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About two years ago I began setting my sights on larger mountains. My love of hiking in winter conditions led to dreams of climbing a glaciated mountain. I knew of this course offered by Mountain Madness just by poking around their website while reading "Into Thin Air". It took a while but, I finally decided to do this. All this was discussed on several hikes with Nancy. I was thrilled to discover that she shared my mountaineering ambitions. We decided on this course to prepare for a future ascent of Mt. Rainier via a more technical route.
I met Nancy at the Sea-Tac airport Saturday June 1 for this long awaited trip. She was waiting for me by the baggage claim area holding a sign with my name like a limo service. I knew already that it was going to be a great week. I was very happy to be able to share this experience with a friend. After some confusion on where to go we finally got a cab for the ride to hotel. The remainder of the day consisted of reorganizing our packs (both had suffered inspections by the TSA), shopping at REI and the Feathered Friends store, and dinner.
The next morning the Mountain Madness van was there at 0630 to pick us up. The hotel we stayed at was also the meeting spot for MM trips. We met the other members of our "team". There was Todd and Sandra, a couple from Wisconsin; Simon a Brit who lived in Hong Kong and Andy from Denver. We were blessed with four guides for six clients. This was because three were in training and one was the trainer. Justin, Alan and Rob were the junior guides. John, who we would later determine was a master of mountaineering, was the trainer. We soon found out that Justin and Alan were from New York.
Our first stop was a gear shop, "Second Ascent". There we discussed and checked gear and also made a few last minute purchases. It was then on to the Mt. Baker- Snoqualmie National Forest where our "expedition" would begin. We all chatted and got to know each other along the way. There was also a brief stop at a food store along the way.
The final stretch to the trailhead was a long dirt and gravel road that switchback as it climbed. We were told that snow would prevent us from making it to the trailhead. This would end up adding about 2 miles to our hike in. We parked where snow prevented us from going farther. There were several vehicles parked there, most seemed to be snowmobiling in the area. At the trailhead we geared up and each of us were given our share of the food and part of a tent to carry. We were also each given some blue bags for…well you know…leave no trace.
That first day we hiked about five miles and maybe 2000 feet to our first night's camp. It was cloudy and an intermittent drizzle fell. We climbed through open forest of moss covered conifers over deep, well consolidated snow. Two of the guides pulled a sled which contained the majority of the commissary gear. We made good time and all kept a positive attitude. It seemed we had a good group. We stopped at a flat area surrounded by big douglas firs which would be the site of that night's camp. The three girls and the three guys divided up making for perfect tent arrangement. I’m not sure how things went in that guys’ tent but the three of us got on very well during the trip.
We set up camp and the guides melted snow for water and began cooking dinner. Dinner that night and all nights was exceptionally good. I was quite surprised by the quality of the food. Fresh vegetables, herbs and sausage were included in the meals. Hot drinks were included with every meal. Ion order to conserve fuel water was just heated until melted and then had to be purified. Each of us brought chemical means of doing that.
Day 2 we packed up camp and headed up approximately 1500-2000 feet to “high camp”. This is where we would stay for the next 4 nights. We and the guides set up our tents on a patch of rocky dry ground while the guys set up theirs in on the snow. After setting up camp and lunch we started “snow school”. This included instruction on climbing steep snow slopes and beginning ice axe usage. We also covered some self arrest techniques. This and all the days we had very little visibility. A cloud seemed around us spitting a combination of drizzle, sleet and snow. Occasionally the skies would lighten and the sun could be seen filtered through the thinning clouds. Despite the overcast skies, glacier glasses were mandatory at all times during daylight hours.
That evening there was some clearing and views opened up. We were awed by the rocky spires that surrounded us. That night I realized how late it stayed light. It probably didn’t get dark until about 11pm and was light by 5am. During the night I woke to hear the patter of precipitation hitting the tent. When we woke in the morning I could hear avalanches coming from the steep slopes that were near us. Both Nancy and I wished that we could have seen them too.
Day 3 included more instruction on self-arrest. We covered self arrest for almost every possible scenario, even upside down-head first. That afternoon we spent time learning about and building snow anchors of several types and equalization of anchors. We also learned several types of belay methods included a boot-axe belay (not very dependable), a hip belay and using a munter hitch. We were all very amazed by how well all these systems worked and especially by the strength of the snow anchors.
