American Alpine Institute - Climbing Blog

Memorial to Slain Hikers

2009-07-10T06:00:00.000-07:00

In July of 2006, I was in Bolivia. My wife came along on the trip that I was guiding and we had just returned from a series of high altitude ascents in the Condoriri region of the Cordillera Real. We were back in La Paz and Krista was assisting me as I prepped for the next stage of the trip, a short expedition to Illimani (21,122').

A normal part of returning to civilization is the obligatory email check. Usually, when I come out of the field my email is full of the normal stuff, junk-mail and correspondence with friends. Bad news seldom comes in emails. Instead, it tends to come over the phone. But we were nearly unreachable, so the bad news came in an email...

Our friends, Mary Cooper, 54, and her daughter, Susanna Stodden, 27, had been brutally murdered on July 11th, 2006 while hiking on the Pinnacle Lake trail in the Mount Pilchuck area of the Mountain Loop Highway.

Mary Cooper and Susanna Stodden
Family Photo

Three years later, there are still no solid suspects and no known leads. Most murders are relatively easy to solve. It's usually a relative or the victims have well-known enemies. Mary was a librarian with the Seattle School District and Susanna had taken the summer off before starting a new job at the University Child Development School in Seattle. All of their relatives were cleared of the crime and these women simply didn't have enemies. It didn't take long for the Snohomish County Sheriff's office to site the case as a random killing.

I grew up just a few houses away from the pair and in 2006, this news hit my wife and I like a freight train. But it hit more than just those who knew the victims. This senseless crime impacted the entire outdoor community of the Pacific Northwest. Suddenly, the wilderness that we all value so much had something far more dangerous lurking in it than the normal objective dangers that we face every time we're in the field. Somebody was out there who randomly killed two women for no known reason...and this person is still out there...

On the surface, the outdoor community has recovered. It doesn't appear that anybody is staying out of the woods anymore because of this. But this incident is still buried in the community's psyche. There are deep scars there, and occasionally they can be seen on the surface. The Pinnacle Lake murders are commonly referenced by hikers, climbers and backcountry skiers on websites like nwhikers.net, cascadeclimbers.com and turns-all-year.com. Every time a body is found in the wilderness, or an article gets posted about somebody doing something stupid with a gun (like mistaking a woman for a bear and shooting her), or an argument about guns in National Parks comes up, it seems like this incident is brought back into the light.

The scar of an incident like this will always exist in our community. Think about how deeply the Peter Absolon rock trundling incident impacted both Lander and the climbing community as a whole. Granted this was only two years ago and it is a completely different thing, but the scars of that particular incident run so deeply that it was referenced as recently as this week on summitpost.com. There was closure to the Absolon incident when the rock trundler pleaded guilty, but it still haunts the community. There has been no closure to the Pinnacle Lake murders and as such there is the possibility that these scars will be there for a very long time.

Tomorrow evening, on July 11th, -- the third anniversary of their murders -- a group of Mary and Susanna's friends and family will have a memorial ceremony at Green Lake in Seattle. They will meet at the Green Lake Community Center at 7:50 and begin walking clockwise around the lake at 8:00. The family would be honored by any members of the outdoor community that would like join them on their memorial walk around the lake.

--Jason D. Martin

Climbing News from Here and Abroad -- July 9, 2009

2009-07-09T06:00:00.000-07:00

Northwest:

--A Duvall climber slipped while on a snow field just below Monte Cristo Peak on Sunday and fell about 700 feet to her death. The death of Lindsey White, 39, is the first climbing-related fatality in Snohomish County this year, Snohomish County sheriff's Sgt. Danny Wikstrom said. To read more, click here.

Monte Cristo Peak may be seen in the center of this photo.
Photo from Wikipedia

--In addition to the fatality in the Cascades this weekend, there were a number of rescues. Be careful out there! Here is a rescue round-up from the holiday weekend:

It appears that there was a helicopter extraction near Green Giant Buttress on Friday. Source.
Two climbers were extracted from the 3800 foot level on Mount Index on July 3rd. One had a lacerated knee. Source.
Immediately after picking up the climbers on Index, Mountain Rescue extracted a hiker with a severely dislocated knee from Copper Creek Falls at the eastern foot of Big Bear Mountain. Source.
A climber had some teeth knocked out by rockfall on Mount Rainier on the 4th. He was evacuated by helicopter. Source.
On July 6th, there was an accident on Mount Terror in North Cascades National Park. A climber was evacuated by helicopter, while a second climber was left with a radio and asked to walk out. Source.

--Stefan Lofgren has some big shoes to fill as lead climbing ranger on Mount Rainier. His predecessor, Mike Gauthier, who now works in Washington, D.C., wrote a Rainier climbing guide book, started a climbing blog, took part in numerous high-profile rescues and recoveries and in 2004 was named the fourth toughest guy in America by Men’s Journal. Lofgren, however, is no lightweight. The new lead ranger has summited the mountain over 100 times and has completed the Pacific Crest Trail. To read more, click here.

--A plan is starting to come together that will decimate the backcountry skiing and climbing outside of Squamish. A new 25 lift resort is being proposed on the Brohm Ridge near Mount Garibaldi outside of Squamish. To read more about this development and to learn what can be done to stop it, click here.

--It appears that one of the grizzly bears in Washington's very small grizzly population was spotted on Cascade River Road last week. Check out some grainy pictures here.

Sierra:

--John Bachar, 51, was found dead at the base of the Dike Wall on Sunday, not far from his home, near Mammoth Lakes. Bachar was well-known for his free solo ascents throughout the world. It is assumed that he was free-soloing and fell. To read more, click here. To see a video of him free-soloing in the eighties, click on the following video.

Alaska:

--The American Alpine Institute's Denali Team #8 successfully summited on July 5th. Andries Botha -- from Edmonton, Canada -- deserves a special mention. Denali was the last of his quest to climb the Seven Summits! To read more, click here.

--James Clapham and Gavin Pike recently completed new routes on Peak 11,300' and on Mt. Church in the Ruth Gorge area of the Alaska Range. To read more about these ascents, click here.

--Matt Klick and Samuel Johnson recently completed a new route Hayes Range on Mount Balchen (11,140'). The new line requires steep, mixed climbing for 14 pitches. To read more, click here.

--Two well-known Northwest climbers made a first ascent on the west ridge of the Burkett Needle on July 4th. Dave Burdick and John Frieh put up the fifth route on the feature and called it, "Smash and Grab" 5.8 M4 IV. To read about their ascent, click here.

Himalaya:

--Ed Viesturs was featured on Colbert Nation this week. To watch the video of Ed and Stephen Colbert, check out the following:

The Colbert Report

Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Ed Viesturs

www.colbertnation.com

Colbert Report Full Episodes

Political Humor

Jeff Goldblum

--The UIAA Medical Commission says better education is urgently required to prevent the deaths of pilgrims going to high altitudes in the Himalayas. High-altitude sickness may have been responsible for the deaths of at least eight Indian pilgrims over the past couple of weeks during the pilgrimage to the Kailash Manasarovar area, located at 4,560 metres above sea level near the Nepal-Tibet border. To read more, click here.

--Young Sherpa conservationists are organising a race on June 18 to draw attention to the devastating effects of Global Lake Outburst Floods (GLOF) in the Himalayas. The The Beat the GLOF Action Run will be the highlight of the Imja Tsho Action Event 2009, and has been initiated by Nepali mountaineer Dawa Steven Sherpa. The race will demonstrate that even the fastest runner cannot escape from a GLOF, a flood which is caused when lakes formed by melting ice burst their natural dams. To read more, click here.

Notes from All Over:

--The UIAA Safety Commission recently adopted a draft of the first-ever safety standard for braking devices at its May meeting in Golden, Colorado. The standard, which will be published and available from September 30, 2009, lays out performance parameters and testing procedures for belaying and abseiling devices. To read more, click here.

--The New York Times recently published an editorial on the an ambitious environmental bill entitled, the Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act. The bill is currently awaiting action in Congress and has been doing so for a very long time. It has never come up for a vote. To read more about this bill, click here.

