Northwest Mountain School News/Blog

Aconcagua Team Underway

2012-01-24T11:21:00.001-08:00

Jared checked in this morning to say the team was packed, rested and heading by jeep to Punta de Vaca (7,600') where they will begin the trek into the mountain. The team will camp at Pampas Las Lenas (8,850') tonight. It generally takes about 4-5 hours to cover the 7 miles between Punta de Vaca and La Lena.

Jared's check in this morning was the following:

"After being well rested and well fed and perhaps feeling the curative qualities of a little Malbec we leave the relative comfort of los Penitentes and travel by Landcruiser to the trailhead and entrance to the Vacas Valley where our adventure truly begins."

Mule Loads Packed - 135 kg

The photo above shows the end result of yesterday's packing effort. The total gear packed up for the mules to carry amounted to 135 kgs for our team of 3. In addition to the mule loads Jared, David and Meg will each be carrying their packs with enough food, water and gear to be prepared for each day on the trek into base camp.

Team at Pampas Las Lenas

UPDATE: Jared just checked in using the spot beacon at 11:40 AM Pacific time. It appears that the team has made it to tonight's camp. The map above shows the distance that they covered today.

Aconcagua Expedition Begins

2012-01-23T11:31:00.001-08:00

January is always a busy time and 2012 is no exception. While John is ice guiding in Ouray and Olivia is heading up our ski program in Washington Jared Bonea will be leading a small group on the 360 traverse and summit of Aconcagua.

Meg, Jared & David

Jared met up with Meg K. and David C. in Mendoza yesterday. After a picking up their climbing permits, fresh food items and a night in the city the team departed for Penitentes this morning. It is about a 3 hour drive from Mendoza to Penitentes.

The hotel at Penitentes as marked by the Spot Beacon

Penitentes (8,642') is a ski area during the winter and is now a quiet outpost where many teams pack for their trip into Aconcagua. In the map above you can see Aconcagua towards the top left of the screen. The team will be approaching the mountain by the Vacas Valley which is the major N-S drainage toward the right side of the screen. On the morning of day 3 of their trek they will take a left out of the Vacas Valley and head up the Relinchos Valley (E-W valley in the top center of this map) towards the mountain.

Jared, Meg and David are packing now - organizing gear into items they will carry, mule loads that they will access on the trek into base camp and mule loads with gear/food & supplies that will be sent straight to base camp. Once they are all packed up the team will enjoy one last restaurant meal and a night spent in a bed before beginning the trek into the mountain tomorrow.

The local time on Aconcagua is 5 hours ahead of Pacific time. Jared will be checking in by Satellite phone on most evenings and we will be posting his updates on the blog here so stay tuned...

Aconcagua Guide Services

Sportiva Hi5 AT Ski - Powerfully good fun

2011-12-14T16:04:00.000-08:00

As part of our deal with Sportiva, Olivia and I recently had the option to pick two pairs of skis from Sportiva's ski line. As I primarily tour I went straight for the GT (184 cm 125/89/111) knowing that a ski with these dimensions would be the ideal weapon for a ski guiding. It is light (3 lbs. per ski), has a traditional camber, and seemed like it would be good for all around conditions. On my last two tours this is what I took into the backcountry and I really liked the ski. It was solid on crust, floated nicely on the few powder pockets we have, and had a stiffness, particularly in the tail that suits my ski style.

For my second ski I picked the Sportiva HI5 thinking that I would use it for the slack country, touring on powder days, and the occasional big storm day at the ski area. Of all the new skis Sportiva is making, this one is getting the most buzz. This is also the fattest ski I have ever owned for touring at 135/105/125. I am on the 188 and was a bit nervous about going so long, but did so after many reputable friends pointed out the massive rocker in the HI5, with assurances that it would feel shorter when I had it out skiing.