That evening was windy and very bitter. Wind-blown sleet and snow stung any exposed skin and sent a chill though all of us. We all found shelter in our tents. The wind whipped at the tent and I think we all hoped that it would withstand the attack. The guides cooked dinner in the vestibule of there tents. What was amazing was that they then served us our dinners in our tents. I couldn’t believe it…room service at 6000 feet. It was just another example of the excellence of this Mountain Madness staff.
Day 4 we headed out to the glacier. It was very awesome to see the seracs and the crevasses. Here we learned to walk as a roped team. We were also taught how to walk with crampons, a skill that I believe that Nancy and I were the only ones with experience doing so. We front-pointed up an ice wall and hopped over crevasses. The guides had a hard time finding good, steep ice to climb on so we were lowered into a crevasse and climbed out. Once I was in the crevasse I took a moment to look around and just realize where I was. It was simply amazing to look down and see how far the blue ice went. The climb out was fun as I was able to stem my way up. A new knowledge of how to thoroughly use an ice axe made getting out of the crevasse easy.
That afternoon we learned crevasse rescue and all took turns falling while the partner did the rescuing. We did this by first setting up a snow anchor while still holding the weight of our fallen partner. Once the weight of the partner was transferred to the anchor we set up a 6:1 pulley system to haul them up. While hanging, the fallen partner practiced prusikking. When all done, we headed back for another delicious dinner.
That evening we went to bed early in preparation for an “alpine start” the following morning. We took some time packing our summit packs so that we would not have to do it in the darkness of the early morning. We went to sleep hoping for favorable weather the next morning.
Day 5 was summit day. We woke around 4am. The guides were already heating water for warm drinks and oatmeal. After breakfast we broke into two rope teams. We divided into a girl’s and a guy’s team. It wasn’t planned that way. I think it just happened by chance. With our team was guides John and Rob. I was happy to have John, whom had so much experience on Mt. Baker, with our team. The guys set off first and we soon followed. We gradually made our way up the over 4000 feet to the summit of Mt. Baker. Soon we were in a good rhythm which is important when traveling as a roped team.
We started out with some views. The rock spires around us were visible. As we gained some altitude some other mountains became visible a sitting above the clouds. Glacier Mountain was pointed out to us. Soon, we headed off in a different direction that the guys. John wanted to take us by the crater of the mountain so we could get a close-up view. As we ascended the snow became hardened and icy in spots. We soon donned our crampons. The side trip was well worth it. Mt. Baker is an active volcano and that was apparent as we approached the crater. Gasses rose from the crater and we could smell sulfur in the air. It was unlike anything that I had experienced.
That alone would have been enough for me but we still had a summit to reach. We contoured around the mountain until there was slope at an angle we could climb and we headed up. It was a long push. We were all feeling a bit drained and in need of some sugar. The slope however, was too steep to take a break and we had to push on. I was surprised we still had so much climbing to do. When the slope lessened we were able to nourish ourselves with our high-energy foods. Once we started up again the sugar made quite a difference and I could feel energy returning to my legs. The weather was worsening though. We were now in white-out conditions and the wind was getting stronger. I feared we would have to turn back. We continued up and soon there was no more up to do. Rob stopped and pulled up our ropes. We did it! We had made the summit. The conditions there were quite intense. The wind was so strong that I found it hard to breath. There was a brief celebration and then a fast retreat off the summit.
After a brief break just below the summit we started our descent. John led us down a different route then which we had ascended. I think he did so in an attempt to find the other group. We descended a steep slope that not too long ago would have frightened me. With my newly gained knowledge I descended it with confidence. Sometimes I would put too much concentration into keeping the rope at the right tension and would suffer by catching my crampon points on the other crampon’s strap. It seemed a delicate balance had to be maintained. Soon the slope lessened but we had quite a few crevasses to cross. Twice, one of my legs fell into one to about hip height. I would use my axe to quickly get out. Sandra, who was in front of me, fell into one with both legs to about her waist. She crawled out but I had to follow. I was certain that I was going to blow that snow bridge right out. I delicately walked up to the snow covered crevasse and with a little leap made it across safely. I then yelled back to Nancy to follow in my steps.
