TR Replies
$22 is lame. What services are being provided for with this money- the parking lot, bathrooms...? $7 is just for the service fee that goes directly to the ESPN affiliated website! And snowmobilers can ride up to the summit and not have to pay this amount!
Robert,
Thanks for the info.
I think your reply illustrates something important about conditions and aspect. I think we had much better snow conditions on the "north" side of the mountain. Come to think of it, the worst of the slush where we were was on south aspects, and especially on terrain features that were concave and facing south. Even small features such as tree wells that were concave seemed to focus the solar energy and deepen the slush...
Thanks for the info.
I think your reply illustrates something important about conditions and aspect. I think we had much better snow conditions on the "north" side of the mountain. Come to think of it, the worst of the slush where we were was on south aspects, and especially on terrain features that were concave and facing south. Even small features such as tree wells that were concave seemed to focus the solar energy and deepen the slush...
Thanks for the good report, zackalope.
I'm surprised that they let you buy a permit online at the Lone Fir. My understanding of the new rules was that the permit had to be bought online from the MSH Institute at least 24 hours prior to the day of the climb (e.g. by the end of Friday for a Sunday climb). This rule would prevent climbing on short notice, like if the forecast suddenly improves. Specifically, see halfway down on this page,
I'm surprised that they let you buy a permit online at the Lone Fir. My understanding of the new rules was that the permit had to be bought online from the MSH Institute at least 24 hours prior to the day of the climb (e.g. by the end of Friday for a Sunday climb). This rule would prevent climbing on short notice, like if the forecast suddenly improves. Specifically, see halfway down on this page,
author=BigSnow link=topic=10039.msg40452#msg40452 date=1210617610]
I can't say that this trip hooked my son on backcountry skiing. The long road slog up and then out is a detraction in my opinion and I think I will pick a more exciting direct approach trip next time. Hopefully the weather will be more inviting.
I did Lichtenberg on Saturday via Yodelin which is an approach I really like. You can park in the Stevens Pa...
author=Stefan link=topic=10026.msg40447#msg40447 date=1210610454]
nice. i gotta get permission from the mrs. to get the kids out of school for stuff like that. lucky kid.
I sent Tom's teacher a link to this TR after we got back. (I guess I wrote his report for him. ;) ) She said, "I have to agree that it was a very good idea to take Tom out of school for the day."
A couple of times during the day Tom sa...
nice. i gotta get permission from the mrs. to get the kids out of school for stuff like that. lucky kid.
author=Ian link=topic=10034.msg40438#msg40438 date=1210567827]
Sorry no photos, but I'm finally going to get a camera on Friday!
Darn! Looked up that way on a recent drive to Boise and said to my friends, "I really want to know what it looks like up in there." Had a great lunch in Baker City in some pizza/sandwich place with red brick walls, a bustling atmos., and good service.
Post any kind o...
Re the steam caves: The National Speleological Society (NSS) is the largest caving organization in the US. Most NSS activities relate to caves formed in persistent rock such as limestone. However, the NSS home page has this entry:
http://www.caves.org/io/projects.shtml
{content}
Mount Rainier Steam Caves Project
The project's primary objective is to survey and monitor the caves vicinity the summit of Mount Rainier, Washington. The caves are forme...
http://www.caves.org/io/projects.shtml
{content}
Mount Rainier Steam Caves Project
The project's primary objective is to survey and monitor the caves vicinity the summit of Mount Rainier, Washington. The caves are forme...
Glad to hear that you had an enjoyable trip. Although the snowpack was "light" this year in the Sierra, you found some great terrain. The Mobil deli is a great place to stop after a spring tour at Tioga.
Wow. I feel like I just went to a conference on fumaroles! Thanks! Anybody think we can get some funding for a summer research trip to Chile?
Ah, the Eastern Sierra in the Spring. So much fun there oughta be a law; don't tell anyone or there soon will be. The Tioga Pass Mobil Station is the best backcountry skiing gas station in the world, even if liability made them close access to the massive high trapeze (yes, they used to let customers play on the trapeze) a few years back. The microbrews on tap, killer fish tacos, outdoor barbecue grills, sand volleyball court and Van Morrison and Dumpstafunk on the speaker...
Wow, nice tracks! That sounds like a killer tour and some great terrain as well!