--The International Space Station has been responsible for numerous scientific achievements. But what use is it to climbers? Well, this week that question was answered. The station video taped the eruption of the Sarychev Volcano off the coast of Japan from space. And this video is not only cool, but it really makes you feel that being anywhere near an active volcano is a bad idea. Check it out below:

Conditions Report -- July 8, 2009

2009-07-08T06:00:00.000-07:00

NORTHWEST:

--Forecast for the West Slope of the Cascades.

--Forecast for the East Slope of the Cascades.

Matt Clifton tackling the first aid section of the East Buttress. Photo by Martha Stevens

--A couple parties completed the Direct East Buttress of the South Early Winter Spire recently. Both wrote detailed trip reports regarding the current conditions on the route, including a reported loose block right below the 5.9+ roof crux, at a small tree growing out of the crack. To read more about the climbs click here and here.

Valerie Wall leading up to the summit ridge of Mt. Buckner. Photo by Hayley Wall

--A party completed the North Face of Mt. Buckner recently. The climbers, who happen to be sisters as well, documented the trip well with photos and current conditions. To read more about their climb click here.

Looking out at a snow traverse on the Torment-Forbidden Traverse. Photo by John Calder

--John Calder and his partner celebrated the 4th of July by embarking on a one day attempt of the classic Torment-Forbidden Traverse. Read about their fantastic climb and the current route conditions here.

Ty Tyler on the incredible ridge climbing high on Mt. Goode. Photo by Andrew Sullivan

--It was a busy weekend in the Cascades. Everyone seemed to be celebrating Independence Day in the same way...climbing! Andrew Sullivan and his climbing partner Ty Tyler climbed the Northeast Buttress of Mt. Goode. To read an account of this ascent and the conditions in the area click here.

--Webcam for Leavenworth and the Stuart Range.

--Forecast for Mount Rainier.

Brandon Helmstedder leading the crux pitch on the N. Ridge of Mt. Baker. Photo by Tyler Lappetito

--Tyler Lappetito and his two friends, Brandon Helmstedder and Leif Whittaker, headed out on July 2nd to climb the North Ridge of Mt. Baker. Tyler wrote a great summary of their climb and posted some valuable information regarding the current conditions of the route. To read this report and check out some beautiful photos click here.

--Forest Service Road Report for Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.

--Crews will start clearing the road to Artist Point above Mt. Baker Ski Area on Monday, July 6, according to a state Department of Transportation news release. To read more click here.

--Mount Saint Helens, Mount Adams conditions and recreation report.

--Webcams for Mount Rainier National Park, North Cascades National Park, Leavenworth, and Highway 2.

--One of our guides, Dawn Glanc, recently returned from Boston Basin. She reported numerous downed trees located in slide paths. These areas are becoming treacherous due to the melting of snow underneath and could collapse if being crossed. Use extreme caution if traveling across these areas on the trail.

--An up-to-date ski and snow report for the Northwest may be found here.

--Up-to-date Pacific Northwest ice conditions may be found here.

--The Tieton River climbing areas have been closed for the season due to nesting raptors. To read more about this closure, click here.

--It appears that a pair of peregrine falcons have nested on the classic line, Outer Space on Snow Creek Wall in Leavenworth. All routes from Outer Space, White Slabs Direct and White Fright, south to the descent gully, including Orbit, are closed to climbing until July 31st.

--We have had guides recently return from the South side of Mt. Baker. They reported that the conditions were good. Most of the crevasses are now open and easy to avoid. They are either so big that you can't miss them or small enough that you can't fall in. We also received a report that above and to the right of Survey Rock there was a major glacial release, leaving bus sized blocks of ice near the trail.

--We have recently received a couple updates regarding current Squamish conditions. Click here to read more.

--More updates from our friendly neighbors to the north with regard to the Bugaboos:

Just had my first trip of the season up to the Bugs and things are looking good. It is definitely still a bit early but there is already lots to do.

Road

The road is in descent shape and ok for a small car with a bit of navigating through ruts around KM 34. I was in a Toyota Matrix and had no problems.

Trail

The trail to the Kain hut is mostly snow free but there are a couple of significant piles of avalanche debris and a few fallen trees to negotiate along the way.

Travel Conditions

Generally, things seem a little ahead of usual. There is still lots of snow above the hut but the moraines are melting out fast. Travel on the lower elevation snow is good in the morning (with a good freeze) and becomes a bit of a slog in the PM when things warm up. Up high (above ~2800m) you can still expect up to knee deep foot penetration through a breakable crust but

this would only affect the last bit of glacier to the West Ridge of Pigeon Spire. The Bugaboo-Snowpatch col is in good shape right now but there is already lots of loose rock melted out on the sides.

Routes

Most of the regular stuff is climbable with a few snow patches remaining. The low elevation routes in the Crescent area look dry as do many of the routes on the west face of Snowpatch. There will inevitably be some wet sections on most routes but they are shrinking by the day. The higher shady routes like the NE Ridge of Bugaboo and the Becky-Chouinard will likely have snow and ice in them for a little while yet.

Bears

There is a sow grizzly with two, one year old cubs hanging around Bugaboo Creek these days but there was no recent evidence of their presence on the trail.

South Howser Descent

A new descent has been established from the South Howser Tower that avoids the cornice, loose rock and rope eating flakes of the existing descent. It roughly follows the North Face-Ridge route towards the Central Howser. Stop in at the hut to see a detailed topo.

Cheers,

Marc Pich?

ACMG, IFMGA

Mountain Guide

SIERRA:

--For information regarding wall closures due to falcon nesting in Yosemite National Park, click here.

--For an update on road conditions in the Eastern Sierra region. Follow this link to read more.

--For up-to-date avalanche and weather reports in the Eastern Sierra, click here.

--Webcams for Bishop, June Lake, Mammoth Mountain, Mono Lake, Tioga Pass, and Yosemite National Park.

ALASKA RANGE:

--For daily dispatches from expeditions currently climbing Denali, click here.

--Forecast for Denali.

--Webcam for Denali National Park.

--The snow is melting very fast in the Alaska Range this year. This is in part due to the ash on the glaciers from the Redoubt volcano. All of the major landing strips are melting out. Strips on the Kahiltna, the Ruth and on the Pika are all in poor shape. Access to the range will be limited in the very near future.

ALPS:

--Chamonix and Mont Blanc Regional Forecasts may be found here.

--Webcams for Chamonix Valley, Zermatt and the Matterhorn.

--The climbing season in the Alps has begun and we are accepting applications for our 2009 climbs of Mont Blanc, the Matterhorn, and the Eiger and many other peaks in France and Switzerland. Please call our office (360-671-1505) for current availability.

RED ROCK CANYON:

--Forecast and average temperatures for Red Rock Canyon.

--Webcam for Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area.

--The late exit and overnight permit number for Red Rock Canyon is 702-515-5050. If there is any chance that you will be inside the park after closing, be sure to call this number so that you don't get a ticket.

--The scenic drive currently opens its gates at 6 in the morning.

JOSHUA TREE:

--Forecast and average temperatures for Joshua Tree National Park.

--Webcam for Joshua Tree National Park.

Following Denali Summit, Bikini Anyone? – Team has the Mountain to Themselves

2009-07-07T18:38:00.000-07:00

AAI guide Chantel Astorga called from 14,000 feet on Denali this evening at 6pm Alaska time, 10pm Eastern time with the following dispatch. Her team summited Denali on July 5th (along with only one other team of four climbers). It's the end of the season, and the mountain is now largely deserted. In addition to the AAI guides Justin Wood, Mike Pond, and Chantel, this successful team was composed of 4 Americans, 2 British, and one member each from Canada, Germany, and Norway. Andries Botha (Edmonton) deserves special mention for now having succeeded on all of the Seven Summits!

“Hello everyone. We’re glad to tell you that we are back at 14,000 feet. Getting here we felt like we were walking into summer. It really is summer here, and we’ve been basking in it! It’s 50 degrees in the shade and a lot warmer than that in the sun. If I had a bikini, I’d be wearing one, but didn’t think to bring one. Never thought I would need one on Denali.

