hope to have most of the same folks with us again in the fall. We unfortunately had to give up Mingma to accompany one of our group to Island Peak while I continued down with the trekkers. We did hear that Derek summited successfully a couple of days ago, so I guess it was worth it. *grin*</div><div><br /></div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Civ7V5lxNeI/Tamvik4LTeI/AAAAAAAAA4s/sgJl3OiUyzw/s320/IMG_1355.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596197020534263266" /><div>And in a blatant commercial plug, we used a UV-light water sterilization device called a <a href="http://www.steripen.com/">SteriPEN</a> on this trek for the first time, and it worked beautifully. There are many environmental impacts of trekking on this region, and a big one is the use of fuel. Historically there was barely enough wood to support populations living here, but the heating and cooking and water-boiling required by thousands of trekkers puts a huge strain on the amount of kerosene and propane and yak dung (yep) available for fuel. So our local organizer suggested switching to battery power, and NO ONE had any debilitating GI issues! This is pretty unheard-of up in the Khumbu, so that is my testimonial. Pretty cool technology. (We decided these animals moving propane up the trail were called "fuel mules". I call them rocket mules. Either way we hope they don't slip.)</div><div><br /></div><div>And now we're all on our respective ways back home, with a little time in Kathmandu and lots of hours on planes, heading back to that myriad of things that make it home. A little time for me to unpack, remember what the Northwest feels like, then pack up again and head north...</div>Suzannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03892006200828939444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8598383957029863515.post-78501437701558696612011-03-29T04:08:00.000-07:002011-03-29T08:33:58.636-07:00Katmandu, round 3<img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dtGN823Y2yE/TZH4yvzYF5I/AAAAAAAAA4k/rorlddx0zPg/s320/IMG_1280.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589522163252598674" />Well, I have to admit that my first two visits to Kathmandu were a little different than I had expected. You hear so many things about this Nepali city that bring to mind the exotic, the timeless, the spiritual. Yet when I first arrived and wandered around for a couple days, it seemed awfully similar to the polluted, chaotic, concrete-filled cities of other Asian towns that have expanded simply by laying more rebar and asphalt.<div><br /></div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xywu9-CS_YU/TZH4OBfFO0I/AAAAAAAAA4c/bPhL6W28LfM/s320/IMG_1289.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589521532344154946" /><div>This time, however, I was goaded into visiting Bhaktapur, a preserved population center on the outskirts of Kathmandu, an area known for its historical buildings and lack of intrusive roads. We got out of the taxi and walked into what I had been envisioning all along.</div><div><br /></div><div>Narrow streets, tiny doorways, old wood carvings, neighborhood temples, round wells, woodcarving or pottery or cobbler's shops... It is easy to imagine that these buildings, these paths and gathering places, haven't changed much in several hundred years. Stone carvings on temple stairs, rows of bells hanging from the eves, intricate forms hiding in wood in the shadows - all of these things seamlessly and un-selfconsciously a part of daily life</div><div><br /></div><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DwyHWIeiNxw/TZH3bjfllEI/AAAAAAAAA4U/rS0JG5XKjww/s320/IMG_1284.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589520665299752002" /><div>And I have to imagine that the whole of Kathmandu had this air about it when it was "discovered" by the western world in the 70s. In the early 50s, there were no roads that accessed this place from the outside world. (There were cars that had been taken apart and carried in, but you couldn't drive there!) The city in 1970 must have been so incredibly different from the West in ways it simply isn't now. I took a right by the Nike sign and went upstairs to get a 3G modem for my computer this morning. A little different, 40 years later.</div><div><br /></div><div>But tomorrow we are on the first plane out to Lukla, back to a land that has changed in some ways, but not in others. The mountain trails are still steep and rocky, and yaks and people still carry everything that has to move up and down the valley. Follow the Everest Base Camp trek at <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.alpineascents.com/everest-trek-cybercast-spring10.asp">www.alpineascents.com/everest-trek-cybercast-spring10.asp</a></div>Suzannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03892006200828939444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8598383957029863515.post-21686728545890220782011-03-23T03:54:00.000-07:002011-03-29T08:08:57.362-07:00More skiing!<img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oPELFB1O7GE/TZH11B7zeaI/AAAAAAAAA4M/9O8weoRxZQA/s320/IMG_1269.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589518903944640930" />Well there's more winter, isn't there?<div><br /></div><div>One last trip in home territory before going back to work - into the Baker backcountry for a trip to Mt Ann, a place I haven't been since my second-ever glacier climb up the Fischer Chimneys on nearby Mt Shuksan in 2002. It looks very different in the winter to be sure! A mid-week day with not a lot of new snow meant we saw almost no one, and a bit of a crust from some sunshine meant the travel was easy. Nice.</div><div><br /></div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FCUQHNjl-R4/TZH1MgDlKFI/AAAAAAAAA4E/P9j208aTneo/s320/IMG_1273.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589518207655684178" /><div>Up and over the ski area, across some flats, up the flanks to the ridge of Mt Ann (avoiding the skin track set right under a huge cornice being warmed by the sun), and along to the summit, where we deemed the skiing too steep (telemark [v] : Finnish word meaning "ack, it's too steep!") and too icy to be fun, booted up to the top and enjoyed the view before sliding back down on our butts. The greater part of having fun is knowing when to call it.</div><div><br /></div><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8MQTYxlWWHE/TZH0omzV9_I/AAAAAAAAA38/-z_wi6wsKic/s320/IMG_1275.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589517590991337458" /><div>The skiing down was a little crusty to be really enjoyable, but we made some nice arcing turns and enjoyed being out in the pristine snow and beautiful weather. Sunshine and warmth - it must be spring! The days are getting longer, and we're looking forward to the opportunity for some longer tours.</div><div><br /></div><div>But for now, I'm off to Nepal, to lead the Everest Base Camp trek for Alpine. Work is great, but it does so get in the way... *grin*</div>Suzannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03892006200828939444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8598383957029863515.post-31242586550133108792011-03-22T18:54:00.000-07:002011-03-25T21:10:33.532-07:00Lizzie Creek CabinWell, Dave wanted to know how I was going to spin this particular trip, because the net result of two weeks in Canada was a whole lot of skinning, hard work, and being soggy, and not so much sunny powder skiing. Yes, it's true. You win some, you lose some.<div><br /></div><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PiGcJX8rapk/TY1hf89blfI/AAAAAAAAA3E/d4w4ds8FnAQ/s320/IMG_1177.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588229914204280306" /><div>We were psyched to have a nice long chunk of time off, and lots of terrain we had seen in print and on blogs. 8-to-12-hour approach, cozy little cabin, and tons of alpine terrain of varying aspects and steepness. Sweet!! We took a couple days to organize, pack, and position ourselves just outside Pemberton, BC, about 30 minutes north of Whistler, and parked at the trailhead for the evening after sampling some "Chinese Japanese Canadian Cuisine" at the local Centennial Cafe in town. Equipment, check. Intentions, check. In position, check.