Sportiva HI5 Ski - 188cm

I mounted them with Dynafit TLT Vertical FT 110mm bindings as I only had my hands on one pair of the RT bindings and I put them on my GT's in order to create an ultralight setup. I have been skiing the Hi5's in a Dynafit Titan Ultralight. The RT's seem plenty bomber and weigh 175 grams per binding, and thus would be the ideal match for a big, lightweight, rockered touring setup.

Sportiva HI5 Ski - 450 mm of tip rocker in the 188cm.

We have been going through a cold spell with zero new snow and I had been itching to take out the much beefier HI5 just to see what 105 underfoot felt like. I also wanted to ski it simply to make sure I had mounted it properly so that I would know it was ready when we finally got our next big storm.

I have now taken it up to Stevens Pass twice in the past 4 days and used it for high-speed in-bounds skiing and can't emphasize how much I love this ski. These things fly! I fully expected the HI5 to be cumbersome and difficult to ski on hardpack as they have the deadly combo of being big and light, but found them to to almost seem to get better the faster you are going.

Today we arrived close to first chair, so I had the opportunity to take them out on some groomed runs and see how well they did in more regular tight turns as my first outing had mostly featured bigger turns and higher speeds. There is no question that I had to work a bit to quickly link turns on firm snow, but this seems like the tradeoff you make when you go for a straighter ski that is going to provide stability when going fast in variable conditions. The one place they start to feel big and less responsive is in bumps.

In the end these were so much damn fun that I think this is going to be the ski I grab this winter for most tours and any day at the ski area. I suspect come Haute Route season I will take both the GT's and the HI5's and use the GT's if it looks like we have a low snow year or really firm snow for a given trip. Outside wildly variable conditions requiring the most maneuverability the HI5 has a solid spot at the top of my quiver.

A few other notes about the HI5. They have a flat tail and use the K2 skin system which arrive pre-cut and have their own tip and tail attachment system. I used the same skin on on my GT's (cut for the GT's) and they have a super nice glue and did very well even in very icy conditions. I will be curious to see how durable the tip and tail attachments prove to be, but thus far have had no issues. The ski has no metal top sheet, but rather a double polyamide top sheet and then layers of fiberglass and a carbon/fiberglass mat. There are reinforcement plates under the bindings to beef up screw attachment points. They have ABS sidewalls.

When Sportiva first started making skis the rumor was that they were being made by Movement, but it turns out they are not made by Movement, they are made in the same factory that makes Movement's skis. That said, they have a similar feel as the Movement skis I have demoed, which highlight a torsional stiffness that is surprising when you put it on edge, given the flex of ski when going over bumps.

HI5 Specs:

Lengths: 168 cm, 178 cm, 188 cm

Dimensions: (all lengths) 135/105/125

Turning Radius: 178 cm

Profile: Early rise tips, traditional camber underfoot.

Core: Wood (Light Karuba)

Tail: Flat

Weight: 7 lbs. 7.6 oz in 178 cm

Cost: $799

As the skis just hit the market this season there are not a ton of reviews out there yet. On Wildsnow.com Lou Dawson titled his review, "Let the Horses Run" and he describes the same smooth ride and then goes on to mention that this ski, like big skis in general tend to be super grabby in spring snow, leading to a jerky ride as the skis alternately engage and disengage with the snow. This has not been an issue thus far given the cold we are experiencing and it overcome by a good wax, something I tend to overlook in long runs of ski guiding.

In conclusion the HI5 has thus far been a blast to ski. The ride reminds me of a Tornado I "borrowed" for a night of revelry in Talkeenta, AK years ago. One minute you are driving to get steak and eggs and the next minute your realize you are doing 95 mph but can't tell as the ride is so smooth. These are great skis for powder, area skiing, and most touring. If I was really trying to log some miles or faced with the worst, icy, variable backcountry conditions I would likely size down and go with a more narrow waisted ski. The HI5's are going to get some serious mileage in with me this winter, they are just too much fun to leave home.