As the "wreckers" go, I appreciate the geusture a 100x! I have a bunch of extra screws and some JB weld, but if it doesn't work, I'll probably do what I should've done a while back...get a real AT setup. :-[
As the "wreckers" go, I appreciate the geusture a 100x! I have a bunch of extra screws and some JB weld, but if it doesn't work, I'll probably do what I should've done a while back...get a real AT setup. :-[
Thanks for the directions... that really looks cool.
I'm not saying abandon modern technology, I just think that without much effort or extra gear, you can make a return trip easier in potentially difficult conditions.
There are several ways to use wands: you can place them every ropelength, at switchbacks, or on a fall line you plane on skiing (if you are ascending roughly the same route). Let's say you place one and note the elevation and compass heading to the next, which might be 500 vertical above. Repeat for a few thousa...
There are several ways to use wands: you can place them every ropelength, at switchbacks, or on a fall line you plane on skiing (if you are ascending roughly the same route). Let's say you place one and note the elevation and compass heading to the next, which might be 500 vertical above. Repeat for a few thousa...
Wow - the HD images will be amazing with the weather you guys had! We will hold you responsible if there are herds of French people coming to the area after that ;-)
Looking forward to watching this when it airs.
Looking forward to watching this when it airs.
That's neat. The smiles in your last photo are fabulous.
Thanks everyone for the continued kind words, support, and ongoing discussion. There is much to learn from all of it.
author=Rusty Knees link=topic=10009.msg40411#msg40411 date=1210481253">
Wow -4.3lbs of body fat in a couple of days. I think you'll be invited on Oprah, and shortly after that we'll be seeing a rash of celebrities on the "Amazing Amar Fumarale Diet".
So glad you both survived! What a great sto...
Man that is a long boot up Stugie. Good work, nice pictures. I have some Trekkers laying around if you need parts.
By the looking at your pictures this report reminded me that recently a friend of mine, who I call the Grand Master of Crystal's BC, did a day trip tour skinning from his cabin at Silver Creek up to Corral Pass, then behind (NE) Castle Ridge to the last chute on the Castle, skied into what you call "Valley of the Titan's" or Goat Lake, then skinned to...
By the looking at your pictures this report reminded me that recently a friend of mine, who I call the Grand Master of Crystal's BC, did a day trip tour skinning from his cabin at Silver Creek up to Corral Pass, then behind (NE) Castle Ridge to the last chute on the Castle, skied into what you call "Valley of the Titan's" or Goat Lake, then skinned to...
At the risk of beating a dead horse...
Wands and compasses are themselves technologies in a certain sense. But perhaps what people really mean when they say 'technology' is 'electronics' or 'it takes batteries.'
GPS is simply a 20th century version of wands and a compass. The two methods need not be mutually exclusive, but in my opinion one of them has the potential to be far more effective in whiteout conditions, should you end up in that situation. Pe...
Wands and compasses are themselves technologies in a certain sense. But perhaps what people really mean when they say 'technology' is 'electronics' or 'it takes batteries.'
GPS is simply a 20th century version of wands and a compass. The two methods need not be mutually exclusive, but in my opinion one of them has the potential to be far more effective in whiteout conditions, should you end up in that situation. Pe...
Hey Amar. Thanks for sharing a gripping account of your ordeal. Well managed. Hats off to you and Hannah for getting down safely.
author=Mr.Doober link=topic=10009.msg40416#msg40416 date=1210525371]
I think even a half dozen well placed wands could have made your ordeal much less of one. Many a time I have felt great relief at seeing the wand I was searching for on my way back down after the weather changes or was never that good in the...
That's great! Way to represent for the PNW, and even more so (and more morose) to help make others aware of the climate change taking place in our beloved and fragile playgrounds.
Amar,
Thanks for sharing, and as everyone else has said, I'm glad you both made it out unscathed. One thing that came to mind, and that you have only mentioned in passing was wands:
"they had summited via Ingraham Direct, and the route is now well-wanded, but still has several sketchy crevasse crossings and the guides think it may not go much longer"
I have been up Rainier a few times, and even in mid summer with ideal weather conditions, I carry and use...
Thanks for sharing, and as everyone else has said, I'm glad you both made it out unscathed. One thing that came to mind, and that you have only mentioned in passing was wands:
"they had summited via Ingraham Direct, and the route is now well-wanded, but still has several sketchy crevasse crossings and the guides think it may not go much longer"
I have been up Rainier a few times, and even in mid summer with ideal weather conditions, I carry and use...