</div><div><br /></div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0ctJW0YTUqQ/TY1iDzCU-5I/AAAAAAAAA3M/FPiWzlzGi84/s320/IMG_1187.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588230530015755154" /><div>Weather, not so much. We woke to steady rain and couldn't bring ourselves to start uphill, choosing instead to haunt the bakery and library in hopes of finding a region of better weather nearby in time or place. No luck! A powerful low pressure system was spinning warm fronts out in the Pacific that were riding right over all the coastal ranges. We went back to the trailhead prepared to start out wet. Sure enough, on and off showers gave way to the dreaded "snain," part rain, part snow, as we trudged up a logging road toward our destination valley. Lots of incredibly heavy snow hadn't been skied for some time, and the trailbreaking was astonishingly tiring.</div><div><br /></div><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DJRHbCQeVlU/TY1i0HNQ6OI/AAAAAAAAA3U/qF4vdxodPJA/s320/IMG_1201.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588231360064055522" /><div>8 hours in, we decided to call it for the day and built a snow shelter, half cave, half ski-tent, that served quite well since it wasn't stormy, just snowy. A much-needed rest, as we were still a little tired the next morning continuing up. Another 5 hours, directions that didn't quite match the terrain, and lots more heavy trailbreaking later, we reached the hut. Home sweet home!! Very cozy, and almost entirely covered with the 8-9 feet of snow on the ground and roof, it did have some wood stacked inside that let us finally get dry and warm. Whew! The continued snow and fog led us to spend the next day harvesting dead branches and trees to stock up the firewood supply for the next few days, and excavate an outhouse entrance from under the same huge snowpack.</div><div><br /></div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WCEXMqkJ2K4/TY1jZ-MlTCI/AAAAAAAAA3c/P9pzWZUPQVo/s320/IMG_1202.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588232010480307234" /><div>Time to ski! There can be too much of a good thing, though, and we had it. So much snow that trailbreaking continued to be difficult, and enough clouds and snow to keep us from being able to see anything. All those beautiful mountains and valleys around us, and we can't even see them! The avalanche danger had our attention, too - it was warm and had been snowing continuously for several days. We turned back from an intended tour and took a couple of consolation runs on the slopes above the cabin. Could be fun snow, but soooo much work to use it! Fatigue and increasingly soggy precipitation made for an early afternoon.</div><div><br /></div><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OMP4cGJOeKc/TY1jxai_OcI/AAAAAAAAA3k/9o8VByjmW7w/s320/IMG_1233.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588232413227465154" /><div>Next day, a similar story as we broke trail up the same exact hillside, our previous track completely obscured by snow and wind. We had a few runs and still-dry layers when we called it a day - quite an improvement! The next morning was already day 6, and time to head out. Fortunately, the snow had finally consolidated enough to enable us to actually ski out (instead of breaking train again), and we made good time. We even saw the sun once!</div><div><br /></div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9a_H5RI1GhQ/TY1kYdhqq7I/AAAAAAAAA3s/5jN6kTwKkms/s320/IMG_1235.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588233084042128306" /><div>If being all hard-core and outdoorsy requires fortitude and endurance, it also requires knowing when to actively avoid it! We ended up at a great place called <a href="http://www.thehitchingpostmotel.com/">The Hitching Post Motel</a>, and highly recommend it to anyone heading north of Whistler. Super nice owners, some nicely renovated rooms, and a perfect kitchenette area to allow for breakfast in bed options. Much needed after six days of being cold and soggy! Slept in, checked out, and hung out in her laundomat to reorganize and regroup. The weather was improving, so we stayed close and drove up to Duffey Lake for two more days of skiing, moving back into truck-camping mode.</div><div><br /></div><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Hs1EZoj5k-8/TY1lVlF9zNI/AAAAAAAAA30/E8rtvY3oVvs/s320/IMG_1247.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588234134045445330" /><div>This time, the weather and snow cooperated beautifully! Others had set a skin track up before us, the snow was fluffy, and we actually got some sun. Ah, timing. A few more people there, not the complete solitude of a cabin 13 km in, but the backcountry of British Columbia is definitely big enough to accommodate. Lots of natural and triggered avalanches were coming down, and we were more than happy to observe from afar as they set off slides across the highway and then cleared debris from the road. By this time, we were pretty tired from only one day of rest in the last nine, so were grateful to head back home, only a 4-hour drive! So close, just across that border line. </div><div><br /></div><div>I'm definitely hoping to go back to the cabin again, hopefully when the weather is a little more cooperative. Next time, it would be nice to get something more like this: <a href="http://richso.blogspot.com/2011/01/lizzie-creek-new-years.html">http://richso.blogspot.com/2011/01/lizzie-creek-new-years.html</a> Ah, well. (Oh, and if it looks like I was shooting in black-and-white, I wasn't, it was just grey out!)</div>Suzannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03892006200828939444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8598383957029863515.post-63350905772121631982011-02-28T17:43:00.000-08:002011-03-25T20:23:59.510-07:00Lots of snow!<img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4JwyFxV0YCw/TY1F4d2rboI/AAAAAAAAA28/xyg7LDHTZ7s/s320/IMG_1049.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588199549025611394" />Well, it's supposedly a La Nina weather pattern year, but while we're getting plenty of precipitation, and plenty of it as snow, the freezing level occasionally goes way up and drops some rain, too, so it's not shaping up to be quite as extraordinary as the record-setting winter of 1999.<img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-P9P-P07VI_8/TY1Fu97TcqI/AAAAAAAAA20/PP9czI_eL6g/s320/IMG_1048.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588199385836253858" /><div><br /></div><div>Still lots of great snow, though! Some of it comes with good visibility, some of it does not. One of the first tours we did when I got back was up by Mt Baker in possibly the most complete whiteout I have ever experienced. We call it being in the ping pong ball - the light scatters and refracts from clouds and snow the same way, making it impossible to distinguish surface water crystals from suspended water droplets. You find yourself in a perfect visual sphere with no orientation, literally impossible to tell whether you're about to bump into a snowbank or have the snow end beneath your feet. Great snow, but hard to ski! Still good to be out, of course.</div><div><br /></div><div>Next time out, a little better visibility, but we still needed some trees to steer by. So into the Swift Creek woods, just behind the Mt Baker ski area. The snow was <i>amazing</i>, knee deep until you got your telemark turn on... then it became waist deep as we crouched down mid-turn. Heavy enough to ski on top of, light enough to be really, really fun. Telemark is such fun. A little video of some low-angle lovin' - it doesn't have to be steep to be fun...