Our guide service, The Northwest Mountain School

AIARE Level 2 Avalanche Course Feb 17-20, 2012 Leavenworth, WA

2011-11-25T23:21:00.000-08:00

Our winter 2011-2012 AIARE Level 2 Avalanche Course will be held February 17-20, 2012 in Leavenworth, WA. The course will be led by Harlan Sheppard, and assisted by IFMGA guides, John Race, and Olivia Race. The classroom sessions will take place at Sleeping Lady Mountain Resort and the field sessions will take place at Stevens Pass ski area and a variety of backcountry locations in the Central Cascades of Washington State.

This is a professional level course and is used to train ski patrollers, mountain guides, and frequent backcountry travelers that want to improve their decision making skills and avalanche knowledge. This course also includes the introductory and prerequisite components for progression to AIARE level 3 programs.

Registration is now open. Full details can be found by calling the Northwest Mountain School at 509-548-5823. Space is reserved on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Why People Don't Start Backcountry Skiing

2011-11-22T10:45:00.000-08:00

We have a lot of conversations with people that want to get into Backcountry skiing. A typical scenario is that we will be at dinner with friends after a great day in the backcountry and the conversation will turn to how great the skiing is at some spot that only the backcountry skiers have heard of. As often as not people have the impression that backcountry skiing must be extreme in some way. As the conversation develops we always encourage folks to get out and try it, but there seems to be a pattern of reasons as to why people don't actually make the transition from skiing at the area to skiing in the backcountry. This got me thinking about what the common obstacles are and wanting to explain how these can easily be overcome.

1. Ability: I think this is the number one reason that our friends do not get into backcountry skiing. In order to have a good time off-piste you need to be a decent skier. You do not need to be great, but you do need to be able to get down the hill, in control. The solution to this is simple: GO SKIING! It all begins with getting in mileage at the ski area. Most importantly, go as often as you can in and in the widest variety of conditions possible. Everything that the backcountry throws at you can be encountered at a ski area. Don't just go on great powder days and stay off the groomers. Ski in powder, look for crusts on the edge, learn to "finagle" into tight spots, ski in the rain, ski in the heat, ski in the cold. The most important thing is that you go skiing as often as possible and that you look for and practice skiing in variable conditions. You do not need to ski fast, huck cliffs, or be extreme in any way, but you do need to practice all the stuff that you find between the groomed runs. If you ski often your ability will improve. as will your overall skiing fitness.

2. Gear: I no longer own a alpine setup. Modern Alpine Touring gear is so good that it is perfectly fine for skiing at the ski area. Look for a mid-sized ski, but a good AT boot, and buy good AT bindings and use that for all of your skiing. The ideal ski for me is a straighter ski, generally around 90 mm underfoot. We are all gravitating to fatter skis so you can go bigger, but generally bigger skis mean more weight, and while they can make trail breaking easier, fatter skis can limit you a bit in pre-existing skin tracks. The boots are expensive, but will last you for many years and tend to hold their resale value better than regular alpine boots. Skis with less sidecut (i.e. straighter) are generally harder to turn, but they have the advantage of not turning when you don't want them to. This is critical in the backcountry as there are times when catching an edge is going to bump you into something. If you ski your AT skis at the area you will get used to how they perform and this will help you in the backcountry. Don't hesitate to buy used gear. Skiers are like road bikers. They obsess over the latest greatest and often unload last year's gear. The gear does get better, but not so much better that being on a 3 year old set tup is going to limit you in any way.