Thanks again Amar for such a thorough and selfless deconstruction of your saga. I want to compliment the community (as it pertains to those who've posted) for being so responsible, and respectful of Amar and Hannah, in participating in this important process. For good reason, we leave our "other lives" out of these chats, just like we do when we're in the mountains. However, I want to mention that since my other life is as an interventional cardiologist, I r...
Amar and Hannah,
I'm so glad that you both escaped a potentially awful situation. These sorts of things make me realize that TAY is a community that cares about one another.
Larry
I'm so glad that you both escaped a potentially awful situation. These sorts of things make me realize that TAY is a community that cares about one another.
Larry
author=Amar Andalkar link=topic=10009.msg40394#msg40394 date=1210447998">I asked them if there were any entries in the summit register the past few days, and they said none since May 6, so apparently they were the first climbers to summit since me. I asked what they thought of that entry, and the guides remarked that it was very interesting. They realized my questions were odd, so I revealed that I had written the entry. It turns out one of the guides had taken a p...
author=Amar Andalkar link=topic=10009.msg40273#msg40273 date=1210226218]
And at least I lost some weight during the trip: From the morning of May 3 through this afternoon on May 7, my weight has decreased from 144.4 lbs to 140.0, with body fat decreasing from 14.9% to 12.3%. This equals a loss of 4.3 lbs of body fat, which would supply about 17000 calories, and luckily it appears that I managed not to burn a significant amount of muscle mass. That would have c...
author=Boot link=topic=10009.msg40407#msg40407 date=1210465689]
I hope you realize my query about going down the DC or Ingraham was not a "what you should have done" comment.
I don't think anyone is saying "what [Amar] should have done". The past is done - the reason to explore hypotheticals is entirely forward looking. Patterns emerge and they are extremely valuable in helping future trip planning.&...
Amar and Hannah, thank you for responding to the couple of questions I had. I hope you realize my query about going down the DC or Ingraham was not a "what you should have done" comment. I was exploring what my own decision path may have been in that scenario and you hit the nail on the head with the comment about route familiarity. Having done the Fuhrer and DC it may have been a toss-up, with the familiarity of going down what I just climbed up maybe having th...
Thanks much. Thinking about this for Wed at the cold-warm transition; may get a later start than you and will hope for non-glop!
Another year of fun with great people at a wonderful location. Some pictures from the skiing contingent are here.
author=jdclimber link=topic=10009.msg40352#msg40352 date=1210353648]
Ash_j, yes, weather was a factor, but only one factor. In some ways, the stage was set for the weather.
Using Amar's experience as fodder for this discussion, weather would have been fatal if Amar were climbing in a Speedo. Why did he have other clothing, because he wanted a margin of safety provided by extra clothing.
Had he perished in a Speedo, due to hypothermia, woul...
Latest info at http://www.turns-all-year.com/skiing_snowboarding/trip_reports/index.php?topic=9929.0
Thanks for the TR Dan. Many of us refugees from the NE fondly look back on spring trips in the Presidentials as the "gateway drug" that got us hooked on the North Cascades. If your trip has you sticking around longer, you may want to get away from the Tuck's and Gulf of Slides crowds and check out Madison Gulf, Oakes Gulf or the big daddy, Great Gulf, and it's hairball lines like Airplane Gully (not far from the summer summit road). I sorta regret never chec...
Thanks for sharing your experience, Amar.
I suspect most if not all of us would have total confidence in you as a partner due to your obvious ability to keep it together throughout such an ordeal.
It's always tempting, upon reading such an account, to say "but I wouldn't have done this or that, so I don't think that would happen to me." E.g with the "Gooch Epic...
I suspect most if not all of us would have total confidence in you as a partner due to your obvious ability to keep it together throughout such an ordeal.
It's always tempting, upon reading such an account, to say "but I wouldn't have done this or that, so I don't think that would happen to me." E.g with the "Gooch Epic...
Trying to get some closure on this week's events, I headed up to Camp Muir for a quick afternoon ski run on Friday, May 9. It was important for me to get back on the Mountain as soon as possible, and Friday had the best weather forecast of the week. Left the parking lot at 2pm, at Muir by 4:20pm--it's nice to be fit, light, and well-acclimated, I'd never skinned up in under 3 hours before. Sunny, calm, and beautiful weather.