</div><div><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dw19oruNmkYV-lJwckp7nBeyWJsLWRpWwiRS9S7BmP1hobNJvlLTH9arPI-udm4IB81G3JrNzI1Dwn8VkJRJA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div><br /></div>A few weeks in town, a little skiing and catching up with friends, and suddenly it's time to head up to Canada for a longer ski trip with Dave. There's certainly plenty of snow, so let's hope the weather cooperates, too!Suzannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03892006200828939444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8598383957029863515.post-17357726341072525122011-02-15T18:50:00.000-08:002011-03-25T18:53:59.653-07:00Team Bob addendumOne of the climbers on Team Bob had enough oxygen capacity left over on the summit to do a little filming. It's a good glimpse of what it might feel like up there... Enjoy!<div><br /></div><div><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxT8Q84b_aAoAdm9w-8VsJ_AaBD2TwP-_owFJj6S0NJwGrqrelUSpX6JdiORUSVpa5f9biWgnnI-0mjyBbzrA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Suzannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03892006200828939444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8598383957029863515.post-75759927532623742352011-02-10T10:33:00.000-08:002011-02-10T11:08:46.878-08:00Team BobYes, it's true, Bob, you get a whole post! Team 8 was definitely an interesting team, a great collection of easy-going characters that made this trip a good one. <div><br /></div><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SkR4H1yjxX4/TVQ3hUZfMgI/AAAAAAAAA2k/9tDp8weinTE/s320/IMG_0994.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572139684514968066" /><div>Many changes took place on the mountain in my absence. For one, it had gotten hammered with snow, so the concern for water at the higher camps was alleviated, and upper trails were covered in perfect styrofoam snow, great for cramponing. Additionally, the park (which is a provincial park, not a national one, which might explain some things), in its zeal to be a real park with real rangers and rules, used some of the newfound money from elevated permit fees to station a doctor at the very first camp. So while Matthew made hamburgers for dinner, I sat with the doc while all our people were checked for oxygen saturation, lung sounds, blood pressure, etc. More checks and more structures = a better park, right?</div><div><br /></div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_WkfuUqYg41g/TVQ2kQcRikI/AAAAAAAAA2c/J63aB9TD_9U/s320/IMG_1019.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572138635480894018" /><div>Ahem. Once at base camp (after a second medical check), we settled into carrying loads up the mountain. Lhakpa Gelu joined us at Camp 1, which meant that we had more stories and carrying power added to the team, as well as just an amazing mountain person. Afternoon snowstorms graced us for a few days but didn't cause trouble, and after that we had some great weather and moved up to our Camp 3, most people's camp 2. The forecast was for a couple days of high winds followed by a good period, so we spent an extra day there, gaining a little more rest and acclimatization, then moved up and summarily had our summit day.</div><div><br /></div><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_WkfuUqYg41g/TVQ1w0qKPxI/AAAAAAAAA2U/U91VSRvv9PE/s320/IMG_1030.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572137751849615122" /><div>A beautiful day, though a little windy at the start, and 6 of 10 folks stood on top with us. Lhakpa took three down who were running out of resources for a continued trip up AND down, and once back at camp we pooled all of our remaining meal resources to have some very flavorful mashed potatoes for dinner that night. But there's no standin for real food, so the next day we gratefully headed down to base camp and the path home. A memorable team, for sure!</div><div><br /></div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YsVdPD46ZEw/TVQzwPPp0_I/AAAAAAAAA2M/Z8Krkd-p4F4/s320/IMG_1050.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572135542783071218" /><div>Back in Mendoza, I was psyched to enjoy a few more days of watermelon and other fresh summer fruit, but am expecially excited to be back in the Pacific Northwest where there are things like organic lettuce and molasses. Yes, I have odd tastes, but it's good to be back where I can have them! The mountains are wearing some fresh snow, I get to go skiing in the fog with my partner, and it's good to be back.</div>Suzannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03892006200828939444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8598383957029863515.post-19059039846920622622011-01-16T19:19:00.001-08:002011-01-16T19:21:29.352-08:00Up the hillWell, the team is here, and so is there luggage - what more can you ask for? We just had a great welcome dinner in the warm Mendoza evening and are headed out tomorrow morning. There's potentially a bit of SAT phone trouble, with a half-charged battery and no compatible charger here, but we'll make it work. Follow Team 8 at <a href="http://www.alpineascents.com/aconcagua-cybercast.asp">http://www.alpineascents.com/aconcagua-cybercast.asp</a> Back soon!Suzannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03892006200828939444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8598383957029863515.post-77369637519797847322011-01-13T08:51:00.000-08:002011-01-13T09:32:11.671-08:00Punta ArenasPunta Arenas is the southernmost city on the South American continent, and the place where flights to and from this part of Antarctica are based. (Ushuaia is further south, but on an island, not part of the greater landmass.) Climbers going to Mt Vinson, the highest mountain in Antarctica, fly to and from the ice with the only private company that operates here, Antarctic Logistics and Expeditions or ALE. They have been in business for 24 years and make something as incredibly complicated as operating a base in Antarctica as seamless as showing up at the tip of Chile.<div><br /></div><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_WkfuUqYg41g/TS82b2GehrI/AAAAAAAAA2A/umwsPVb9kIk/s320/IMG_0892.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561723916832900786" /><div>In between my Aconcagua trips, I went down to meet the incoming Vinson climbers for Alpine Ascents and get them ready to fly onto the ice. The two guides who will actually be with them on the mountain stay down to guide two trips because the flight costs about $15,000 round trip, so I act as their proxy guide until they fly. This means I get to see a new part of the world and learn a little more about the whole Antarctic scene while getting to know some new interesting people.</div><div><br /></div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_WkfuUqYg41g/TS82HgkmPuI/AAAAAAAAA14/LWXv5bswfyE/s320/IMG_0884.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561723567456272098" /><div>Summer in southern Chile is not quite as balmy as Mendoza. The high most days was around 55, sometimes less, with a warm sun but a cold wind. It's a sea town, but on the east coast of land, along the Strait of Magellan, which is an inland shortcut to avoid storm-lashed Cape Horn. Cruise ships and fishing boats and colorful roofs decorate this grey place where many of the buildings date from 100 years ago and there is an awareness of its distance from the rest of the world. We roamed around town several times daily looking for meals, and spent some time just checking out this place where we would be waiting until it was time to fly.</div><div><br /></div><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_WkfuUqYg41g/TS813gqKmkI/AAAAAAAAA1w/aMV_hPsejEg/s320/IMG_0908.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561723292601719362" /><div>Various members of the group spent time in the scenic areas of the city, including the expansive local cemetery. We spent an afternoon in this peaceful place filled with memorials big and small to the dead of the last 100 years. Dr Suess-inspired trees were set among some really ornate crypts and monuments and other simpler plots. A beautiful setting, one clearly well-attended by loved ones.</div><div><br /></div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_WkfuUqYg41g/TS81YbCCfnI/AAAAAAAAA1o/gskp1i-__pI/s320/IMG_0939.