We stayed at our 17,200’ high camp yesterday because it was so windy. It was cold, and there were super high winds last night. They were consistently running at 35-40mph with 60 gusts frequently. There was also a lot of new snow, so it was continuously spindrifty, and it would have been extremely unpleasant climbing. Staying put was definitely the right thing to do. It’s important to be patient on the way down as well as on the way up!

The wind dropped to 15mph at 6am and then went down to 5 to 10 by 8am. So we were happy to pack up and come down this morning. We made it in about four hours. Most of the time was spent between the top of the buttress and the camp at 14,000. Coming down from 17,000 along the top of the buttress was nice – most of the snow had been blown off by the wind, but coming down the fixed ropes the snow was thick and wet. It really balled up on the crampons and was a pain.

So here are a few messages from this very happy group of climbers:

Kevin will call Jean on Thursday afternoon.

Andreas wants his daughter to change his flight to Edmonton to Friday afternoon.

Phil says "Hi" to his dad!

So the current plan is a dinner of big, juicy cheese sandwiches and then early to bed. We’ll get up in the night and pack up and descend to Camp 1. We want the lowest possible temperatures to freeze up the snow pack. We’ll spend Wednesday day there and then get up in the night again and descend to base camp, arriving there in the early hours Thursday. We scheduled our ski plane pickup with K2 Aviation at 9:00am Thursday morning. Hopefully the weather will co-operate! We’re looking forward to being down and soon seeing friends and loved ones.

We’re still psyched about reaching the summit. We should tell you that just like summit day when we had the mountain to ourselves except four other people, Camp 3 at 14,000 is now deserted except for one other group. This is normally such a busy place. It’s funny how quiet and empty it is here now. The rangers are packing up all their stuff and getting ready to leave for the season.

It’s been a challenging year for weather, and we feel lucky we had the good conditions when we really needed them. After all the other AAI teams did so well again this year, we were especially glad that our team could summit too, since it's the last of the season.

It’s been a great trip and we’ve had some really good times together. These guys are pretty funny. We’ll call you again to let you know how we are doing as we make our way down. Talk to you soon and see you all pretty soon!”

NOTE:

You can follow the progress of all AAI Denali expeditions on the dispatch page of AAI's website: www.aai.cc The URL for the specific page is:http://aai.cc/currentnews/ Use the drop down to find the team you want to follow.

Dispatches are posted Monday through Friday on the dispatch page. Aside from special events (e.g., summits, major storms, etc), they are posted on this blog only on the weekends. On Mondays they are moved to the dispatch page.

Lack of a current dispatch indicates that the team is really busy, that they have had a problem establishing an adequate satellite transmission, or that they haven't been able to use their solar panel to recharge batteries and are preserving their batteries for safety needs.

The Double-Fisherman's Knot

2009-07-07T06:00:00.000-07:00

Arguably, the most difficult knot to teach is the double-fisherman's knot. It is normal for our guides to spend a significant amount of time with students on this particular knot. And even with a lot of time spent focusing on it, some still don't come away with a master's level knowledge of it.

If you have this knot completely wired, then congratulations. If you don't, then this blogpost is just for you...!

The Double-Fisherman's Knot

The double-fisherman's knot is a knot that may be used to join two ropes together. The ropes may be of similar or dissimilar diameters. It is a very secure knot. Indeed, it is so secure, that it is often recommended for cords that will be permanently tied together such as prussik loops.

The biggest problem with the double-fisherman's is that it is very difficult to untie once it has been loaded. As a result, it is not recommended for quick situations where you want to tie two ropes together, such as in rappels.

The Canadian Guide, Mike Barter has put together the following video on how to tie a double-fisherman's knot:

--Jason D. Martin

July and August Climbing Events

2009-07-07T05:30:00.000-07:00

--July 3 -- Harrisburg, PA --Climb up the 50

--July 6 -- Telluride, CO --Fire on the Mountain: Film Screening and Auction

--July 7 -- Anchorage, AK --Slideshow with Timmy O'Neill

--July 11 -- Boulder, CO --Memorial Service Set for Fallen Climbers

--July 11 -- La Fayette, GA -- Rock Town Clean Up

--July 8-12 -- Lander, WY --International Climber's Festival

--July 17 -- Bellingham, WA --Aerial Tour of Mt Baker Hikes part II

--July 18 -- Castlewood Canyon, Castle Rock, CO --Summer Sandstone Series: Castlewood Canyon Bouldering Comp and Clean-Up

--July 18 -- Raleigh, NC --American Alpine Club Wilderness First Aid Course

--July 18 -- Sunnyvale, CA --ASCA Climb-a-thon at Planet Granite

--July 18 -- Strasburg, VA --Environmental Stewardship Adventure Day

--July 20 -- Reel Rock Film Competition Submission Deadline

--July 25 -- Obed/Clear Creek, GA -- Help Clean Up the Obed

--July 25 -- Hinckley, OH -- Whipp's Ledges Cleanup

Funny Climbing Quotes

2009-07-06T06:00:00.001-07:00

Climbing is a sport rife with literary characters who have said some very funny things. With the help of this website, I was able to come up with a nice list of quotes. Here are some great one liners:

"A climber's day always starts at the crux: getting out of bed." -- Unknown

"I don't want to write about climbing; I don't want talk about it; I don't want to photograph it; I don't want to think about it; all I want to do is do it." -- Chuck Pratt

"One method of getting loved ones to look more fondly on your climbing is to tell them that since you've started climbing you hardly do drugs anymore." -- David Harris

"There is no difference between religion and politics. Both involve lies and fanatical beliefs that generaly defy logic... Just like rock climbing." -- David Schuller

"To qualify for mountain rescue work, you have to pass our test. The doctor holds a flashlight to your ear. If he can see light coming out the other one, you qualify." -- Willi Pfisterer

--It's pretty common for people on the internet to talk about how they're great climbers. We often refer to this as spray. Dawn Alguard had a great response to such an individual on the rec.climbing google website:

"Here's the thing. You'd like to talk about yourself and what swell stuff you've climbed lately. Well, who wouldn't ? As it turns out, we have a format in which that sort of spray is acceptable. It's called a TR. In a TR, every other word can be 'I' and the words in between can be numbers representing how rad you are, though it's a time-honored tradition to throw in a few sentences about how afraid you were that you *weren't* going to [insert heroic deed here] before getting to the part about how you do.

Your trouble is that you're trying to disguise your spray as RFIs or attempts at actual human conversation and no one is fooled. It is quite possible to say 'Now that I climb outside so often I find that I absolutely suck at gym climbing and since I'm having a miserable time there, what with everyone snickering at me and falling off of things I think I should be able to do, I'm asking myself why I spend the money on a gym membership when I can go to rec.climbing and get snickered at for free' without mentioning a single number."

--A student working on a research paper once asked Mike Garrison how glaciers move. The student asked, "can you please tell me what you know about the movement of glaciers?" Mike's response follows:

Glaciers feel best when they have one movement per day. Some glaciers do just fine with fewer movements, but when they don't have movements for a long time the result can be quite bad. Glaciers which move much more frequently tend to have loose and soft terminal moraines (also called rock piles).

Glacial movement is almost always associated with the release of water. But sometimes glaciers release water without experiencing a movement.

--One time Greg Hamilton was asked what he suggested as a high altitude training regimen. He responded with the following comment:

I suggest going out to the nearest pub and getting completely, and utterly, wasted. Make sure you smoke at least 1 pack of unfiltered Camel's. Get the full ashtray, pour a drink in it and then pour the mixture into a water bottle.

When you get home (ideally around 3:30am) stick the vile mixture into your freezer. Put on your best goretex and thermal layer. Climb in. At 5:30am, get out, drink (chew?) the mixture and go run the biggest flight of stairs you can find. Run until your heart threatens to explode.

The dehydration caused by the alcohol should adequately simulate what you may experience at higher altitudes. Your lung capacity should be sufficiently impaired by the smokes to simulate a oxygen poor environment. The freezer episode should adequately replicate a bivy. Drinking the booze/butt mixture should simulate your lack of appetite.....

