TR Replies

That hut-shot is stinkin' awesome

1/28/14 2:02pm

jtack

January 24, 2014, Mt Hood, Eliot/Newton Glaciers

Nice going, that's a fitting tribute to anyone. A big bite. Thanks for the great report.

1/28/14 1:07pm

noparking

looks like a good time. thanks for posting the report

1/28/14 1:05pm

T. Eastman

Did you ever have one of those alpine experiences that enabled you to realize all that you didn't know? If not, how did you come by that realization? I'm truly curious, as I'm another one who had to learn the hard way.

We all learn from mistakes but also from the culture of sport and the mentors we encountered early in the ongoing learning process. I was fortunate to have safety drilled into my head fr...

1/28/14 12:56pm

glenn_b

author=Charlie Hagedorn link=topic=30540.msg127765#msg127765 date=1390889019]
Thank you, Patrick, for sharing your story that others might learn.

Wishing you a speedy recovery and happy tours afterwards.

1/28/14 12:09pm

String

Yeesh, I feel your pain. Mine popped out on the park headwall last may. That ride down and walk out was the worst. Here's to a speedy recovery and some good old fashinoed pt!

1/28/14 11:26am

bs.

looks like a fun trip in a cool zone. i remember looking up at clark last spring and thinking it would be worth a trip of its own. i bet franklin would approve.

now hopefully we can be done with this alpine BS for awhile and get back to riding deep pow in low vis.

1/28/14 9:42am

chuck

Route well chosen! Friday we made a day trip to the west peak on Goat. It was a fantastic view from the top and fun ride down in 3-6" of perfect corn.

We descended to around 4200' where we lost the trail and spent the next 3 hours bushwhacking the steep trees and navigating cliffs back to the truck. Its good to come prepared with headlamps, map and compass for sure. It was a fun, challe...

1/28/14 8:12am

oldman takealookat

author=T. Eastman link=topic=30540.msg127753#msg127753 date=1390881631]
I am going to be harsh...

... people need to re-evaluate their evaluation of their skills. While rare in these parts, such conditions are part of ski touring and most certainly part of ski-mountaineering. Ice axe arrests are a poor substitute for footwork, with and without crampons.

T.Eastman,
Did you ever have one of those alpine experienc...

1/28/14 6:46am

Snoqualmonix

1-20-14-Muir to Paradise via the Nisqually Chutes

author=Good2Go link=topic=30540.msg127796#msg127796 date=1390942310]
Knowing when to employ additional safety measures is an art, and we likely all get lucky sometimes in making the more expedient choice. Thanks for the reminder.

Well said. Pure luck is sometimes a good check for the ego. I never used to believe in luck, until the mountains made me.

1/28/14 6:28am

clymbon

author=clymbon link=topic=30446.msg127720#msg127720 date=1390859539]
Do they let you sleep in your vehicle? (I have a VW Camper.) That might be the solution to the gate problem - drive up in the evening before 5:00 pm, sleep in the van, get up early and go skiing.

How hard is it to get a permit? Anyone know?

OK, answering my own question here. I called the NPS and asked, and here's what they told m...

1/28/14 6:23am

kamtron

Juneuary 16-26, 2014, Rainier, 10K to Bridge CORN!

Thanks for the pic, Norseman! I like that shot

I made a silly gif of Amar making turns down the chute that day.
http://students.washington.edu/kamdh/nolink/amar.gif

1/28/14 5:36am

Good2Go

The conditions you were facing were unusual for that spot, especially this time of year, and sounds like it was borderline in terms of what tools/practices were required under the circumstances for safe travel. My understanding is that similar conditions and circumstances (e.g., underestimating the risk of a simple slip) resulted in the death of the Rainier climbing ranger a couple years ago (i.e., it can happen to anyone). Knowing when to employ additional safety measures is an art,...

1/28/14 5:01am

Glorificus Adventum

No. It was my partner and I, though we leap frogged with a group of three guys camping out on the ridge Saturday night.