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561722758515293810" /><div>Our other fascinating destination was a full-size replica of Magellan's ship Victoria which originally passed through in 1520 and is being built from the original plans. A local penguin-tour and kayak-rental operator is losing business due to increased competition, and decided to take this opportunity to give shape to his passion. He and a business partner built the frame of local wood, and 6 local carpenters who normally build fishing boats finished the rest of the work. He invited us on board to poke around as we pleased, and we got to see it as one rarely does, without barricades or limitations. It's a small ship, called a nao, that requires 18-40 people to sail. He plans to make his money back from tourists for a few years, and then sailing it in some capacity for fun and profit.</div><div><br /></div><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_WkfuUqYg41g/TS81DMDPDlI/AAAAAAAAA1g/jHttx6Jdjto/s320/IMG_0919.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561722393716526674" /><div>But all is not idyllic in southern Chile. Interestingly, a national government decision to reduce the subsidy on natural gas has caused enough concern in this cold land to spark a series of strikes, the latest of which is an indefinite strike closing down roads into and out of the city, including to the airport. Faced with the possibility of not being able to leave town, I decided to get out while I could in order to make sure I was back for my next Aconcagua trip. Back in Mendoza, I hear from the Vinson climbers that normal delays due to weather are being exacerbated by lack of mobility due to the strike. ALE has its hands full, to be sure! Hope they can get out soon - Punta Arenas is nice and all, but I wouldn't want to spend too much time there...</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Suzannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03892006200828939444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8598383957029863515.post-36953333338549025932011-01-04T16:12:00.001-08:002011-01-04T16:35:11.434-08:00Half-time showWell, at the beginning of this blog, my hair was 1/4" long.<img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_WkfuUqYg41g/TSO7_MVPkPI/AAAAAAAAA1Y/77ALHdK6nf0/s320/IMG_0872.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558493059421802738" /> Today... (drumroll please) ... I actually put it back in a ponytail. Yes, it's very exciting. It's more of a dish-washing brush than a ponytail at this point, but it is functional. 10 years since the last time - lots of ground in the intervening years. Now, once again, I'll be buying and losing elastic bands with (most of) the rest of the female population. Oh, boy!<img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_WkfuUqYg41g/TSO7vYLapBI/AAAAAAAAA1Q/T72oQnTmRIc/s320/IMG_0828.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558492787723904018" />Suzannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03892006200828939444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8598383957029863515.post-91094926189807625812011-01-01T13:48:00.000-08:002011-01-01T14:10:02.204-08:00Team 3... this year on Aconcagua was a great team. Ten people from across the country and globe, tossed together in that mixing bowl we call an expedition team - they were all fun and generous and strong, and on top of that we had fantastic weather almost the whole trip. Unheard of on this mountain!<div><br /></div><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_WkfuUqYg41g/TR-mAdsH6VI/AAAAAAAAA1A/QGzhqaAlykY/s320/IMG_0816.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557342992098388306" /><div>Things (not big things, just things) are afoot on the mountain. The climbing fees increased from $550 to $800 in the high season, and the park is trying to become a "real" park. New ranger huts being choppered in where previously there was only a stone lean-to, base camp physicians who actually know high altitude medicine (Sebastian was fantastic, docs in previous years less so) - you won't be able to recognize the place in a few years! But there will never (in human time, not geologic time) be another highest peak in South America, so people will continue to come.</div><div><br /></div><div>When we arrived in Plaza Argentina base camp at 13,800', they had just experienced winds of 100mph which seem to </div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_WkfuUqYg41g/TR-l2H0h-WI/AAAAAAAAA04/AmqvHRp_Gjc/s320/IMG_0818.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557342814429378914" /><div>have generated a freak twister that tore Grajales' facilities apart and nearly nabbed one of Alpine's guides. They had rapidly called in new facilities and supplies (the propane oven was delivered by helicopter while we were there) and our experience was back to normal, pizzas and all. It was still a little windy at base camp, but the rest of the trip was great - just a day or two of moderate winds, otherwise generally quite calm and nice. Sweet!</div><div><br /></div><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_WkfuUqYg41g/TR-llpKKFWI/AAAAAAAAA0w/kgW-9u67T6Q/s320/IMG_0825.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557342531320681826" /><div>Christmas day fell on our rest day at 19,200' Polish Camp. We made a little tree out of our ice axes and crampons and decorated it with battery-powered lights and a headlamp. A team of three Canadians who had been next to us much of the trip came by and regaled us with well-rehearsed songs of kazoo, harmonica, and recorder. What a nice touch! It is amazing what communities form in places where people are enduring common hardship. Voluntary, in this case, but true nonetheless.</div><div><br /></div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_WkfuUqYg41g/TR-lLTvbUWI/AAAAAAAAA0o/9_tryMSocEE/s320/IMG_0836.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557342078894821730" /><div>We moved up to our final camp and had a beautiful summit day, with 6 of 10 of our climbers standing on top. We retreated to camp, then the following day to Plaza de Mulas base camp, and finally enjoyed a little more oxygen. After more wonderful base camp pizza, and a group sleepover in the dining tent (to avoid pitching our own tents) we hiked out in the worst weather of the whole trip, snow and rain for 13 miles to the trailhead. We even saw a small mudslide (rocks the size of pianos!)! But everyone arrived safe and sound back to civilization, and after several showers and remembering how to sit in chairs, we are enjoying the finer points of Mendoza.</div><div><br /></div><div>Now for a little down time, sorting out budgets and trip reports and laundry and email. I'll be heading down to Punta Arenas to meet the Vinson climbers in a few days, but for now it's nice just to be wearing cotton... </div>Suzannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03892006200828939444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8598383957029863515.post-77107437202210176712010-12-11T16:59:00.000-08:002010-12-11T17:03:27.738-08:00And we're off...Well, it's time to head up the mountain. We've spent the past few days here in Mendoza buying and packing food and supplies for the expedition. Everyone comes into town tomorrow, and we head up on Monday.<div><br /></div><div>We have a new cybercast that actually lets you listen to the voicemail we leave - no transcription in the middle. So you get the garbles, the transmission breaks, and the sluggish processing of minds at high altitude. Enjoy!! We're Team 3 at <a href="http://www.alpineascents.com/aconcagua-cybercast.asp">http://www.alpineascents.com/aconcagua-cybercast.asp</a></div>Suzannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03892006200828939444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8598383957029863515.post-22707341737917578202010-12-07T16:37:00.000-08:002010-12-11T16:58:28.232-08:00And back againBut in the Northwest, winter has come early. There's plenty of snow to cover up most of the rocks, and plenty of motivation to get out: the dark time is upon us here in the Cascades, and we have to get out, because the alternative is to hibernate. And skiing is really much more fun.