We continued on through this glaciated terrain. I really loved being there and would briefly pause in awe of my surroundings messing up the rhythm of my walk. One large crevasse we crossed on a large snow bridge. We all stopped to gaze into the depths of the glacier, amazed by the striations of white and blue ice. John reminded us that we were on a snow bridge and that we had to keep moving. We continued our descent through this fascinating landscape. Unfortunately visibility was poor and we could not see very far but still I felt blessed for what I could see.
Eventually I sighted our tents through the white haze. We had made it back. As we neared camp I was surprised to see that the guys had not yet returned. We arrived back to camp, un-roped, and removed our harnesses and crampons. It wasn’t long after that that the guys were sighted on top of a ridge headed down. When they finally arrived back to camp we ate lunch and soon headed into our tents to take shelter from the worsening conditions outside. We were lucky that we had the little window of good weather that had allowing us to summit. We later were told that it is very rare for this course to have a successful summit bid until late in June. I felt very fortunate when I found that out.
Being tent bound was actually fun. Nancy, Sandra and I really got along well, important since we spent 5 nights crammed into a 3-man tent. After a couple hours, feeling restless, I left the tent to endure the elements. I walked around and then just watched Rob cook and chatted with the guides. Everyone came out for another delicious dinner and hot drinks. It was our last night on the mountain.
Day 6 (June 6) we woke to about 18 inches of fresh snow. Our tent was just about buried. We shoveled out, ate a quick breakfast, and packed up for our hike out. It was windy but not too cold. It wasn’t too difficult hiking down in the deep snow that was at the higher elevations. As we lost elevation, around tree line, there was an area there the snow had a layer of slush and we all seemed to slip a few times. As we descended the snow depth dwindled to a very thin layer of fresh snow and the hiking was easy. The last four miles out was at a relaxed pace and at times some of us hiked as a small group chatting along the way.
When we reached the van we all changed as the van was loaded up. We all happily gave up our now full blue bags. Once on our way we headed into a small nearby town for some pizza before the two hour drive back to Seattle. I was almost a little sad to be parting ways with such a great group of people. Everyone added something to the trip.
I can’t express enough appreciation for the guides that led this trip. They all had great personalities and were a pleasure to talk with. No matter how bad the conditions got they still kept their good cheer. They exhibited much patience while teaching us these important skills. I was very happy with Mountain Madness and would not hesitate to use their services in the future. This trip was to be a dream trip for me and they did not disappoint.
I met Nancy at the Sea-Tac airport Saturday June 1 for this long awaited trip. She was waiting for me by the baggage claim area holding a sign with my name like a limo service. I knew already that it was going to be a great week. I was very happy to be able to share this experience with a friend. After some confusion on where to go we finally got a cab for the ride to hotel. The remainder of the day consisted of reorganizing our packs (both had suffered inspections by the TSA), shopping at REI and the Feathered Friends store, and dinner.
The next morning the Mountain Madness van was there at 0630 to pick us up. The hotel we stayed at was also the meeting spot for MM trips. We met the other members of our "team". There was Todd and Sandra, a couple from Wisconsin; Simon a Brit who lived in Hong Kong and Andy from Denver. We were blessed with four guides for six clients. This was because three were in training and one was the trainer. Justin, Alan and Rob were the junior guides. John, who we would later determine was a master of mountaineering, was the trainer. We soon found out that Justin and Alan were from New York.
Our first stop was a gear shop, "Second Ascent". There we discussed and checked gear and also made a few last minute purchases. It was then on to the Mt. Baker- Snoqualmie National Forest where our "expedition" would begin. We all chatted and got to know each other along the way. There was also a brief stop at a food store along the way.
The final stretch to the trailhead was a long dirt and gravel road that switchback as it climbed. We were told that snow would prevent us from making it to the trailhead. This would end up adding about 2 miles to our hike in. We parked where snow prevented us from going farther. There were several vehicles parked there, most seemed to be snowmobiling in the area. At the trailhead we geared up and each of us were given our share of the food and part of a tent to carry. We were also each given some blue bags for…well you know…leave no trace.
That first day we hiked about five miles and maybe 2000 feet to our first night's camp. It was cloudy and an intermittent drizzle fell. We climbed through open forest of moss covered conifers over deep, well consolidated snow. Two of the guides pulled a sled which contained the majority of the commissary gear. We made good time and all kept a positive attitude. It seemed we had a good group. We stopped at a flat area surrounded by big douglas firs which would be the site of that night's camp. The three girls and the three guys divided up making for perfect tent arrangement. I’m not sure how things went in that guys’ tent but the three of us got on very well during the trip.