1/28/14 4:51am

Jason4

Thanks for sharing the details and lessons. I've heard rumors of a few of the other accidents that Oyvind mentioned this weekend from a couple of different sources but your's is the first that I've seen details of on the internet or the news.

I'm happy for you that you both got out in relatively good shape.

1/28/14 4:35am

danpeck

AWESOME!

1/28/14 3:40am

Kenji

To complete the sequence.

Morning Sun on Baker:

Sorry Marcus for so many pictures, but this is more like a hiking TR than skiing anyway ;)

1/28/14 3:38am

Marcus

What a great tribute to Franklin - thanks for sharing it.

1/28/14 3:30am

Trevor Kostanich

1-20-14-Muir to Paradise via the Nisqually Chutes

Great thinking gentlemen and very nicely executed.

Trevor

1/28/14 2:37am

savegondor

well that's some good info. my opinions are limited to blue-bird days when lower paid employees could manage keeping gate open. when the weather hits greater skills are required.

author=vogtski link=topic=30446.msg127736#msg127736 date=1390868829]
The Paradise Visitor Center ('lodge') cafeteria and gift shop are monopoly concessions run by Guest Services, Inc., the operator of the Longmire and Paradise Inns, so thos...

1/28/14 2:36am

mikerolfs

This is just so inspiring. Great trip. Perfect. I love the second photo of skiing into the valley.

1/28/14 2:09am

Stefan

thanks Patrick for telling your story. I am happy for you for the positive outcome on what could have been worse.

Keep getting out!

1/28/14 2:07am

thatoneguydave

Patrick thanks for sharing your story and I'm glad that you and Sarah walked away with only the injuries you received. I've met you once before with Erik at Second Ascent, but was looking forward to a day of climbing with you and Sarah on Baker. While we were aborting our trip and dealing with the ice we were constantly wondering what you two would end up deciding to do once you saw the conditions or if we would run into on the way out.

There is a lot to learn f...

1/28/14 1:07am

powhound

Awesome! It was a perfect weekend for alpine camping, and it looks like you guys took full advantage

1/28/14 12:41am

snoholic

Well done!

1/28/14 12:29am

Shred

A really fun trip!
Here's some pics I got with my crappy phone.
http://www.nwhikers.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=8009273

1/27/14 11:36pm

Oyvind_Henningsen

I am so happy that you are safe and sound and can gain and learn from this experience.

During this dry period our area from Rainier to Baker has experienced a high rate of accidents resulting from slip on hard snow. It is easy to underestimate the lack of friction and the result of a slip.

Lets hope we get some of the white stuff soon !

1/27/14 10:57pm

Jim Oker

1/26/14, Mt. Baker, Boulder Glacier Julyuary

Patrick - thanks for sharing your tale, and I'm of course happy to read that you guys got down and will hopefully recover fully (though the shoulder may never be quite the same if it's your first dislocation of it).

I'm guessing you don't think the responses are overly harsh. A good friend who helped introduce me to the NW mountains almost 20 years ago hammered home for me that, even with regular practice, ice axes aren't magic, and as a few others have noted...

1/27/14 10:46pm

Kenji

Thanks for your post. We almost headed that way except weren't sure about the road condition. now we know!

1/27/14 4:20pm

Snoqualmonix

I'm loving these Rad! "The girl is killing it!"

1/27/14 2:56pm

Kenji

Ok, here we go:

Some night time reading

Starry night out:

Our home Saturday:

Morning Sun!

Skis were just ou...

1/27/14 2:26pm

MtnPavlas

Hey Radka, the sequence of the photos makes it look like you were up all night ;- )
Pretty nice - love the Milky Way shot.

1/27/14 2:22pm

Snoqualmonix

author=T. Eastman link=topic=30540.msg127753#msg127753 date=1390881631]
I am going to be harsh...

... people need to re-evaluate their evaluation of their skills. While rare in these parts, such conditions are part of ski touring and most certainly part of ski-mountaineering. Ice axe arrests are a poor substitute for footwork, with and without crampons.

Thank you for succinctly & kindly stating what immediately c...