3. Avalanches: This is probably the main reason that people don't go into the backcountry. There is no question that your risk of being in an avalanche goes up radically when you ski outside areas controlled by ski patrol. Where I think people go wrong is in overestimating the risk that experienced backcountry skiers take when they venture out of bounds. Most of us are really conservative. You do need to understand avalanche forecasts, be able to read the weather forecast, and know how to use a beacon, shovel, and probe. Once you are skiing well in the ski area it is time to take an avalanche course. A good place to start is with an AIARE Level 1 Course. As you begin your avalanche education you need to realize and accept the fact that this is an education that never ends. We read websites, talk with friends, attend lectures and courses, and constantly add to our knowledge. Once you get over the hurdle of realizing that avalanches do not just mysteriously come out of the mountains and envelop skiers you can start to learn to recognize the terrain that produces avalanches, get a feel for when the hazard is rising or falling, and learn to avoid dangerous situations. If you can ski well, there is always a group of more experienced people that are willing to show you the ropes, but the price of admission is being confident with your beacon, shovel, and probe, skills that are easily attained. A good rule of thumb is to ski the area anytime it is dumping, or the avalanche forecast makes you nervous.

4. Skiing with a pack: Ever wonder why people ski at the ski area with a pack? I do. I suspect for many it is the equivalent of having a carabiner on your book bag. It sends the message that "hey, I am rad." Turns out this is ridiculous. The main reason I encourage people looking to get into the backcountry to ski with a pack is that you will need to do this in the backcountry as your pack is where you carry your food, water, extra clothes, shovel, probe, skins, and either glasses or googles. Skiing with a pack is easy, but it does require you to find a new center of gravity. This will sort itself out if you are in the habit of skiing with a pack. Start wearing your pack at the resort simply so that you are used to skiing with it when you hit variable conditions in the backcountry.

5. Fitness: You need to be fit to ski in the backcountry. You do not need to be super fit, but the more fit you are the more terrain you can see in a day. The best way to develop this fitness is to skin uphill. It can be on a closed road, on the edge of the ski area (check with your resort about their rules), or in backcountry terrain that has limited exposure to avalanches. We have friends in Park City, UT that take a lap to the top of Deer Valley with us whenever we come to town. We simply drive up in the dark, put skins to skis, add a headlamp and ski uphill for a few thousand feet. Running, biking, skate skiing, and rowing will also build your fitness. If you are fit and can ski well people will be happy to have you along on a backcountry tour.

6. Commitment: I think this is the most important step. Commit to becoming a backcountry skier, follow the 5 steps above, and you will do it. Think about it. To get into backcountry skier I need to ski a lot, own backcountry ski gear, get in shape and educate myself. These things are not obstacles, they are opportunities to feel better and have an interesting winter. The backcountry ski community is one of the friendliest, most open group of folks you can throw in with. If people see that you are committed to sampling the beauty of untracked, snow covered mountains in the winter that will be enough to welcome you to their tribe. Without sounding too soap boxey, the backcountry does offer a better way of living. Over time I found that I loved all the great untracked powder I get to ski, but what almost seems more important is the time I get to spend chugging uphill, going to the top of obscure, unknown spots, and hanging out with great people. For me it is not about being rad, it is about being outdoors in a beautiful spot with some of my best friends.

If you need a priority list it would look something like this:

1. Buy AT ski gear.
2. Buy a ski pass to your local ski area.
3. Get in shape!
4. Ski as much as possible in as many conditions as possible.
5. Take an avalanche course.
6. Look for friends that already tour and join them once you feel solid on your skis.
7. Gain experience in the backcountry with people that are solid in their skill set.
8. Consider a backcountry ski course.
9. Go on tours that have a reputation for being relatively straight forward and check with your experienced friends before you head out. This often means repeating tours you are familiar with.
10. Start to plan your own tours when you begin to feel comfortable with your ability to recognize the hazards and have your game dialed when touring with others.

Being a guide I must plug our new Backcountry Ski Fundamentals Course. It is designed to mop up all the stuff that we do not cover in any depth on an AIARE L1 Course. You do not need a course like this to get into backcountry skiing, but it is very valuable to get out with someone solid in their skill set and gain an understanding of things like skinning, kick turns, making transitions between uphill and downhill skiing, and get a sense of how to move through the terrain. At first it will all seem like a mystery and a puzzle, but if you are committed to getting into the mountains it will eventually all come together.