<div><br /></div><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_WkfuUqYg41g/TQQdxnVNTEI/AAAAAAAAA0M/sLHIrYuo9R0/s320/IMG_0797.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549593379036023874" /><div>As a side note, my frequent trips between Seattle and Bellingham often involve use of the train, a very pleasant 2-hour ride along the coast for around $29. But this time my skis were already in place, and a mid-day transit made much more sense, so I actually took Amtrak - on the bus. Yes, Amtrak has a fair amount of bus service, and it turns out to be quite pleasant and in duration, for only $20! The buses seem to be contracted private coaches, so they're more like bus travel should be. Highly recommended.</div><div><br /></div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_WkfuUqYg41g/TQQdYgiU61I/AAAAAAAAA0E/c8gD-2Z9UcE/s320/IMG_0801.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549592947715271506" /><div>This time we headed up to the snow with a couple other skiers/snowboarders. Between the five of us we had all sorts of snow travel combinations, so the bigger-the-group-the-slower-the-travel rule kicked in. A couple miles of logging road, a little tree-dodging, up a couple avalanche chutes (appropriate precautions taken), and finally to the rounded top, Cascade peaks all around. Beautiful.</div><div><br /></div><div>Of course, there's still the down, and we ended up skiing the last of the logging road in the dark (which is not recommended). The two dogs with us had worked much harder over the day, being without skis in unconsolidated snow, and were possibly happier than we to see the trucks when we finally reached them. As a climbing partner once said: Any day where no one gets hurt is a good day in the mountains.</div><div><br /></div><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_WkfuUqYg41g/TQQc--6X_fI/AAAAAAAAAz8/ZrPU1n1aVjs/s320/IMG_0805.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549592509192601074" /><div>Good to get one last dose of snow before heading south. As I write this (belatedly), it is currently dumping again in the Cascades. Two feet of forecast snow, followed by a warming trend and heavy rain. A recipe for unstable snow, and a good time to be in the Southern hemisphere...</div>Suzannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03892006200828939444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8598383957029863515.post-35877415924521364342010-11-28T15:57:00.000-08:002010-12-11T16:37:33.890-08:00Sunshine tourFamily previously visited + Climbing partner with time off + Shoulder season + looking for warm weather = Bike tour in California! After some casual scheming, we decided to spend Thanksgiving cycling down the central California coast, basking in the November sunshine. <div><br /></div><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_WkfuUqYg41g/TQQZG9MrSkI/AAAAAAAAAz0/sIff30gSzGs/s320/PB220003.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549588248124934722" /><div>Just in time, too - a big storm cycle hit the Northwest, and we drove through snow all the way to mid-Oregon! My car got a flat sometime around when we hit completely stopped traffic, so not only did we not lose time, but we also provided some entertainment for other stuck drivers. Of course, the spare was all the way at the bottom of our neatly packed trunk, so off came the bikes and out came the gear. And since it is occasionally a perfect world, traffic got unstuck just as we were packing back up. Sweet!</div><div><br /></div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_WkfuUqYg41g/TQQYu7WTCoI/AAAAAAAAAzs/vsEnixZikhU/s320/PB240031.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549587835311557250" /><div>Our plan was to drive to Monterey, bike down to Santa Barbara, and take the train back. And for a completely un-researched plan, it worked amazingly well. Sometimes it just happens like that. There was free long-term parking at the Amtrak station. We actually cycled the miles we needed to reach Santa Barbara. They had bike boxes requiring little disassembly for purchase there. AND, my car was actually still there when we got back!</div><div><br /></div><div><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_WkfuUqYg41g/TQQYUVcKZeI/AAAAAAAAAzk/mEN_OGJ_zqo/s320/IMG_0776.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549587378459010530" /><div>The trip itself was great. The Big Sur coast south of Monterey has one 2-lane road and almost no towns, doesn't connect anything to anything. So there was very little traffic and lots of beautiful bluffs and bridges and sandy beaches and hillsides. It was actually pretty quiet most of the time, which was exactly what we were looking for. Pedal, look around, pedal, stop for a snack overlooking the ocean, pedal, wonder if the last bit of land you can see is where we stop for the night, pedal...</div></div><div><br /></div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_WkfuUqYg41g/TQQXnX9w11I/AAAAAAAAAzc/sAHjxj4V9JQ/s320/PB250036.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549586606042699602" /><div>After the first few hours of cold wind and rain showers, it was sunny all week. It was, however, also quite cold. Snow in Seattle means quite a cold weather system, which translated to highs in the 50s in Cali, and lows near freezing! Being the seasoned outdoor veterans that we are, we used out bivi sacks and Jetboil and savvy outdoor survival skills to camp in the state parks... once. It was cold! Frost was forming on the top of the picnic table as made dinner. Brr!</div><div><br /></div><div>So the rest of the time these two savvy outdoor women got hotels, took showers, and actually washed their socks at night. Safeway makes a mean meatloaf and salad for dinner. And we got a much earlier start when we could leave our room at sunrise rather than wait for the warmth of the sun before peeking out of our sleeping bags. Yes, we are wise savvy outdoor women.</div><div><br /></div><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_WkfuUqYg41g/TQQWxUekovI/AAAAAAAAAzU/pP8AWjIZX_c/s320/IMG_0793.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549585677393634034" /><div>South of Big Sur we got to wind through fields and rolling hills and the occasional little town (does San Luis Obispo count as little?) and generally just keep enjoying being outside. Our last stop was just a few miles short of Santa Barbara since we didn't want to get lost and miss our train back. Just over 300 miles in just over 4 days, but a little lopsided, with a couple 45-mile days and a couple 95-mile days. Funny - they didn't seem any longer or shorter, just more or less time spent stopped vs pedaling.</div><div><br /></div><div>I love the zen of pedaling long miles. (Especially when the hills are mellow.) We drove back without incident, knowing that the perfectly executed trips make up for all those other times...</div>Suzannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03892006200828939444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8598383957029863515.post-39864970803156179062010-11-19T12:32:00.000-08:002011-01-04T16:33:37.988-08:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_WkfuUqYg41g/TR-Py_sSUMI/AAAAAAAAA0g/9DGPThmHqIY/s1600/IMG_0845.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_WkfuUqYg41g/TR-Py_sSUMI/AAAAAAAAA0g/9DGPThmHqIY/s320/IMG_0845.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557318571451896002" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_WkfuUqYg41g/TR-Po3ZMoHI/AAAAAAAAA0Y/Ly8w7zCel2Y/s1600/IMG_0828.JPG"></a>Suzannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03892006200828939444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8598383957029863515.post-76674769447364613352010-11-18T21:24:00.001-08:002010-11-18T21:47:23.855-08:00SNOW!!!<img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_WkfuUqYg41g/TOYOSFYwguI/AAAAAAAAAy8/cVKjxToVmY4/s320/IMG_0762.