We set up camp and the guides melted snow for water and began cooking dinner. Dinner that night and all nights was exceptionally good. I was quite surprised by the quality of the food. Fresh vegetables, herbs and sausage were included in the meals. Hot drinks were included with every meal. Ion order to conserve fuel water was just heated until melted and then had to be purified. Each of us brought chemical means of doing that.
Day 2 we packed up camp and headed up approximately 1500-2000 feet to “high camp”. This is where we would stay for the next 4 nights. We and the guides set up our tents on a patch of rocky dry ground while the guys set up theirs in on the snow. After setting up camp and lunch we started “snow school”. This included instruction on climbing steep snow slopes and beginning ice axe usage. We also covered some self arrest techniques. This and all the days we had very little visibility. A cloud seemed around us spitting a combination of drizzle, sleet and snow. Occasionally the skies would lighten and the sun could be seen filtered through the thinning clouds. Despite the overcast skies, glacier glasses were mandatory at all times during daylight hours.
That evening there was some clearing and views opened up. We were awed by the rocky spires that surrounded us. That night I realized how late it stayed light. It probably didn’t get dark until about 11pm and was light by 5am. During the night I woke to hear the patter of precipitation hitting the tent. When we woke in the morning I could hear avalanches coming from the steep slopes that were near us. Both Nancy and I wished that we could have seen them too.
Day 3 included more instruction on self-arrest. We covered self arrest for almost every possible scenario, even upside down-head first. That afternoon we spent time learning about and building snow anchors of several types and equalization of anchors. We also learned several types of belay methods included a boot-axe belay (not very dependable), a hip belay and using a munter hitch. We were all very amazed by how well all these systems worked and especially by the strength of the snow anchors.
That evening was windy and very bitter. Wind-blown sleet and snow stung any exposed skin and sent a chill though all of us. We all found shelter in our tents. The wind whipped at the tent and I think we all hoped that it would withstand the attack. The guides cooked dinner in the vestibule of there tents. What was amazing was that they then served us our dinners in our tents. I couldn’t believe it…room service at 6000 feet. It was just another example of the excellence of this Mountain Madness staff.
Day 4 we headed out to the glacier. It was very awesome to see the seracs and the crevasses. Here we learned to walk as a roped team. We were also taught how to walk with crampons, a skill that I believe that Nancy and I were the only ones with experience doing so. We front-pointed up an ice wall and hopped over crevasses. The guides had a hard time finding good, steep ice to climb on so we were lowered into a crevasse and climbed out. Once I was in the crevasse I took a moment to look around and just realize where I was. It was simply amazing to look down and see how far the blue ice went. The climb out was fun as I was able to stem my way up. A new knowledge of how to thoroughly use an ice axe made getting out of the crevasse easy.
That afternoon we learned crevasse rescue and all took turns falling while the partner did the rescuing. We did this by first setting up a snow anchor while still holding the weight of our fallen partner. Once the weight of the partner was transferred to the anchor we set up a 6:1 pulley system to haul them up. While hanging, the fallen partner practiced prusikking. When all done, we headed back for another delicious dinner.
That evening we went to bed early in preparation for an “alpine start” the following morning. We took some time packing our summit packs so that we would not have to do it in the darkness of the early morning. We went to sleep hoping for favorable weather the next morning.
Day 5 was summit day. We woke around 4am. The guides were already heating water for warm drinks and oatmeal. After breakfast we broke into two rope teams. We divided into a girl’s and a guy’s team. It wasn’t planned that way. I think it just happened by chance. With our team was guides John and Rob. I was happy to have John, whom had so much experience on Mt. Baker, with our team. The guys set off first and we soon followed. We gradually made our way up the over 4000 feet to the summit of Mt. Baker. Soon we were in a good rhythm which is important when traveling as a roped team.
We started out with some views. The rock spires around us were visible. As we gained some altitude some other mountains became visible a sitting above the clouds. Glacier Mountain was pointed out to us. Soon, we headed off in a different direction that the guys. John wanted to take us by the crater of the mountain so we could get a close-up view. As we ascended the snow became hardened and icy in spots. We soon donned our crampons. The side trip was well worth it. Mt. Baker is an active volcano and that was apparent as we approached the crater. Gasses rose from the crater and we could smell sulfur in the air. It was unlike anything that I had experienced.