Haute Route Ski ~ March 27-April 2, 2011 ~ Trip Report

2011-11-09T08:04:00.000-08:00

I kicked off my spring ski 2011 season with a Haute Route Ski Tour with Blaine Miller, Vince Close, Mike Newby, and Tom Savelle, four friends that all rep G3 for Pinnacle Sales NW. We met in Chamonix, France during a period of warm temps and good weather. The alps had a low snow year, so we were curious to see how much snow there was on the upper glaciers. I have run this trip during several very low snow years and always remind myself that it is called the Haute Route for a reason, and being up high and on glaciers generally means that even in low snow years the tour goes well.

When in Chamonix I put my customers in a nice hotel in town, and then spend my nights at a great little Gite called La Tapia (La Tapia's Website) that is just outside of town. This is the view of Mont Blanc early on the second morning from the Gite.

Chamonix sits at 3379' (1030m), so we opted to head up to the top of the Aiguille du Midi 12,605' (3842m) to see what the snow conditions were like and to ski the famous Vallee Blanche, a 17 km descent that drops you to the Chemin de fer du Montenvers at 6,276' (1,913m) for a total descent of 6,346' (1,929m). This can be extended another 1000 meters in years when you can ski all the way to Chamonix, but those years are few and far between these days.

We took both stages of the Aiguille du Midi tram up to the top station and then roped up in the hallway for the descent down the arete to reach the start of the Vallee Blanche. For many folks this is an introduction to skiing in Europe with a guide and the whole experience can be a bit intimidating the first time. These guys are all good skiers, and experienced in the mountains, so things went well, but there is always a bit of "pucker factor" until you realize how reasonable the exit ridge is. We roped up, carried our skis with skis and poles strapped together, and wore crampons.

One down on the glacier, we hopped into our skins and started the ski down the glacier. We took a very conservative line down the most conservative line as the snow cover on the glacier did in fact seem thin and we wanted to get a feel for the conditions.

Here is a view back up at the arete coming down to the glacier from the Aiguille du Midi. It is equipped with thick woven ropes attached to steel posts driven down into the glacier and is actually quite secure. Of interest, there were ski tracks headed down into the grey ice on the lower right when I returned the next week for another trip. On the tram ride up, we could ski that at least two skiers had picked their way down the North side of the Midi all the way to the base, a daunting line to contemplate.

We actually ended up skiing down the Glacier du Geant on this trip and then we stopped at the Refuge du Requin 8,278' (2516m) just above the Seracs du Geant as the generally simple run through the seracs looked a bit wild and we wanted to scope the line behind the hut that avoids the seracs section. The alternate line was quite boney looking and thus we opted to pick our way through the seracs. We did not need to rope up, but it was as broken as I have ever seen it, and by my last trip 4 weeks later the area had become nearly impossible to ski through.

No ski of the Vallee Blanche is complete without a picnic on the way down, so we stopped just below the Seracs du Geant and indulged in cheese, local sausage, chocolate, and tabouli for lunch. At this point I should apologize for the huge gap in my photos as the next shot is taken the following day when we actually started the Haute Route.

After a night in Chamonix we went through the drill of getting up early, packing our bags to be shipped to Zermatt, taking the bus to Argentiere, riding the tram to the top of Grand Montets 10,840' (3295m) and then descending to the Col du Grand Montets where we put on our skis and skied the the Glacier des Rognon down to the Glacier d'Argentiere. Ultimately we were headed to the Col du Chardonnet 10,932' (3323m) at the top of the Glacier du Chardonnet.

The lowers went well on the backside of the Col Du Chardonnet. We carried a 30 meter and a 50 meter rope, tied the two together, and had more than enough rope. In most years I find that 70 meters of rope will just do the trick as a better set of anchors have been placed near the top of the lower, shortening the distance needed to get to the bottom. There is a bergschrund at the bottom of this slope that you need to take care not to fall into.