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5541132095372428002" />Most people have probably heard by this point about how strong a La Nina winter this is supposed to be, and here in the Northwest, how cold and snowy that is supposed to make our mountains. It seemed to be coming true in September, when we got plenty of new snow on Mt Rainier, and it is continuing to show such a trend, with some significant snow above about 4000' in the North Cascades.<div><br /></div><div>Coming back from the east, with three more days off before returning to work, we did a little cycling and indoor climbing as the weather turned cold and rainy, then went to check out the mountains, hoping that the rain had indeed been good snow up high, as rumored.</div><div><br /></div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_WkfuUqYg41g/TOYOeBQxpII/AAAAAAAAAzE/NVK75WpLG-k/s320/IMG_0764.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5541132300423636098" /><div>Indeed. Hiking up to Skyline Ridge, close to Mt Baker, we topped out at 5800' and, lo and behold, there was about 18" of rained-on consolidated base, with 2-3" of new, smooth, fluffy snow on top, just waiting for us to ski it. Four skiers and boarders were there just ahead of us, but their tracks helped provide some depth perception in the otherwise featureless white surface the snow becomes in clouded conditions.</div><div><br /></div><div>The inevitable first-of-the-season gear shakedown meant that I forgot mine and was using Dave's skins while he tried his new short "kicker" skins that don't cover the whole ski, just the part underfoot. They worked pretty well and he patiently took a less-steep path to climb back up after each run. Down the steeper part, across a bench, and down to the thicker trees. Skins on, hike up, and repeat. Good skiing in November, who'd have thunk it?</div><div><br /></div><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_WkfuUqYg41g/TOYOqBR9j3I/AAAAAAAAAzM/Sz_xYlV-h8s/s320/IMG_0766.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5541132506587041650" /><div>A bit of a storm is moving through this weekend, with very cold temperatures, including a good chance of snow in the city. Really? In November? Sounds like it's time to wax the skis and put the chains in the car. Winter, here we come!</div>Suzannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03892006200828939444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8598383957029863515.post-71070561489557089082010-11-13T20:48:00.000-08:002010-11-18T21:23:43.335-08:00To the Near East<img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_WkfuUqYg41g/TOYIvgJl5BI/AAAAAAAAAys/fK0FzJVFLM8/s320/IMG_0714.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5541126003703014418" />November is the time of short days, grey skies, and rain here in the Northwest. While we're all waiting for snow to come to the mountains, the recreational shoulder season makes November the perfect time to visit family in the east and appreciate the fall leaves and cold sunny days, which we don't get much of here.<div><br /></div><div>To Virginia to do a little hunting (which in deer season means a lot of sitting still and quiet in chilly wooden tree stands) and eating (mothers' jobs are to keep their children well-fed) with Dave's family, then off to West Virginia to visit Seneca Rocks and do some climbing. Believe it or not, I've never actually climbed on the east coast! My outdoor awakening began post-college, in the great Northwest, but there is plenty of good rock in those much older mountains.</div><div><br /></div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_WkfuUqYg41g/TOYIbDs70aI/AAAAAAAAAyk/6qn9_t4rahE/s320/IMG_0723.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5541125652469240226" /><div>We were blessed with some seriously sunny days, warm and beautiful, even one afternoon in t-shirts! The town of Seneca Rocks exists of several buildings clustered around a T-intersection - two rival guide services, two rival tourist/convenien</div><div>ce stores, and a cafe. We were able to stay at the apartment above the guide service Dave used to work for, so the approach to the rock was all of a 10-minute walk across the road. Sweet!</div><div><br /></div><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_WkfuUqYg41g/TOYH5ugAbqI/AAAAAAAAAyc/pFjtBN8cj74/s320/IMG_0724.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5541125079842188962" /><div>Seneca Rocks is a big fin of stone folded vertically into the ground, relatively solid and in a beautiful setting. Unlike many crags, this has more of a mountain feel, requiring some hiking and offering longer multi-pitch routes. And the south peak happens to be the only summit east of the Mississippi that you can't hike or scramble to, pointy enough to require ropes and technical climbing.</div><div><br /></div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_WkfuUqYg41g/TOYJLmhd6eI/AAAAAAAAAy0/ySv2tgqueVI/s320/IMG_0747.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5541126486450104802" />Only a few days there, just long enough to get my steep-rock climbing skills back in order, then time to move on. We left the beautiful sparsely-populated valleys of West Virginia and continued the trip to visit my parents and sister. Raked leaves in Maryland, saw other of Dave's friends from guiding days, and suddenly two weeks was up, time to head back. Good to visit, see other places, catch up with old friends, and always good to head back home.Suzannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03892006200828939444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8598383957029863515.post-78767071559290204952010-10-23T08:33:00.000-07:002010-10-23T08:35:29.807-07:00The TrekI've spent too much time updating Alpine's cybercast to be excited about doing a condensed version here, so for the moment check out <a href="http://www.alpineascents.com/everest-trek-cybercast.asp">http://www.alpineascents.com/everest-trek-cybercast.asp</a> for details and pictures. More eventually!Suzannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03892006200828939444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8598383957029863515.post-13460627179304622582010-10-04T05:02:00.000-07:002010-10-05T17:28:43.067-07:00Beautiful KathmanduWow - now that was a flight itinerary. 40-some-odd hours of traveling, but that wasn't the interesting part...<div><br /></div><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_WkfuUqYg41g/TKnMqZObzSI/AAAAAAAAAyM/Cp5P7T_2-i0/s320/IMG_0534.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524171446644624674" /><div>Got to the Seattle airport at 5:30am (appropriately early) but hadn't written down my flight specifics. Darn! Stood in line at the wrong airline (as per the departures board), got to the right one, waited for someone to come check my visa, then for someone to sort my luggage out, and got to security <i>6 minutes</i> before my flight closed. Never going to happen. Fortunately the priority line TSA person had mercy and I got on the plane with 1 minute to spare. Whew!</div><div><br /></div><div>But then... Hung out at LAX by the earlier Asiana flight to Seoul only to discover that the next one left from a different terminal. Ran to the shuttle, waited, then ran through the terminal like in the movies, desperately trying to make the flight - missing it would have been a 2-day stay in LA or worse. Got to security and, thankfully, the flight had been delayed 20 minutes, just enough time to make it through. 13 hours on a plane...</div><div><br /></div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_WkfuUqYg41g/TKnL9whpm_I/AAAAAAAAAyE/rp6EgJOUNTg/s320/IMG_0531.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524170679805123570" /><div>Straight to the connecting flight in Seoul, another 7-hour ride, then 12 hours in the Delhi airport. (Which is unrecognizable from 4 years ago when I first went to India. Then, the lack of bathrooms and ceiling tiles and order made for your average developing-nation experience; now, it's almost like a modern terminal, food courts and everything! Though they still confuse automated with accurate...) The new airport is a lot bigger, so I almost missed my flight again. Ha!