1/27/14 2:05pm

Charlie Hagedorn

I'm pretty certain that low friction and gravity offered sufficient feedback. Falls like this one are no fun, and aren't easily dismissed. Whenever I think on it, I thank my lucky stars not to have lost a ski partner in a similar event.

Thank you, Patrick, for sharing your story that others might learn.

1/27/14 2:04pm

T. Eastman

January 23, 2014, Meany Lodge to Hyak

It isn't anything about "know it all" attitude, it is about people skiing being honest about their skills and judgement. Always being polite and supportive avoids realistic criticism.

By posting such an account, I would expect some fair evaluation...

... do you get soft fuzzy reviews at work, where the consequences are less likely to result in death?

1/27/14 2:03pm

Cornfed

Looking forward to being "IN" the race in a couple of weeks. Also stoked that we are going to start getting some typical winter weather. Hope we get a decent bond to that very firm and hard crust out there... Enjoyed your report.

1/27/14 1:37pm

Cornfed

Some jackass always has to be a know it all; and they know they are a jackass because they start by saying "I'm going to be harsh". You should ignore all such posts, you've already beaten yourself up over it. I wanted to say, thanks for sharing, and nice job getting out despite having injuries (and a little bit of help), though I suspect you'd have gotten out anyhow, but maybe had to leave some gear. It is easy to share all that goes well in the mountai...

1/27/14 1:22pm

Charlie Hagedorn

Very glad you're okay. Slides on ice are scary.

Stable powder and soft corn will return soon; there's always a next time.

1/27/14 12:54pm

Eckels

I had a similar experience skiing on the SW side of Baker on Saturday. everything West facing was totally locked up and shiny.

While traversing above a rollover to reach a south face that would be skiable my edge gave out and I began to slide with a whippet and regular ski pole and no gloves.

The first time I dug my whippet in I was not able to stop (partly due to the awkward position having skis on my feet put me in), instead of stopping I was flipped head first.

1/27/14 12:33pm

r1de

Wow. Thanks for sharing. Glad to hear you're both okay. Having just learned of a fall-on-ice related fatality this weekend, I can say you're truly lucky.

1/27/14 12:26pm

T. Eastman

Being a skilled ski mountaineer doesn't make you competent on ice and crampons. I went out there with total confidence in our abilities in the alpine, and most of my experience does not apply to ice sheets/

I am going to be harsh...

... people need to re-evaluate their evaluation of their skills. While rare in these parts, such conditions are part of ski touring and most certainly part of ski-mountaineerin...

1/27/14 12:03pm

rlsg

SWEET PHOTOS!!!!!!!!!!! YOU ARE AN ARTIST FOR SURE!!!!!!!!!!!

1/27/14 12:00pm

JoshK

January 24, 2014, Nisqually Chutes Bluebird

Were you part of the group of 4 I ran in to? I was there with the 2 other guys who left that morning. If so, great to meet you all! It sure was a nice day; I ended up doing 4 laps yesterday before enjoying a wonderful sunset. I would certainly prefer powder this time of year, but hey, hard to complain about shirtless skiing temps in January. :-) As you said, Goat was definitely a great choice given the conditions we are dealing with.

1/27/14 11:58am

DB_Cooper

Nice meeting you up there Cam. Glad we could help out. Some nice looking turns you were laying down up there. Was a great day!

1/27/14 11:51am

Norseman

Juneuary 16-26, 2014, Rainier, 10K to Bridge CORN!

I owe Amar (and Kamtron) thanks for the ride back to my rig at Paradise on Friday the 17th. My solo day was much improved by meeting you guys and skiing to the bridge!

Also, thanks for the photo credit above.

Here's another, but of Kamtron down below the terminus of the Nisqually that day:

-Scott

1/27/14 11:28am

DB_Cooper

Juneuary 16-26, 2014, Rainier, 10K to Bridge CORN!

Glad we could help with the shuttle, would have hated to break Amar's string. :) Actually, I'm sure he would have hitchhiked it knowing how great the conditions were.

1/27/14 11:24am

Glorificus Adventum