We then skied down and across the Glacier de Saleina before climbing up to the Fenetre de Saleina 10,748' (3267m), which would provide access to the Trient Plateau and eventually the Trient Hut, where we would spend out first night on the tour. I have climbed the slope up to the Fenetre de Saleina every imaginable way from on skins, to roped up with crampons and ice axe. On this tripe we landed somewhere in between and were able to boot up without crampons, something that can change from day to day.

Of interest, the weather was starting to cloud up as the day progressed, and we were happy that we had made it this far in good visibility. This first day can end up being a bit of a photo finish as you can't get an early start from Chamonix because you are reliant on the trams to get you up high in the morning and they don't start before 8 am and even then don't always run on time. We did well this time and made it to the hut with time for quick apertif before dinner.

Coming across the Trient Plateau we had decreasing visibility leading to the Cabane du Trient 10,429' (3170m). In the process of coming across the glacier we dropped slightly lower than we needed to, but quickly corrected ourselves and were tucked into the hut having a beer.

In the huts the often pair you with other skiers and on this night we shared a table with a nice couple who were also doing the Haute Route. At this point spirits were high and I think people we relieved to finally be actually out skiing and away from city life.

The next morning we woke to absolutely splitter weather. No wind, no clouds, just the beautiful Trient Plateau spread before us. Of interest, a few of those peaks in the background are peaks that we use to acclimate for Mt. Blanc during summer tours where we climb Mt. Blanc. The Trient Hut has become one of my favorite as a young couple named Melanie Chollet and Olivier Genet have taken over the operation and are doing a great job. Over the course of 2011 I spent something like 7 nights there, so we have had a good opportunity to get acquainted.

Once you leave the hut you ski down glacier and eventually get to a break over at around 3000 meters. You can go over to the Fenetre du Chamois by traversing to the NE over steep terrain to the gap in the ridge at which point you need to negotiate a long couloir by either rappelling or down climbing. Fortunately you still have all that rope from the previous days trip over the Col du Chardonet. The other option and the one we usually use is to ski down glacier a bit more and then traverse to the skiers right to the foot of the Col des Ecandies (2796m/9,173'), and then climb up about 50 meters to the actual col itself. We have done this with and without crampons, with and without ropes, and with and without ice axes. I haver, however, often needed all three, so it is nice to have them along.

Here we are skiing down the Trient Icefall, a bit below 3000 meters enroute to the Col des Ecandies. It was reasonable on this day, but became a bit more "dodgy" as April wore on.

Here you can see where people traverse over at part way down the Trient Icefall. This photo is taken from the Col des Ecandies and that is the Aiguille du Tour (3544 m/11,627') in the background.

Here are all Tom, Mike, Blaine, and Vince climbing up to the Col des Ecandies.

The boys looking good at the Col enroute to our ski down the Val d'Arpette, which we have affectionately nicknamed the Val de Crapette as even on the best days you usually manage to find some really bad snow conditions given the vertical loss as you move down the valley. You generally need to get through this place early in the day as it can be a bit dicey to be up there after too much sun has hit the area, particularly if there is new snow.

On this day we actually had some good snow in the top half of the Val d'Arpette and as we skied all the way from the Col at 2796m/9,173' to the base of the Breya chair lift at 1498m/4,914, yielding a 1,672m/5,486' descent all in the space of about an hour and a half.

Tom Savelle tearing it up in the Val d'Arpette.

Blaine Miller also tearing it up in the Val d' Arpette.

So we get to the bottom, have time to grab some amazing tarts and a cup of coffee, and hop onto the bus to Orsieres (this usually comes at 10:25 am). We then take the train to Sembrancher where we are looking at a 40 minute wait until we can catch one last train to Le Chable, which will get us up to Verbier. As we are going to be sitting we all take off our boots and are laying in the sun, essentially killing time until the train comes.