Oh — once your finished your workout, go to work (to replicate the long walk out).

These are all great and the website that I found these on has a great deal more. What climbing quotes have you heard? We would love it if you would post them on our comments page!

--Jason D. Martin

Weekend Warrior -- Videos to get you stoked!

2009-07-04T06:00:00.000-07:00

Well, I hope everyone is gearing up for yet another 4th of July full of celebration and great outdoor adventures. This week I decided to bring all you Weekend Warriors a little dose of speed ascents, since nothing quite says America like climbing as fast as you possibly can up a rock/snow/ice face. So, enjoy the show and try not to light anything on fire this weekend!

An Ascent of Forbidden Peak

2009-07-03T06:00:00.000-07:00

On June 27, 2009, DC Dugdale and I began a four-day trip to Boston Basin with the American Alpine Institute. This was not DC’s first trip with AAI, but it was our first trip together. Our objective was the Northwest Face of Forbidden. Neither DC nor myself had ever climbed the route before, but the route looked amazing.

The line had all the qualities of a Cascades adventure. There would be glacier travel, steep snow, and rock climbing. There was limited route beta available for the climb, and the conditions were still holding at late spring. So with the spirit of adventure we headed up to the peak.

On day one we hiked into Boston Basin. We planned to camp at the lower camp. The trail in had more blowdown than normal. Fallen trees and other avalanche debris obstructed the trail. The recent winter destruction made the trail even more arduous than usual. Even though the trail seemed tedious, we made it to camp in good time.

Boston Basin from the Standard Camp
Photo by Dawn Glanc

On day two we awoke to thick clouds. It drizzled throughout the night. We choose to chill a bit due to the weather. As the day moved along, the clouds broke and the blue sky replaced the gray clouds that blanketed us. With a mid-morning start we began to climb the mountain. Our goal for the day was to bivy at the top of the west ridge col. we headed up the couloir, moving together through the steep snow. A few easy rock pitches led us to the notch. We made our camp in a very precarious looking spot. The tent looked like it was going to fall off the mountain at any moment. However the ledge was flat and just the right size. We settled in and started to melt snow for water.

After dinner we scoped the descent into the Northwest face. Looking down from the notch into the northwest face was daunting. The snow heading down was very steep, too steep for down climbing. Little to no rock was exposed, which meant that the rock rap stations might not be available. We thought that if we went for it, after we pulled the rope from the first rap, we would be totally committed to the northwest face. After some scouting and some discussion, DC and I came to the agreement that the route was more than we were willing to commit to. The plan was then changed to climb the west ridge.

On day three we awoke to another bluebird day. It was beautiful. The temperatures were great and we were stoked to climb. The west ridge was calling to be climbed. The route was beautiful alpine ridge climbing and the views were incredible. We made it to the summit in a reasonable amount of time and we were able to enjoy it uninterrupted by others. We then down-climbed and rappelled our way back to the notch.

The striking last pitch of Forbidden
Photo by Dawn Glanc

After returning to our bivy, we packed camp and headed down the coulior. Three double rope full-length rappels and some down climbing returned us to the glacier. With fatigue filling our legs, we pushed on down the glacier back to the low camp. Over dinner that night we reflected upon a great day. We could not have asked for better weather. It was another great day in the mountains.

The final day we hiked out to the car. Going downhill made the trail a bit easier. All the downed trees still makes for slow going even when gravity is in your favor. We passed a few other climbing parties as we were descending down the trail. Each seemed as eager as we were on the opening days of the trip. We smiled and shared our newly experienced route beta with those we passed. We were psyched to climb Forbidden via the west ridge. We had a true sense of accomplishment. I am now inspired to go back later in the season to try the Northwest Face again.

- - Dawn Glanc, AAI Guide

Climbing News from Here and Abroad -- July 2, 2009

2009-07-02T06:00:00.000-07:00

Northwest:

--Twenty-seven year-old Kristopher Haskins was hit by two large boulders while climbing the Sandy Glacier Headwall on Mount Hood on Sunday. The impact broke both of the young man's legs. Haskins' partner, Jim Prager, was forced to leave in order to obtain help. To read more, click here.

--A climbing ranger was injured while skiing down from Mt. Rainier's summit Wednesday afternoon. Two rangers had reached the summit earlier in the day and were skiing back down to Camp Sherman when one punched through a hole in the snow and fell 40 feet into a crevasse, said Rainier Park spokesman Lee Taylor. To read more, click here.

Perhaps trails near I-90 will be a bit safer now that target shooting will be banned in the area.

--The Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest is closing several roads along the I-90 corridor to target shooters starting July 4th weekend. The closure area encompasses the valley bottom that follows the I-90 freeway corridor from exit 38 to the top of Snoqualmie Pass. The Tinkham and Denny Creek roads are included. This closure is primarily due to the numerous close calls that have taken place over the last few years. To read more, click here.

Sierra:

El Capitan from Wikipedia

--Speed climber Holly Beck was injured this week in an attempt to climb the Nose in a day on El Capitan. It appears that she took a fall while short-fixing which resulted in a concussion and a broken arm. She was evacuated by a SAR team. To read more, clic k here.

--It appears that there are a couple of small fires currently burning in Yosemite National Park. The Grouse Fire (250 acres) is about seven miles southwest of Yosemite Valley and north of Glacier Point Road. The Harden Fire (111 acres) is on the north side of the park, west of Harden Lake and northwest of White Wolf. The two fires are being managed to achieve both protection and resource objectives. To read more, click here.

Alaska:

--AAI Team Six summited Denali on Sunday and flew off the mountain on Monday. AAI Team Eight is currently staging their move to 17,000 feet. To read more, click here.

Himalaya:

--Italian Michele Fait fell to his death last week while skiing down from K2's C2 on the SSE spur. Together with Fredrik Ericsson, Fait was on his second partial descent down K2's slopes, when he suddenly fell. To read more, click here.

--Seventeen year-old Johnny Strange recently became the youngest individual to complete the Seven Summits. To read about this young man's incredible accomplishment, click here.

--Speaking of age...three Americans over the age of 60 reached the summit of Mount Everest this spring. To read more, click here.

Ed Viesters High in the Mountains

--It appears that world class high altitude mountaineer Ed Viesters will be on the Colbert Report tonight. Ed was the first American to climb all 14 8000 meter peaks.

Notes from All Over:

--A 28-year-old Las Vegas woman died Thursday after falling in the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. The Clark County Coroner's Office identified the woman as Margaret Plummer, a spokeswoman for the coroner said. She died from several blunt force trauma injuries and the cause of death was an accident, the coroner concluded. To read more, click here.

--The National Park Service has announced that after six years of collaborative negotiations, they have finalized and signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Access Fund. The newly signed MOU frames a cooperative relationship between the climbing community and the National Park Service. It outlines the common interests that the parties share—such as conservation and planning—as well as how they will work together to reach common goals. To read more, click here.

--Does designating National Parks as wilderness help or hinder the prospect of winning protection for truly threatened roadless lands? Do the National Parks already have enough protection. Outdoor writer Bill Schneider of New West throws in his two cents on this politically hot topic. To read the opinion, click here.

--On June 25th a 50-year-old woman from Spain was butted and tossed in the air by a bull bison in Yellowstone National Park. The woman and her husband were using a pay phone in the Canyon lodging area with their backs to the road. According to witnesses, two bull bison walked down the road, passing within 20 feet of the couple. One of the bison left the road, walked up behind the woman and butted her into the air. To read more, click on the June 25th report, here.

National Park Service Advises Visitors to Use Caution With Fire During 4th of July Holiday

2009-07-01T17:09:00.000-07:00

AAI just received the following email from Denali National Park:

National Park Service Advises Visitors to Use Caution With Fire During Fourth of July Holiday

The upcoming holiday weekend is forecast to be warm and mostly dry, and Denali National Park and Preserve officials are asking visitors to be especially cautious with their use of fire while enjoying the park. As of this date over 300 fires have burned in Alaska, and two-thirds were human caused. Wildland fuels such as grass, brush, and trees can dry out quickly with warm temperatures, and if ignited can quickly grow into large fires.