</div><div><br /></div><div>But I finally made it to Kathmandu, and have spent the last day in the concrete capital of southern Asia. It's not that there's more concrete, necessarily, than in other places, but it has been let grow willy-nilly, so that the roads are more like slot canyons than roads. Add to this the smog, continuing political unrest and lack of functional government or any green space, and you've got a place that doesn't hold much for me. I've been to my share of chaotic markets and temples, and there's only so much culture you can absorb from itinerant backpackers.</div><div><br /></div><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_WkfuUqYg41g/TKnK9iPWeoI/AAAAAAAAAx8/B0CROOm0KKQ/s320/IMG_0532.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524169576458648194" /><div>I did find the potted garden on the roof of the hotel this afternoon, and it offers a view to the north of the city that gives hope of the wide-open spaces we'll be in a few days from now. Children's kites danced in the breeze above the rooftops and big puffy clouds formed over the foothills, and before too long we'll be headed over those hills to the mountains beyond. I'm looking forward to a little walking.</div>Suzannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03892006200828939444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8598383957029863515.post-58849617002570834652010-09-26T20:53:00.000-07:002010-09-26T21:21:21.930-07:00End of summerSometimes summer lingers in the Cascades. There's a good rain at the beginning of September when everyone resigns themselves to going to school, work, and the returning darkness, but then it continues to be sunny through much of September and a little of October, letting those of us who can continue to play.<div><br /></div><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 218px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_WkfuUqYg41g/TKAbWPMmiUI/AAAAAAAAAx0/1tNRKrDRAq4/s320/IMG_0514.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521443212006689090" /><div>Sometimes it doesn't.</div><div><br /></div><div>Word is a La Nina winter is coming, which in the northwest means more precipitation and colder temperatures than normal. Read: a good snow year. To those hoping to climb Mt Rainier in September, however, it means little hope of success this year. As of the end of this trip, no one had summited the mountain in 10 days, and it doesn't look likely in the next few.</div><div><br /></div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_WkfuUqYg41g/TKAa-OuXCBI/AAAAAAAAAxs/6aEWxUrxBHM/s320/IMG_0515.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521442799562983442" /><div>Last week a bunch of snow fell over the course of a storm or two, and the mountain now looks ready for winter, fully cloaked in snow. This means snow angels are possible, but avalanches are as well; up to four feet of fresh snow are sitting on top of a smooth crust with the potential to slide. Not a big deal on a small slope, but on a big one, with a crevasse not too far below, it is a risk to be weighed carefully, especially when leading clients on the mountain. On my most recent trip (and last of my season), it was raining and blowing 90 miles an hour at Camp Muir at 6am. We left camp going down, not up.</div><div><br /></div><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_WkfuUqYg41g/TKAabgPe2tI/AAAAAAAAAxk/o7A4uScm4Hk/s320/IMG_0524.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521442202969889490" /><div>But there's no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing (well, sort of). The fall rains aren't the end of outdoor recreation, just a shift. Dave and I went for a drizzly hike up a grunt of a peak near Bellingham, and instead of flowers and mountain views, were rewarded with blueberries, a bear sighting, and plenty of solitude. What more can you ask for? When your hands get cold from picking berries, you can just hunker down and do it like the bears do...</div><div><br /></div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_WkfuUqYg41g/TKAaC7dobxI/AAAAAAAAAxc/C5LeGxxLM-o/s320/IMG_0526.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521441780780265234" /><div>That's the end of my Cascade season, and I'm ready for a little more stable weather. Next up, it's time to head to Nepal for Alpine's Everest Base Camp trek again. No Island Peak climb this time, just walking in more beautiful mountain terrain.</div>Suzannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03892006200828939444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8598383957029863515.post-33649129840059301872010-09-01T10:26:00.000-07:002010-09-09T13:00:01.145-07:00Four daysWith six days off together in late August, Dave and I had planned a big trip, way back into the North Cascades, one of those climbs where only the first few hours are spent on a trail. In two days, climb the alpine rock route for two days, find our way out by a different cross-country route for two days. Mt Terror - mmm. But having learned our lessons about impending inclement weather and trying to cram too much into time off, we decided to change objectives and do a slightly shorter climb of equal quality - the NE buttress of Mt Goode. (Goode instead of Terror - see, we're learning...)<div><br /></div><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_WkfuUqYg41g/TIk6pK-DD3I/AAAAAAAAAxM/NOXvAktQm7g/s320/IMG_0467.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515003697685532530" /><div>We drove to the trailhead on Rainy Pass the night before, looking up toward the Pickets and feeling good about not wandering around in the rain. Starting out at the PCT south trailhead, our path soon veered off that trail and up a side valley, away from the likelihood of encountering other people. Sixteen miles in, camped at the end of the trail by a beautiful river, all to ourselves. Next morning, bushwhacked and scrambled up 2000 feet to another amazing campsite, settled in, and then walked up to the start of the climb to make sure the glacier would let us pass. A few cracks to step over, but getting onto the rock was assured. Next morning we were up before light, moving early so as to start the rock climbing at first light and maximize our daylight travel time.</div><div><br /></div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_WkfuUqYg41g/TIk6YAGrg7I/AAAAAAAAAxE/kT2tqQefDXI/s320/IMG_0485.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515003402711172018" /><div>The NE buttress of Mt Goode is a classic but not often done route in the Cascades. It's a good ways in, and the route itself, while not necessarily difficult, is long and committing. It is 2800' of rock climbing, and retreating partway up would involve leaving a <i>lot</i> of gear behind. The way we went, when you reach the top you have to go down the back side of the mountain and walk all the way around, to the top of another small glacier which you descend to get back to camp. But it's in a fantastic setting, way up an unpopulated wilderness valley, long and beautiful and remote. The only people we saw were two hiking in as we were hiking out the last day.</div><div><br /></div><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_WkfuUqYg41g/TIk58-PvdZI/AAAAAAAAAw8/QtJS51Glx5s/s320/IMG_0490.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515002938355840402" /><div>We moved pretty well on the third- to fifth-class terrain, roped the entire time but with more or less protection as the steepness of the rock dictated. Close to the top we came across a bivy site perched on the edge of the ridge with melting snow just retreating from the edge - a perfect place to melt water and replenish for the second half of the day: getting down. On a long, hot day, it's more efficient to carry two pounds of Jetboil stove and fuel than to carry countless liters of water at two pounds per liter. We filled up all our water bottles and scoped out the decent notch before continuing on to the summit.</div><div><br /></div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_WkfuUqYg41g/TIk5bXPazBI/AAAAAAAAAw0/xZyjdHYuzuA/s320/IMG_0499.