As we sit there, this brand new train pulls up and a bunch of executives wearing orange jackets, suits, and hard hats get out and ask us if we are going to Le Chable. We say "yes" and they invite us aboard their "special train" and we load up. The train was on its maiden voyage, there where no passengers, and at one point one of the guys gave us a bottle of wine and a wine glass commemorating the day. We drank the wine that night but I believe Blaine carried that wine glass all the way to Zermatt without breaking it.

From Le Chable we took trams up to the Mont Fort Hut (2457m/8,061') in Verbier and had a nice lunch.

The Mont Fort Hut always serves spaghetti and it is always my favorite meal of the trip. During the day it is a restaurant for the ski area, and by night the staff seems to just want to get dinner out as they work huge days. Every time they apologize for "spaghetti again" and every time I find myself going back for 3rds. Super good food here.

The next morning we woke up early and climbed to the Col de la Chaux (2,940m/9,646') in really poor visibility. The avy forecast was not looking promising, but what we actually found was decent stability. We did hesitate at the Col and think for a few minutes before we committed to dropping in and going the whole way to the Prafleuri Hut. The photo above is well below the col as folks ski into the changeover to skinning up towards the Col du Momin.

So we make it up to the Col du Momin (3003m/9,853') and then start across the Grand Desert Glacier in what remains in and out visibility.

Here we are dropping under the toe of a ridge that runs up to the summit of Rosablanche (3336m/10,945'). Note the good snow! We worked our way up to the top of the Rosablanche and skied from there. It was super cloudy on top on this particular day.

Decent skiing in improving visibility on the way down to the Praflueri Hut, which is one of my favorites.

The Prafleuri Hut sits at 2,662m/8,734') and is privately run, meaning it is not part of the Swiss Alpine Club. Babette is the hut warden and she always takes great care of us. The hut you stay in now was built in 2001 and sits next the old hut, which is a bit rough as it was used to house workers years ago when they built the big dam on the Lac du Dix.

Afternoon tea and eventually rosti are standard fare at the Praflueri Hut. In the evening we were serenaded by two employees of the hut playing a saxaphone and a guitar. They played "knocking on heaven's door" and the whole experience was oddly touching as the sound of the sax filled ever square inch of the hut with beautiful sounds.

As these guys are all from Pinnacle Sales, we made a good showing for G3 outside the hut. We had more than a few comments on our impressive quiver of G3 skis and bindings.

Up early the next morning we climbed up to the Col des Roux (2804m/9200') enroute to the ski along the Lac du Dix.

The group at the Col des Roux between the Praflueri and Dix Huts on Day 4 of the Haute Route.

The snow held up and we were able to slowly traverse and lose elevation, skiing all the way to the end of the lake with a few short legs of shuffling. In the background the highest peak in Mont Blanc du Cheilon (3869m/12,696') with the Pigne d'Arolla (3796m/12,455') on the left. The glacier between would be our objective the next day.

Oddly, this year, the best option at the end of the Lac du Dix seemed to be to take off our skis and boot directly up to the ridge at the end. This area was problematic for the remainder of the ski season as the snow got so shallow that we started to have slab issues. Either way, this day went very well.

Looking back along the Lac du Dix to where we came from earlier in the day.

A rest break with the Pigne d'Arolla and Mont Blanc de Cheilon in the back ground. At this point we have not yet reached the glacier, but we are getting close. We will work our way up and around the Tete Noir to the Dix Hut at 2928m/9,606').

Climbing towards the Dix Hut with Mont Blanc de Cheilon in the background.

Once at the Dix Hut we opted to have a huge lunch of Rosti and Panache (lager beer mixed with Sprite). At this point in the Haute Route, people that have been hanging back on spending money on lunch start to cave in and you find yourself wanting to a eat a lot at every meal. The Dix Hut as really good Rosti. The hut wardens are Pierre & Beatrice. Both are very good people, but I always warn my group to be good to Pierre lest you end up on his grumpy side. They have always treated us very well.