Campfires are allowed in the park campgrounds that have fire grates but they should be completely extinguished after use. Fires are not allowed in the backcountry areas of the original Mount McKinley National Park that are designated as wilderness.

Fireworks are not permitted in Denali National Park and Preserve and will be confiscated. Persons using fireworks in the park may be prosecuted.

Updated park information is posted on the web at www. nps.gov/dena and park happenings can be followed real time at DenaliNPS on Twitter.com. Information can also be obtained by calling (907) 683-2294 from 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. daily.

National Park Service and Access Fund Sign Agreement to Work Together on Climbing Issues

2009-07-01T10:15:00.000-07:00

AAI just received the following email from the National Park Service:

Washington DC — The National Park Service has announced that after six years of collaborative negotiations, they have finalized and signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Access Fund. The newly signed MOU frames a cooperative relationship between the climbing community and the National Park Service. It outlines the common interests that the parties share—such as conservation and planning—as well as how they will work together to reach common goals.

The Access Fund has demonstrated a long history of constructive solution-building between climbers and Park Service officials, illustrated through successful climbing management in areas like Yosemite National Park in California, Denali National Park & Preserve in Alaska, New River Gorge National River in West Virginia, and Devils Tower National Monument in Wyoming, to name a few.

The Access Fund and local climbers have made major contributions to NPS lands— such as collaborating on conservation events, participating in management planning, granting funds for trail improvements, and installing bear boxes. NPS officials recognize that climbers are a cooperative and responsible user group.

Numerous NPS officials provided endorsements for the Access Fund in support of the MOU, including the previous Superintendent of Yosemite National Park, Michael Tollefson. Tollefson endorsed the MOU “based on years of collaboration….that has directly benefitted park operations and the visitor experience, as well as work that less directly, but importantly supports park management strategic direction. We enjoy a direct line of cooperative and thoughtful conversation with [Access Fund staff], and believe that this connection allows forward-thinking solutions.”

Much of the value of this MOU will be realized by the Access Fund’s seventy-plus affiliated local climbing organizations, which can make use of the agreement to initiate relationships with managers of the national parks in their areas. The agreement will make it easier for climbers to develop mutually beneficial relationships with NPS officials regarding climbing management and stewardship issues. The MOU also will help these organizations express their interests when management planning is undertaken on NPS lands that contain climbing resources.

About the Access Fund:

Founded in 1991, the Access Fund is the national advocacy organization that keeps climbing areas open and conserves the climbing environment. The Access Fund supports and represents over 1.6 million climbers nationwide in all forms of climbing: rock climbing, ice climbing, mountaineering, and bouldering. Five core programs support the mission on national and local levels: climbing management policy, stewardship and conservation, local support and mobilization, land acquisition and protection, and education. For more information, visit www.accessfund.org.

About the National Park Service:

The National Park Service preserves unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the National Park System for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations. The National Park Service cooperates with partners to extend the benefits of natural and cultural resource conservation and outdoor recreation throughout this country and the world. For more information about the NPS visit http://www.nps.gov.

Conditions Report -- July 1, 2009

2009-07-01T06:00:00.000-07:00

NORTHWEST:

--Forecast for the West Slope of the Cascades.

--Forecast for the East Slope of the Cascades.

Pat Gallagher on the Thin Red Line. Photo by Eric Linthwaite

--Pat Gallagher and Eric Linthwaite headed up to Washington Pass last weekend to attempt the Thin Red Line on Liberty Bell. For a full trip report of their adventure click here.

--Webcam for Leavenworth and the Stuart Range.

--Forecast for Mount Rainier.

--Forest Service Road Report for Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.

--Here is an update from Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest regarding fire danger:

High Fire Risk on National Forest
Unusually dry conditions have increased fire danger on the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. The risk is much higher now than is typical for this time of the year, and with the July 4th weekend approaching, please be careful with fire on the forest. Fireworks are prohibited on National Forest lands.

--Crews will start clearing the road to Artist Point above Mt. Baker Ski Area on Monday, July 6, according to a state Department of Transportation news release. To read more click here.

--Mount Saint Helens, Mount Adams conditions and recreation report.

--Webcams for Mount Rainier National Park, North Cascades National Park, Leavenworth, and Highway 2.

Steph Abegg nearing the top of the new route "Thread of Ice" on the Twin Needles. Photo by Wayne Wallace

--Steph Abegg and Wayne Wallace headed into the Pickett Range recently and climbed a fantastic new route on the North side of Twin Needles. The route is called "Thread of Ice" and looks super fun! For a complete report of the first ascent click here.

Brian Hench on the descent from Exfoliation Dome. Photo by Matt Perkins

--Matt Perkins and Brian Hench headed up to the Exfoliation Dome near Darrington and wrote a great report complete with current road and route conditions. To read about their climb click here.

--An up-to-date ski and snow report for the Northwest may be found here.

--Up-to-date Pacific Northwest ice conditions may be found here.

--The Tieton River climbing areas have been closed for the season due to nesting raptors. To read more about this closure, click here.

--A couple weeks ago we finally got a team into the North Side of Mount Baker. The Coleman-Deming Route is in great shape and the North Ridge looks to be in good shape as well with a snow-bridge still available to access the "Hourglass" approach gully. The Glacier Creek road is closed at about mile 2.5 and will not reopen until the Fall. It took our team approximately six hours to get into the North Side with large packs and about four hours to get back to the car at the end of the trip.

--We have recently received a couple updates regarding current Squamish conditions:

"A tree has dislodged itself from the crack and fallen over the third pitch of Peasant's route on the Chief. The tree lies right across the climbing line between the two bolts on the pitch just above the crux. There is no way around it, but with some force you can bushwack your way through it.

I recommend bringing a small folding saw with you up there. Unless you are prepared to clean a little don't try to pull it out of the crack because you will send mud and debris down the pitch below it."

-Conny Amelunxen, Canadian Mountain Guide

-Click here for current falcon closures on the Grand Wall

--More updates from our friendly neighbors to the north with regard to the Bugaboos:

Just had my first trip of the season up to the Bugs and things are looking good. It is definitely still a bit early but there is already lots to do.

Road

The road is in descent shape and ok for a small car with a bit of navigating through ruts around KM 34. I was in a Toyota Matrix and had no problems.

Trail

The trail to the Kain hut is mostly snow free but there are a couple of significant piles of avalanche debris and a few fallen trees to negotiate along the way.

Travel Conditions

Generally, things seem a little ahead of usual. There is still lots of snow above the hut but the moraines are melting out fast. Travel on the lower elevation snow is good in the morning (with a good freeze) and becomes a bit of a slog in the PM when things warm up. Up high (above ~2800m) you can still expect up to knee deep foot penetration through a breakable crust but

this would only affect the last bit of glacier to the West Ridge of Pigeon Spire. The Bugaboo-Snowpatch col is in good shape right now but there is already lots of loose rock melted out on the sides.

Routes

Most of the regular stuff is climbable with a few snow patches remaining. The low elevation routes in the Crescent area look dry as do many of the routes on the west face of Snowpatch. There will inevitably be some wet sections on most routes but they are shrinking by the day. The higher shady routes like the NE Ridge of Bugaboo and the Becky-Chouinard will likely have snow and ice in them for a little while yet.

Bears

There is a sow grizzly with two, one year old cubs hanging around Bugaboo Creek these days but there was no recent evidence of their presence on the trail.

South Howser Descent

A new descent has been established from the South Howser Tower that avoids the cornice, loose rock and rope eating flakes of the existing descent. It roughly follows the North Face-Ridge route towards the Central Howser. Stop in at the hut to see a detailed topo.

Cheers,

Marc Pich?

ACMG, IFMGA

Mountain Guide

SIERRA:

--For information regarding wall closures due to falcon nesting in Yosemite National Park, click here.