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515002360949820434" /><div>The Cascades continue to be one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. From the top we could see snowy volcanoes, lakes and valleys, and a sea of peaks in every direction. It is in a different quarter than most of the climbing I have done, so mountains are rearranged and showing a different side from this perch. It is staggering to think of how many things there are around us to climb, but the sun continues to move through the sky and we must begin our descent. Rappel, scramble, rappel, walk down a gully, cross some snow, hike up, cross more snow, ascend to a small pass, rappel, downclimb 50 degree snow to the glacier... turn on headlamps. Weave through crevasses, dodge more crevasses, watch the full moon rise, skirt a rock band, arrive at the slopes just above camp. Camp.</div><div><br /></div><div>Next morning, we took a little time to appreciate the beauty of this place that cannot be described, only taken in. Then packed up, made our way back down to the valley trail, and hiked the 16 miles back to the trailhead. The beauty of a sleep-in-able vehicle is that we didn't have to go anywhere, just to sleep and listen to the returning rain on the roof of the truck.</div>Suzannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03892006200828939444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8598383957029863515.post-40657064840413123902010-08-21T11:08:00.000-07:002010-09-02T16:56:55.418-07:00Six days<img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_WkfuUqYg41g/TIA5YW2eATI/AAAAAAAAAwk/ME9J59fsqgw/s320/Mt+Baker+Suz+teaching.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512469034515169586" />One of my favorite things to do for Alpine Ascents is teach the 6-day course, a basic introduction to mountaineering skills. It's fun, entertaining, and rewarding - people with a range of skills, from none to perhaps some rock climbing background, show up on the first morning with a backpack full of gear, and by the end of 6 days they have learned how to use it. Not enough to start running up mountains by one's self, perhaps, but enough to know how to use an ice axe, which side of the crampons are up, and how to get out of a crevasse should they end up in one in ideal circumstances. Those are the basics - all the rest comes from experience.<div><br /></div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_WkfuUqYg41g/TIA5GkkKb4I/AAAAAAAAAwU/dlDMU_WIn5E/s320/41008_421003047554_505972554_4974126_1498468_n.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512468728958840706" /><div>And this time, near-perfect weather. What more can you ask for - a beautiful setting in which to hang out with ten excited, engaged, intelligent people from all over the country? Done. The views from up there are great - you're not so high that the lower peaks are distant and indistinguishable, but rather closeby and intriguing. The upper camp, termed the "honeymoon suite", looks directly across at the North Twin Sister, which Dave and I climbed a couple weeks ago. Not too shabby.</div><div><br /></div><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_WkfuUqYg41g/TIA47lRtfmI/AAAAAAAAAwM/1AfZGH1WHTU/s320/47898_421010772554_505972554_4974258_1908849_n.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512468540171320930" /><div>We start with the basics - various foot techniques for walking on snow, proper crampon placement, ice axe arrest (face buried in the snow, using axe and feet to stop a fall) on flatter ground for practice - then move on to finer skills. How long the rope should be between climbers, lots of different knots, belaying and rappelling on steeper slopes... These skills culminate in learning how to rescue oneself or a teammate from a crevasse, putting together all of the critical thinking and various skills learned over the past few days. Oh, and summitting the mountain, which is the more immediate goal.</div><div><br /></div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_WkfuUqYg41g/TIA4spGYofI/AAAAAAAAAwE/nGmPZmbpfVs/s320/47496_421005572554_505972554_4974187_5565366_n.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512468283499520498" /><div>I've personally never fallen in a crevasse. I've punched a foot through a snowbridge, snow that builds up to cover the crevasse and then slowly melts away in the summer. These cracks in the snow and ice of the glacier can be wide or narrow, deep or shallow, and hanging on one end of the rope or holding a fallen teammate on the other end can be equally harrowing experiences. If and when it happens, you need to know what to do, so we practice. And the practice is pretty cool - how often do you get to hang in a big crack in the ice and feel safe and secure? While the summit is an important part of the trip, this is often the highlight of the trip for students.</div><div><br /></div><div>Playing on glaciers for 6 days with fun, motivated people for 6 days - I'll take it. (Thanks to everybody who wants to learn and keeps me doing this stuff!) They say that good judgement comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgement, so good luck folks - be safe!<br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Suzannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03892006200828939444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8598383957029863515.post-44034423131699785282010-08-09T12:00:00.000-07:002010-08-09T12:24:00.488-07:00Where does the summer go??Wow. One or two trips, a personal climb, another three trips, and all of a sudden it's three weeks later. Summer is too short, or perhaps too long, given how much I try to pack into it. Three months is a long time to be chronically sleep-deprived...<div><br /></div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_WkfuUqYg41g/TGBU_MzeMuI/AAAAAAAAAvw/fXMCIFWKlXs/s320/IMG_0403.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5503492189392351970" /><div>The Cascades got a ridiculous amount of snow this winter and spring, so all of the glaciers and snow slopes are still in excellent shape. This means that crevasses and ice that would normally make routes longer (having to go around them) or more technical (it's harder to climb a given angle of ice than of snow) are still covered in snow. It makes our guiding days a little shorter and a little easier; right now we have conditions that are more typical of late June/early July than of August. It's nice.</div><div><br /></div><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_WkfuUqYg41g/TGBVhVvEvzI/AAAAAAAAAv4/iOyEEGyhloI/s320/IMG_0459.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5503492775905378098" /><div>I got to climb the Kautz route (new for me) on Mt Rainer for Alpine Ascents, do a couple more laps on the Disappointment Cleaver, the standard route, and take some climbers up Mt Baker. In between, with some of that precious time off, Dave and I took a day to climb the south face of the North Twin Sister, close by Bellingham. It's a fun, relatively easy climb in a beautiful setting, and we didn't see anyone else the entire day. Perfect weather, beautiful climb, easy climbing partner - these things all help recover mentally from so much taking care of other people while guiding. Nice.</div><div><br /></div><div>Also crammed into these three weeks was the RAMROD, Ride Around Mt Rainier in One Day, a 150-mile, 10,000' elevation gain road ride organized by a local cycling club. I remember hearing about this early in my Washington life, and thinking that this was something for people with an entirely different idea of fun than I. How was it? Fantastic. Apparently climbing is good cross-training for cycling. Tiring, yes, but I wasn't dying to get off the bike by the end, and the route goes through some really beautiful areas, both in and out of the national park. The best part? I started up a Rainier climb the next day with little more than tired muscles. Ha!</div><div><br /></div><div>So that's a glimpse of summer in the Cascades. So much to do. Such limited time in the sunshine. It's a good thing it starts to rain again sometime in September/October, or we wouldn't be able to keep up with our bodies! Sleep is good...</div>Suzannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03892006200828939444noreply@blogger.com0