Leaving to Climb Rainier

“Well, tomorrow is the big day. I am leaving for Rainier. This is the most bizarre travel plans due to changes with family -

Amtrak from Oakland to Bend
Fly Redmond to Seattle
Drive to Paradise

I know that RumiDude, aka Kilgore Trout has offered to pick me up at the airport and drive me but I just couldn't accept because that is too big a favor. Besides, I would need to impose again to get back. I will also be picking a partner up in Seattle and driving him.

So, I will be staying at Cougar Rock Campground Sunday and Monday with my climbing partners if anyone in the area wants to visit.

Now is the time that I will see if all of that training and money have paid off!”

“If ya get gripped, look inside, focus. One step at a time.

I'll be sending good thoughts to ya.”

“Thanks Steve! I will not be back until after the first so it will be awhile before I post any pics or reports. Your support and thoughts will help me keep going when my brain starts baking in the solar heat and tells me to STOP! I know that I was very warm on Shasta while others were cold. Normally - I am the cold person but I think I had to work harder than the others.”

“good luck on your climb”

“Good Luck Sandyann!

I can't wait to see your summit pics!

Above all - stay safe!”

“Have fun, Sandyann, and good luck!

I am really looking forward to your TR and pics.”

“Thank You! 8 Hours and counting....”

“Go get um girl. Look forward to you trip report.”

“Heck, I thought you were talking about "Prince" Rainier. Good luck.”

“Moon us from the top!!”

“Have a good trip, Sandyann. Stay safe and trust your instincts.

We took Amtrak to Eugene last Sept. The train was 8 hours late. I don't know if that's a chronic problem, but you may want to talk with them, if your connections are tight.”

“Thanks to everyone - wish me luck as I am shortly off to catch the Amtrak.

Karen - it is already 2 hours late. Thank the Amtrak gods I have a layover day in Oregon.”

“oh yea....it is 105 here in Livermore right now.”

“good luck sandyann! I'll be right behind you - flying into Seattle on the 28th of July and attempting the trek up the mountain the 30/31st. It's been over 100 degrees at my house just about every day since the end of June, so I haven't been pushing myself to workout as much as I should have been. My fingers and feet are all swollen up - two months earlier than they usually are in the summer. (For some reason, when it's hot for a long period of time my body starts to hold water. - it's kind of like being pregnant.)

This is going to be an interesting.”

“How did it go, wingding0??”

“Did you guys survive?”

“Idaho Bob - I got back this morning. I did not summit, but had a great time. I did fine the first day on the trip to Muir Camp in a snow storm. When we started out on Day 2 (this past monday) for the summit at 1:30 am it was a beautiful day (cold but clear with little wind), but I ran out of steam very early at Ingram Flats (11,200')and went back down to Muir Camp. The person I had planned the trip with was able to make it to the summit, so I was happy for him.

Anyway, I'm revising my training plan and looking at another try for next year. I have someone who is going to train with me and then head up with me for the climb next year. I think it will help to have a training partner.

Climbing in a roped team is much different than when out there solo - I had not anticipated that there would be times when the pace would be steady, and someone else's, with no stops to catch ones breath for up to 1.5 hours on steep slopes. I had anticipated the steep slopes, but my method of hiking has never been real steady - more of a stop and go type of hiking.

My training will now be more focused. I thought that if I could get up that much elevation and at a similar altitude on a different mountain that I would be fine, but I had not thought about having to have such a consistant pace. The trip to Muir Camp took 5 hours and those that made it to the summit made it in about 6 hours. I was able to stay with the group on the leg to Muir Camp - eventhough we were not roped we stayed together at the same pace, but then I didn't recover enough for the 1:30 am trip to the summit.

It's just beautiful up there in the National Park. I stayed on for a couple of days after the Rainier attempt taking little hikes and lots of pictures. The flowers are just beautiful right now.”

“wingding - please let us know when you upload your pictures . . . I'd love to see them.

Wow, that's crazy going steeply uphill for 1.5 hrs. with no stops. I don't think I would have kept up to that pace either. I'm going out to hike the Wonderland Trail in September, and, originally, I thought about making a summit attempt after finishing the trail (with a guide). I'm glad that I decided against doing that.”

“"...but my method of hiking has never been real steady - more of a stop and go type of hiking."

That's my climbing style, also. I wonder if I could have made it with a guide service setting that kind of pace. Can you and your friend climb together next year without the guide service? You could both climb the Emmons Glacier route and set your own pace. Kick back, relax, and acclimatize at Camp Shurman for a day or two. Take your time.
last edited: 8/03/06 10:06:13 PM”

“USA - the person I'm going to train with is interested in doing it next summer, so maybe we will be able to head up without a guide. I always heard that the guide service went at a slow pace, but they don't. They go at a moderate but steady pace for 1 to 1.5 hours and then take 15 minute breaks. I'd prefer to go for 15 minutes at a time and take 5 minute breaks on a steep slope, but for training I'm going to try to keep up a pace like the guide service does in case I need to go that route again.

By the way, the guides at RMI were really nice and they ran a good program. The senior guide in charge of our summit attempt has been up Everest and many other peaks around the world. He also has the highest success rate on McKinley - 15 successful trips out of 16. He was very modest about his accomplishments and was clear that a trip isn't successful when you reach the summit, but when you get back down safely.”

“I've uploaded a bunch of pictures. Most of the pictures I have of the attempt to climb Rainier are from Muir Camp where I was confined after failing to get past the Flats until everyone got back. The other pictures are from a hike in the Tatoosh Range, out to what's left of Paradise Glacier, and other short hikes in the Paradise area. I still need to sort through them and delete some of the shots that are repeats and label them, but here they are:

http://kathywing.smugmug.com/gallery/1735373/1”

“the wildflower pic (above) is gorgeous!”

“Nice pictures! The clouds over the lower peaks is always a nice sight. Now that you know the routine of ice axe use and roped travel, you can go with your own party, and go at your own pace. The RMI folks might steam on past you, but you can make it up at your own pace. Funny how your body rebels at that pace at 13,000 feet. Way to go! I'm glad you had the adventure.”

“How did Jaynewallll do?”

“wingding, georgous picture!!
I think I have the same issue climbing, I am not very consistant... call me crazy but I started to count, that sort of helps.”

“how do I add pictures to a thread? I already created an album here.”

“Yes, it would be nice to do it with friends at a slightly slower pace and use RMI's beaten path.”

“Sandyann, you have to use a website like photobucket.com or similar so you can cut and paste a tag to have a photo appear in the thread.”

“I have a webshots account, but I don't use it anymore because I like my smugmug account better. Smugmug lets me post images in threads, but webshots doesn't.”