--For an update on road conditions in the Eastern Sierra region. Follow this link to read more.

--For up-to-date avalanche and weather reports in the Eastern Sierra, click here.

--Webcams for Bishop, June Lake, Mammoth Mountain, Mono Lake, Tioga Pass, and Yosemite National Park.

ALASKA RANGE:

--For daily dispatches from expeditions currently climbing Denali, click here.

--Forecast for Denali.

--Webcam for Denali National Park.

The Kahiltna Dome
Archived Photo by Coley Gentzel

--The snow is melting very fast in the Alaska Range this year. This is in part due to the ash on the glaciers from the Redoubt volcano. All of the major landing strips are melting out. Strips on the Kahiltna, the Ruth and on the Pika are all in poor shape. Access to the range will be limited in the very near future.

ALPS:

--Chamonix and Mont Blanc Regional Forecasts may be found here.

--Webcams for Chamonix Valley, Zermatt and the Matterhorn.

RED ROCK CANYON:

--Forecast and average temperatures for Red Rock Canyon.

--Webcam for Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area.

--The scenic drive currently opens its gates at 6 in the morning.

JOSHUA TREE:

--Forecast and average temperatures for Joshua Tree National Park.

--Webcam for Joshua Tree National Park.

AAI Welcomes Three New Guides!

2009-06-30T06:00:00.000-07:00

AAI’s new guide training is over. As one of the new hires, I’m happy it is done and eager to work. I'm incredibly glad that I decided to work for the Institute. I was impressed by the quality of the training offered, and came away a much more well-rounded guide.

AAI Guide Training - Class of 2009

(left to right) Alaina Robertson, Mike Powers (instructor), Kevin Hogan, Scott Massey

Photo by Dana Hickenbottom

Big smiles after a successful ascent of the Beckey Route on Liberty Bell.

Photo by Dana Hickenbottom

We spent two weeks putting our blood, sweat and tears into our training with Mike Powers, AAI’s technical director and the former AMGA technical director, who’s technical guiding skills are impossible to do justice for on paper. Our days with him started at 5am and ended at so-far-north-it’s-almost-Canada dusk.

Mike Powers teaching effective short-roping technique high on the S. Early Winter Spire.

Photo by Dana Hickenbottom

Scott and Kevin Belay Ice Climbing Students in a Crevasse
Photo by Jason Martin

There are three new faces to AAI this year, Scott Massey, Kevin Hogan, and me, Alaina Robertson. We all entered guide training with strengths in specific areas of climbing and guiding, but by the end of the three weeks spent practicing “systems” (a blanket term for “everything in the American Mountain Guiding Association’s guide manual”), we are all worthy of wearing the AAI logo.

New AAI Guide Kevin Hogan Demonstraits a Highly Useful Skill
Photo by Jason Martin

So what can you look forward to if you are lucky enough to find one of us guiding your upcoming trip?

Kevin, the alpine wonder, has put over 13,000 miles on his boots walking from Canada to Mexico three times on various North-South trails. Ask him about his band, Pahoehoe. His talents include storytelling, balancing trekking poles, and “hucking meat” (he’s a downhill mountain biker). His favorite food is teriyaki and after a trip he loves a good IPA.

Kevin and Mike psyched to make it to the summit of the South Early Winter Spire.

Photo by Dana Hickenbottom

Scott, the desert rockman and über outdoor leader, has spent nine years employed leading groups through the wilderness and is a hardcore rock climber. He’ll always be the first one up in the morning and gets everyone going. He’s the one you want to play “name that movie quote” with. His favorite food is noodles with processed cheese and he always could go for a cup of coffee.

Scott and Alaina after a successful display of numerous snow skills.

Photo by Dana Hickenbottom

You’ll have to ask the other two what my nickname is, but I’ve traveled and climbed in 14 different countries on four continents. When not climbing, I tend to be sedentary, and consider eating and organizing to be hobbies. I like food, and at the end of the day, I enjoy a good glass of Merlot.

--Alaina Robertson, AAI Guide

July and August Climbing Events

2009-06-30T05:30:00.000-07:00

--July 3 -- Harrisburg, PA --Climb up the 50

--July 11 -- La Fayette, GA -- Rock Town Clean Up

--July 8-12 -- Lander, WY --International Climber's Festival

--July 17 -- Bellingham, WA --Aerial Tour of Mt Baker Hikes part II

--July 18 -- Castlewood Canyon, Castle Rock, CO --Summer Sandstone Series: Castlewood Canyon Bouldering Comp and Clean-Up

--July 18 -- Raleigh, NC --American Alpine Club Wilderness First Aid Course

--July 18 -- Sunnyvale, CA --ASCA Climb-a-thon at Planet Granite

--July 20 -- Reel Rock Film Competition Submission Deadline

--July 25 -- Obed/Clear Creek, GA -- Help Clean Up the Obed

CLOSE CALLS -- Recreational Area Closed to Target Shooting

2009-06-29T16:42:00.000-07:00

AAI just received the following email from Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest:

Everett, Wa. June 29, 2009 — The Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest is closing several roads on the I-90 corridor to target shooters starting July 4th weekend. The closure area encompasses the valley bottom that follows the I-90 freeway corridor from exit 38 to the top of Snoqualmie Pass. The Tinkham and Denny Creek roads are included.

“We have a serious public safety concern,” said Snoqualmie District Ranger Jim Franzel. “If we don’t do something immediately, someone will get hurt. We are closing the smallest land area possible to prevent an injury and provide for public safety.” The target shooting closure area encompasses concentrated recreation uses with multiple roads, campgrounds, trailheads and picnic areas. Franzel said that the local geography doesn’t provide for natural target shooting backstops, so target shooters often use trees and vegetation as backstops, not realizing there may be a trailhead or people recreating within range.

Although unsafe target shooting has been a growing problem on national forest lands adjacent to I-90, recent near-misses of road repair workers and shooting across roads has elevated the concern. “Peak visitor use is during the summer and additional road repair and trail reconstruction is scheduled,” Franzel said. The closure involves a small part of the 332,000-acre Snoqualmie Ranger District.

Target shooting regulations remain unchanged everywhere else on the district. The Code of Federal Regulations prohibits discharging firearms within 150 yards of a residence, building, campsite, developed recreation site or occupied area. Violators can be fined up to $5,000 and/or imprisoned up to six months in jail. Signs are posted marking closed areas. Visitors can get a map at Snoqualmie Ranger District Office in North Bend and online at http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/mbs/condition/mbs-closure-target-shooting-i90-corridor.pdf <http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/mbs/conditions/mbs-closure-target-shooting-i90-corridor.pdf> that show where target shooting is prohibited.

This is a temporary emergency closure. The forest will consider the need for a permanent closure in one year. Franzel said that target shooting in high-use recreation areas has increased over the years, along with associated environmental damage and dumped trash. For information regarding the closure, please call 425-888-1421 x230 or visit http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/mbs/ <http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/mbs/> .

Rappelling Safety

2009-06-29T06:00:00.000-07:00

There is no doubt that rappelling is the most dangerous thing that we regularly do in this sport. There are more climber injuries and fatalities from mistakes rappelling than from any other place in all of climbing. However, there are some things that every climber can do to make rappelling safer.

First, if it is possible to safely walk off from the top of a climb, simply walk off. Limiting the amount of time that you spend rappelling is a surefire way to limit the amount of exposure that you have to potential mistakes.

Second, climbers should always try to tie off the ends of their ropes in order to close the system. This is a simple thing to do that is often overlooked. Some climbers are afraid that their ropes will get stuck after they throw them...which is a legitimate fear. Closing the system should be a default tactic. But if there are extenuating circumstances, then perhaps the system should be intentionally left open.

People seldom think about tying knots in the end of the rope in single pitch terrain, but ironically, that's where most people accidentally rappel off of a single end of the rope. All that it takes is a minor rope offset to ruin your day. Knots in the rope will keep such a thing from being anything more than another minor element to fix.

Rappelling with a Prussik above the Device

And third, climbers should use some kind of rappel backup.

