Hoody Adventure - 1/17/2009

Last weekend Aaron Hartz and I climbed Mt. Hood via the Wy'east route (East Crater Rim). Our route took us across the whiteriver glacier and up an access chute to the snowfields above the newton clark glacier. Up to that point we had encountered difficult conditions... Variable snow conditions mixed with blue ice and significant ice mushrooms/gargoyles. But, the route choice ended up being a good one because it took us along a ridge crest above the ice that was apparently chrashing into the crater of the volcano. Parts of the route were protected with a running belay using pickets and the snow conditions improved the higher we got. We summited around 11, and then downclimbed the old chute. Conditions in the old chute were icy and steep, but we passed through quickly and then traversed over to the hogsback right about level with the bergschrund. Overall a pretty nice/standard day on hood, especially for early season.

This is when things took a turn... As we decended to the hogsback, at the point where the bergschrund crossed I happened to glance over to the climbers right and saw 4(?) people at the base of the pearly gates. Three of them were bunched together right in the debris chute, with another person in a safer location. I asked a guy who was standing there (later found out he was spotting for icefall) if they were okay and he said "no, that guy just fell 200 feet". I told him that I was in mountain rescue and asked if they needed any help to which he replied "yes, I think they do." When I got to them, I found out that they guy had fallen from far above and had broken both ankles. I also saw that where they were sitting was particularly subject to icefall and that if the rescuers and patient didn't get out of the debris chute that there was a good chance that someone else was going to get injured or killed. Within minutes this point was punctuated by a rather large icefall event that literally sent me running from the gully (an interesting concept with crampons on a steep slope). Behind me the two rescuers and patient in the gully were getting slammed with ice. For me this was the scariest part. I honestly wasn't sure they were going to be okay, but slowly, one by one they checked in.

So, I'm not going to go into the details of the rescue other than to say that we were extremely lucky to make it down without anyone else getting seriously hurt. The icefall was some of the worst I've ever seen, and more than once large chunks bracketed us on both sides. We did end up lowering this fella (who was a very experienced climber by the way, and a nice guy too) at least 600 feet down into the devils kitchen area to where we could carry him over to a blackhawk helicopter piloted by the folks from the 1042 air national gaurd (see my second post ever for pics).

The really sad part of the story is that five days later a gal named Brooke Colvin was killed in the same spot by falling ice. Another very skilled climber who was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. :(

Here are the pics:


Ice gargoyles up to Aaron's thighs!


Sunrise on the Newton Clark Glacier


Cloud sea


A view from the east crater rim of climbers on the standard route up the mountain


Taking a break at a flat spot


A view of the upper portion of the route, which winds up gulleys on the right skyline


Aaron looking back down one of the gullies


Aaron traversing the last exposed bit over to the summit


Summit dorks! :)


Aaron decending the icy step in the "Old Chute"


Shot taken by someone else of the initial patient contact


After we completed the lowering, a reach and treat team arrived with happy meds! :)


Helicopter on approach


Helicopter


Looking back on the scene, with the red X marking where the rescue started

Caving - Secret Spot - 11/16/08

This past Sunday Dennis, Aaron, Melissa, and I took a secret trip to a secret place to check out some secret caves. Actually, they were secret enough that it took us a little while to find them (I was going strictly on memory, which as most of you know doesn't serve me very well). Part of the justification for the trip was that a couple of the pits are somewhat substantial (much wider than the one in these pics) and that their secret location happens to coincide with a secret ski stash near a certian REALLY secret ski hut that was constructed by Dennis and some of our other friends. Anyway, I felt it my civic duty to show them the location to avoid any winter mishap in that area (punching through the snow into one of those caves would be the end for sure). Anyway, while we were their, our caving specialist Dennis showed us a few tips and the four of us decended my favorite cave in the area. The drop itself looks insignificant compared to a few of it's nearby counterparts, dropping what appears to be 30' into a closet sized slot. From there the drop passes through a hole in the floor barely wide enough for a person to squeeze through, and then suddenly your feet are dangling in space as you drop another 50ish feet into a large chamber. It's pretty cool, and I'd say that everyone "styled" it! :)


Mel and Aaron dressed in their Sunday caving attire


Dennis, our fearless leader for the day


Trying to find the caves... I think somebody moved 'em cause they weren't where I had left them a couple years ago.


Dennis looking sharp as usual


Mel and Aaron taking notes


Dennis about to drop out of sight


Mel just after rapping into the big chamber


Mel finishing up the "down" part


Mel starting up the "up" part. I didn't even notice the cool red stain on the rocks until looking at these pics


Mel finishing the jumar out of the chamber and into the hole in the roof.


Aaron's decent into madness


Mel's ascent

Monkey Face -Pioneer Route - 11/9/2008

My buddy Chris was up this past weekend, and we took advantage of a late season weather window to cruise up the "Pioneer Route" on Monkey Face. All in all the climb went smoothly in three pitches. Chris lead the bolt ladder pitch, which was sweet revenge for him with some "upgraded" (inside joke) daisy chains. I got the panic point pitch, which is a few moves of sweet overhanging 5.7 with a LOT of air under your feet. We didn't get any pictures of the free moves, but a few of the others came out good! :)


The day's objective


Chris leading up the bolt ladder... The rope on the left gives a feel for how overhanging the route is.


Hanging out in the Monkey's mouth


Chris on top


Me on top


Another unfinished one ticked off the list


The 180ish' freehanging rappel... Possibly the neatest part of the trip


Looking back on the hike out

Jeff Park, a nice birthday trip! :) 10/11/2008

Mel and I hiked into the Jefferson Park wilderness this weekend to celebrate my birthday... The mountain had a fresh shot of snow (first of the year) and although that made for cold and wet feet, the color and lighting on Saturday was awesome. Anyway, I just wanted to warn you, if you don't like "reflection" photos, you should stop reading now!