That alone would have been enough for me but we still had a summit to reach. We contoured around the mountain until there was slope at an angle we could climb and we headed up. It was a long push. We were all feeling a bit drained and in need of some sugar. The slope however, was too steep to take a break and we had to push on. I was surprised we still had so much climbing to do. When the slope lessened we were able to nourish ourselves with our high-energy foods. Once we started up again the sugar made quite a difference and I could feel energy returning to my legs. The weather was worsening though. We were now in white-out conditions and the wind was getting stronger. I feared we would have to turn back. We continued up and soon there was no more up to do. Rob stopped and pulled up our ropes. We did it! We had made the summit. The conditions there were quite intense. The wind was so strong that I found it hard to breath. There was a brief celebration and then a fast retreat off the summit.
After a brief break just below the summit we started our descent. John led us down a different route then which we had ascended. I think he did so in an attempt to find the other group. We descended a steep slope that not too long ago would have frightened me. With my newly gained knowledge I descended it with confidence. Sometimes I would put too much concentration into keeping the rope at the right tension and would suffer by catching my crampon points on the other crampon’s strap. It seemed a delicate balance had to be maintained. Soon the slope lessened but we had quite a few crevasses to cross. Twice, one of my legs fell into one to about hip height. I would use my axe to quickly get out. Sandra, who was in front of me, fell into one with both legs to about her waist. She crawled out but I had to follow. I was certain that I was going to blow that snow bridge right out. I delicately walked up to the snow covered crevasse and with a little leap made it across safely. I then yelled back to Nancy to follow in my steps.
We continued on through this glaciated terrain. I really loved being there and would briefly pause in awe of my surroundings messing up the rhythm of my walk. One large crevasse we crossed on a large snow bridge. We all stopped to gaze into the depths of the glacier, amazed by the striations of white and blue ice. John reminded us that we were on a snow bridge and that we had to keep moving. We continued our descent through this fascinating landscape. Unfortunately visibility was poor and we could not see very far but still I felt blessed for what I could see.
Eventually I sighted our tents through the white haze. We had made it back. As we neared camp I was surprised to see that the guys had not yet returned. We arrived back to camp, un-roped, and removed our harnesses and crampons. It wasn’t long after that that the guys were sighted on top of a ridge headed down. When they finally arrived back to camp we ate lunch and soon headed into our tents to take shelter from the worsening conditions outside. We were lucky that we had the little window of good weather that had allowing us to summit. We later were told that it is very rare for this course to have a successful summit bid until late in June. I felt very fortunate when I found that out.
Being tent bound was actually fun. Nancy, Sandra and I really got along well, important since we spent 5 nights crammed into a 3-man tent. After a couple hours, feeling restless, I left the tent to endure the elements. I walked around and then just watched Rob cook and chatted with the guides. Everyone came out for another delicious dinner and hot drinks. It was our last night on the mountain.
Day 6 (June 6) we woke to about 18 inches of fresh snow. Our tent was just about buried. We shoveled out, ate a quick breakfast, and packed up for our hike out. It was windy but not too cold. It wasn’t too difficult hiking down in the deep snow that was at the higher elevations. As we lost elevation, around tree line, there was an area there the snow had a layer of slush and we all seemed to slip a few times. As we descended the snow depth dwindled to a very thin layer of fresh snow and the hiking was easy. The last four miles out was at a relaxed pace and at times some of us hiked as a small group chatting along the way.
When we reached the van we all changed as the van was loaded up. We all happily gave up our now full blue bags. Once on our way we headed into a small nearby town for some pizza before the two hour drive back to Seattle. I was almost a little sad to be parting ways with such a great group of people. Everyone added something to the trip.
I can’t express enough appreciation for the guides that led this trip. They all had great personalities and were a pleasure to talk with. No matter how bad the conditions got they still kept their good cheer. They exhibited much patience while teaching us these important skills. I was very happy with Mountain Madness and would not hesitate to use their services in the future. This trip was to be a dream trip for me and they did not disappoint.
and glad to know there is someone who I can tag along with
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