A Prussik Hitch on a Rope

There are two friction hitch backup options that are commonly used. Some people like to put a prussik hitch above their rappel device, whereas others prefer to put an autoblock hitch below the device. There are advantages and disadvantages to rappelling both ways. The biggest advantage to either of these options is that you are less likely to die if you make a mistake. The biggest disadvantage is that it takes extra time to put these things together...

Note the autoblock coming off the climber's legloop.
Most people will put their hand on the autoblock hitch while rappelling.

Rappelling with a friction hitch above the device has gone a bit out of fashion. One advantage to rappelling with a prussik hitch above is that it is easy to switch a rappel system into a rope ascending system. The prussik is already attached to the climber's belay loop, so all that he has to do is to add a second friction hitch for his feet below the first friction hitch.

Most climbers now rappel with a friction hitch (usually an autoblock hitch) below the device, attached to a leg loop. This allows both hands to hold the rope below the device which provides for more redundancy in the rappel.

An Autoblock Hitch

A friction hitch works well below the device...most of the time. It is, however, imperative that climbers who employ this technique be extremely careful. If a climber elects to hang from the rope by nothing more than his device and a friction hitch, it is possible that the hitch could be disengaged if it touches the device. Such a thing would result in catastrophic failure. This usually happens when one twists his body away from the friction hitch. If a climber needs to mess around with ropes or something else while hanging from a device and a hitch, he should definitely put a catastrophe knot in below the hitch. This will ensure that should something happen, the climber will not fall to the ground.

Rappelling is the most dangerous thing that we do. So why not create more security by trying to walk off when you can? Or by tying knots in the end of the ropes? Or by putting a friction hitch into the system? Any one of these simple techniques could save your life...

--Jason D. Martin

AAI Expedition Summits Denali

2009-06-28T14:19:00.000-07:00

AAI guide Forest McBrian called at 1:11 pm Alaska time Sunday afternoon with the following dispatch:

“This is Forest from 17,200 on Denali. Sorry I didn’t call in yesterday, but it was a very busy day! James, Bill, Jullian, Marc, and I summited last night at 9:00pm. We had a really nice sunny day. Everyone was quite strong and made it happen. They worked together so well. There were only four other people climbing the mountain, so we really felt like we had it to ourselves. That's quite rare up here.

We’re back at 17,000 feet eating and drinking, and soon we will leave for 14,000 feet. I’ll call again when we are further down the mountain, perhaps tomorrow.

Everyone says hello to friends and family back home. The whole team is feeling great and is very pleased with what we have accomplished. It was a long trip that took a lot of patience and persistence and it really paid off.

As we mentioned before, we are planning to pass our satellite phone on to the last expedition because theirs isn't working. So we should have some news from them on their progress before too long.

Talk to you soon.”

Weekend Warrior -- Videos to get you stoked!

2009-06-27T06:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome once again to yet another edition of Weekend Warriors - Videos to get you Stoked! This week I decided to focus on some hardcore first ascents...since there are few things more stoke worthy than heading out into the unknown and climbing something that has never been climbed before. Enjoy!

The first video features some Alaskan climbing in the Ruth Gorge. These guys put up 5 new routes in two weeks...talk about impressive!

The second video actually features the same climbers as the first video but this time they hopped on a jet plane and flew across the globe to establish a new route in the Trango Group in the Pakistani Himalayas. These guys don't mess around when it comes to hardcore climbing!

The final video actually documents a route that has been climbed before...just not with traditional gear. It showcases Matt Segal climbing "China Doll" (5.14) outside of Boulder, CO, a previously bolted line that hadn't yet seen a traditional ascent.

Cougars! (Safety Tips)

2009-06-26T05:30:00.000-07:00

In yesterday’s blog we reported about the three-year-old girl who was attacked by a cougar in Squamish (to read that story, click here), so with this topic fresh on our minds it seems fitting to follow up with a blog on cougars.

First off here is a little general info for you. Cougars and their relatives can be found just about anywhere from the Yukon to the Southern Andes. In the Pacific Northwest males range from 115 to 198 lbs and the females are smaller at 64 to 141 lbs. These feisty felines will literally eat anything with meat on it from moose, elk, and horses down to insects.

Once a large prey has been killed, the cougar will feed on the corpse for numerous days and this usually will keep them satisfied for close to two weeks until the hunger induced urge to kill rises again. However, during the early months of a kitten’s life the mother will hunt and catch prey much more often, sometimes as much as one piece of meat every three days.

And speaking of kittens and cougars getting it on kitty style, a male and female will meet for a brief "encounter" and then the male will disappear leaving the mother to raise the one to six kittens on her own. As the kittens mature only one out of the liter is expected to survive to adulthood and live for the full 8 to 13 years as observed through various studies.

Now that we have been briefly acquainted with this beautiful animal, there are a few things you should know to help prevent a cougar from getting acquainted with you. When you are out for a hike it is highly recommended that you go with a least one other person and be aware that cougars are most likely to be hunting at dawn or dusk, although they will hunt and scamper 24/7 if they feel like it.

If you are hiking with small children, keep them close, as their high pitched voices and typical less coordinated movement seems to encourage cougars to attack. It is also a good idea to make noise so that you don't surprise a cougar by accident.

Most likely you will not run into a cougar while out hiking, but if you are lucky enough to spot a cougar and unlucky enough for it to become aggressive towards you, the experts advise that you should immediately pick up any children, make yourself as big as possible (stand up straight and arc your arms out to the side), pick up a large stick if any nearby, make eye contact and stare down the cougar, shout in a loud but slow and calm voice, and throw rocks in an attempt to scare it off. These tips should help you from having a bad experience with these magnificent cats.

Below is a quick clip of a cougar attacking an elk.

Oh and one last obvious tip, if you find a cougar kitten in the wild, don't pick it up and play with it. As with moose and bear, encounters with young and a nearby mother are not good at all.

Have fun out there!

-- Erik

Climbing News from Here and Abroad -- June 25, 2009

2009-06-25T06:00:00.000-07:00

Northwest:

--The Access Fund recently announced that an option agreement to purchase the 20-acre private inholding at the Lower Index Town Walls of Snohomish County, Washington has been secured. This popular climbing area boasts several hundred quality granite climbing routes and is only an hour drive from Seattle. Its proximity to a major metropolitan area and its short approach from the trailhead make this cliff line a popular after work or after school climbing destination for the Seattle-Everett area. To read more, click here.

--A three-year-old girl was out for a walk with her mom in their Squamish neighborhood at dinnertime Tuesday evening when she was attacked by a cougar. The child's father told CBC the girl thought the cougar was playing with her when it swiped at her from behind in Fisherman's Park near the Squamish River. She was in the hospital with lacerations Tuesday night but was expected to be okay. To read more, click here.

The North Side of Mount Baker Last Week
Photo by Jason Martin

--An injured climber was rescued Sunday afternoon from Mount Baker after falling 150 feet. The Whatcom County Sheriff's Office received a report of the injured climber at about 1:42 pm. Kenneth Capron, 56, of Spanaway, had fallen while descending the Railroad Grade -- a portion of the trail that follows the crest of a steep moraine. The climber was in and out of consciousness with head injuries until he was helicoptered off the mountain. To read more, click here.

--Mark Albrecht, a 22-year old hiker from Everett, went missing late last week. It appears that the young man missed a switchback in the fog while descending from Sahale Mountain near Cascade Pass. Once Albrecht realized he was lost, he pitched his tent and waited for the weather to clear. The decision to sit still likely saved his life. To read more, click here.

--Two hikers who were lost on Mount Pilchuck have been rescued. The Snohomish County Sheriff's office says a man and a woman who were hiking separately both became lost Sunday and then ran into each other. The man had a cell phone with a low battery but was able to call for help. Rescuers made contact with the pair Sunday night and helped them hike out early Monday. To read more, click here.

--Park visitation in Olympic National Park is way up. This apparently has little to do with frugal families in a down economy, but instead with a teeny bop fascination with the Stephanie Meyers Twilight vampire series. The books -- and film -- follow a teenage girl who lives on the fringes of the Olympic National Park in Forks, Washington. Fans have become enamored with both the town and with the National Park. To read more, click here.

Sierra:

--As many as 30 horrified onlookers watched as a male hiker fell from the cable route on Yosemite's Half Dome Cable Route on June 13th. It appears that rain may have contributed to the fatal slip on the popular "tourist" route to the top of the feature. To read more, click here and here.

Alaska:

The Alaska Volcano Observatory posted the following report this week on the Redoubt Volcano:

Early morning hutcam image shows snow accumulating on the upper reaches of Redoubts still-growing dome. The lack of heat on the higher slopes, and steam and blocky morphology of the margins and toe of the lava dome suggests the predominant growth is internal and radial; expanding outwards rather than extruding from the top center.

The 2009 eruption of Redoubt volcano continues. Seismicity has been low during the past week, but remains above background level. Seismicity is primarily comprised of small, discrete events associated with continued growth and instability of the lava dome.

Cloudy conditions have obscured most webcam and satellite images this week. Mostly clear webcam images today show continued steam and gas emissions from the dome. No ash signals have been observed in satellite or radar imagery.

Poor weather conditions throughout the week limited field work opportunities. One field crew was able to measure gas emissions from the plume and briefly observe the dome on Monday, June 15. The lava dome is now approximately 1,000 m in length, 460 m in width, and 200 m tall. Data suggest that the rate of dome growth may be slowing. This large mass of fresh lava remains unstable and could fail with little or no warning, leading to significant ash production and possible lahars in the Drift River valley.

AVO continues to monitor Redoubt's activity 24/7. AVO will provide frequent updates of the volcano's status and the earliest possible warning of significant explosive activity and other hazards.

Notes from All Over:

--Three American Climbers -- Majka Burhardt, Peter Doucette and Kate Rutherford -- recently completed two new big wall routes on the Orabeskopf Wall in Southeastern Africa. Southern Crossing clocks in at a solid 5.11+, Grade V and Painted Giraffe, clocks in at 5.9+, Grade V. To read more, click here.

AAI Guide Tim Connelly shows off a battlescar from the Maxidash
Tim was stung in the ear by a wasp while in the Competition

--Earlier this week we published an article on the Maxidash race in Kenya and one of our guide's involvment in the race. After 350 kilometers of driving and 16 routes in 24 hours AAI guide Tim Connelly and Lucas Gonzales won the event with 440 points. To read more, click here and here.

--Backcountry enthusiasts no longer have to forgo wine with dinner. Trek N' Eat is producing a dehydrated wine...which is kind of weird. The wine comes in a powder and has 8.2% alcoholic content. To read more, click here.

--The television show, Today, recently ran a piece on a couple of canyoneers who were videotaping a rappel in Zion National Park. During the descent, one of the climbers lost control and fell over 100 feet. To watch the segment, please click on the following link:

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

UIAA Gear Testing Videos

2009-06-23T06:00:00.001-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, we posted a video of a carabiner strength test. The video was very popular. We got to see a press destroy a carabiner. Videos of gear breaking are always engaging. As a result, today we have posted a few more climbing gear testing videos from the UIAA. These are both terrifying and a lot of fun all at the same time!

--Jason D. Martin

June and July Climbing Events

2009-06-23T05:30:00.000-07:00

--June 24 --Seattle, WA -- Steve Swenson, President of American Alpine Club

Steve Swenson is the current president of the American Alpine Club and a member of the Seattle Vertical World. He will discuss his forthcoming trip to an unclimbed 7,500 meter peak in the eastern Karakoram in India as well as climbing in Pakistan, China, and Patagonia.

Seattle REI, June 24th 2009, 7:00pm

--June 26-27 -- Boulder, CO -- 3rd Annual HERA Climb For Life Celebration

--June 26 & 28 -- Bend & Portland, OR -- Matt Segal Slideshow Tour in Oregon

Matt Segal is traveling to various cities in the US, and his shows will include images and video incuding England's famous Gritstone.
The is an hour long show, and there will also be some great raffle prizes.

--June 27 -- San Francisco, CA --ASCA Climb-a-thon at Planet Granite

--June 26-28 -- Gunnison, CO --Gunnison Rock & Race Festival

We're always on the lookout for events that bring the climbing community together. If you're aware of an event we don't have posted above, please feel free to email us with all the details. Event posts will be made at AAI's discretion.

--June 27-28 -- Rumney, NH --Women's Rock Climbing Weekend

--July 3 -- Harrisburg, PA --Climb up the 50

--July 11 -- La Fayette, GA -- Rock Town Clean Up

--July 8-12 -- Lander, Wyoming --International Climber's Festival

--July 18 -- Castlewood Canyon, Castle Rock, CO --Summer Sandstone Series: Castlewood Canyon Bouldering Comp and Clean-Up

--July 18 -- Raleigh, NC --American Alpine Club Wilderness First Aid Course

--July 18 -- Sunnyvale, CA --ASCA Climb-a-thon at Planet Granite

--July 20 -- Reel Rock Film Competition Submission Deadline

--July 25 -- Obed/Clear Creek, GA -- Help Clean Up the Obed

Whitney Climbed in Great Conditions

2009-06-22T18:26:00.001-07:00

AAI guide Mark Grundon called in to report that he and Jamie Campbell (of Katy Texas - outside of Houston) had just summited Mt. Whitney. They climbed the Mountaineers Route, and said conditions were terrific:

"This spring and early summer we've had a lot of issues with thunderstorms, but we had it perfect on this trip. Besides great weather, we had four or five inches of fresh snow. It was actually better than some parts of the winter. We had snow covered ground all the way from Iceberg Lake to the summit."

"The snow covered all the loose rocks, so it was very comfortable walking and climbing. The final pitch to the summit was boot pack - with great steps kicked and well frozen. It was a fun finish. Amazing views needless to say!"

He reported that they climbed from camp near Iceberg Lake to the summit and back again in about 9 hours. They left camp at 6:00 am and summited at 11:40. They had a nice break on top enjoying great views of the Sierra high peaks before descending to camp where they arrived at 3:00pm.

The Maxidash

2009-06-22T05:30:00.000-07:00

Last week it was announced that AAI Guide Tim Connelly and Lucas Gonzales will team up to compete in the Mountain Club of Kenya's Maxidash race, the premier and only race of it's kind in East Africa.

Lucas getting familiar with the Ndeiya site

For the uninitiated, the “Maxi-Dash” is an annual event for the rock climbers of the Club and for ‘climbing guests’ who would wish to participate. The idea is to gather as many points as possible by climbing set climbs at five different crags around Nairobi. These are Lukenya, Embaribal, Frog, Ndeiya and Hell’s Gate National Park.

The Maxidash has been held for over 20 years and many colourful characters and stories have been engaged in its history. This year however the 2 newcomers have seen to it to challenge the locals and mainly a set of 3 or 4 climbers that have consistently won the competition in the last 10 years. 'We shall see them really DASH this year!!' barked Connelly at the weekly MCK meeting where he announced his participation and threw down the proverbial gauntlet to those few climbers attending.

Tim working out the intricacies of Hell's gate's Main wall

The official rules state there is to be no sabotaging of vehicles, brought about after a particularly competitive year found wheels flying off vehicles at high speed. But they continue to not ban activities of route sabotaging such as banana smearing or baboon baiting (whatever that might be!!)

Finding the descents, strategy of which routes to climb, when and general motoring skills on African roads is as important as efficient climbing ability. (Tim racing down so that he can climb up another route)

Spare wheel, food, plenty of petrol, liquids and good shock absorbers will see competitors through the whole day. There will be at least 3 hours of driving between sites, probably closer to 4 or 5, and Kenya is not known for it's great roads!! (one of the sites, Frog. a good hour from Nairobi and probably an hour and a half from the next site)

The next week will be filled with lots of preparation . Luckily this team is fitted out with a few pairs of 5ten shoes for both the climbing and approach/descent, a Toyota 4runner and lots of energy for this 'rumble in the jungle'!!!

--Tim Connelly, AAI Guide