Rosti for 4. Perhaps the best food in the alps and guaranteed to give you a heart attack if you eat it too often.

Up early again, this day, day 5 of the actual Haute Route, we skied up the Glacier de Tsena Refien towards Mont Blanc de Cheilon enroute to the summit of the Pigne d'Arolla.

The boys taking a break where you finally get into the sun about 2 hours climbing from the Dix Hut.

Great views of the Matterhorn from here. Keeping in mind that we need to go past that to get to Zermatt about 28 hours from now....

On the way to the summit of the Pigne d'Arolla, seen on the left, you need to climb this steep section of glacier. It usually works out just fine, but we have had to put crampons on here and rope up from time to time. This year, all three of our Haute Route groups managed to do this with ski crampons and no rope, but it all just depends on how the glacier forms up in any given year and what the surface snow conditions are like.

Here is the group climbing out of the steep section, with the town of Arolla sitting in the valley behind them.

Mike Newby, Tom Savelle, Vince Close, & Blaine Miller on the summit of the Pigne d'Arolla on day 5 of the ski from Argentiere to Zermatt.

The ski off the East side of the Pigne d'Arolla is one of the high points of the Haute Route and a very memorable view. Amazing, amazing place.

Dropping into the small icefall type feature just above the Vignettes Hut.

Look closely and you can see the hut on the left. The Vignettes Hut sits at 3,190m/10,466' and is impossibly perched above the glacier. It was remodeled a few years ago and now is one of the most comfortable huts on the Haute Route.

The next morning we were up super early and had great weather for the very long ski to Zermatt. Here we are looking to the east from the Col de L'Eveque (3392m/11,129').

Now we have dropped down to the Haut Glacier d'Arolla and are starting the traverse over to climb up to the col du Mont Brule (3210m/10,532').

The climb up to the col du Mont Brule is best done as a boot pack, primarily because of the number of people that go over it, which usually turns the ski track into a mess.

Topping out on the Col du Mont Brule enroute to Zermatt.

This is the last climb of the Haute Route. It takes a good 1.5-2 hours to climb up to the Col de Valpelline (3560m/11,680') which is just right of center in this photo.

Mike, Tom, Vince, and Blaine at the Col de Valpelline with the Matterhorn in the background. This is basically the "summit shot"of the Haute Route as once you reach here in good weather, it is all downhill (albeit a long downhill!) to Zermatt and the finish line. Reach this spot in bad weather and you likely have a long day ahead of you.

We had a magnificent ski down the glacier with the Matterhorn in the background. My photos do not do this ski run justice in this particular report. We were so focused on skiing that I did not shoot the whole thing. Either way, this is one of those skis of lifetime.

We made it to Zermatt in great time and landed at "Take it Doner" which we could not resist given the smell of Kebabs, the fact that it is one of the first food stands you hit and Zermatt and the name is of course interesting.

Many thanks to Blaine Miller for putting this trip together. It was nice to ski with a group of guys that all know each other, like each other, and work well together.

We ran 3 Haute Route Ski Tours in 2011, all reaching Zermatt successfully. In 2012 we have three more booked so far, with room for others. Right now the trips we have lined up include:

March 26-April 1, 2012: Haute Route - Verbier Version
April 2-8, 2012: Haute Route - Classic Version
April 16-22, 2012: Haute Route - Verbier Version

For more details visit: 2012 Haute Route Ski Tours

Spring 2012 Haute Route Dates Filling Fast

2011-10-05T14:17:00.000-07:00

We are planning to offer at least 3 Haute Route Ski Tours in March and April of 2012. We have been booking these very consistently for the past few weeks and currently have 10 people registered so far with each trip about half-full. If these trips fill, we will likely add a 4th date.

Current 2012 Haute Route dates include:

March 26-April 1, 2012 (Verbier Version)
April 2-8, 2012 (Classic Version)
April 16-22, 2012 (Verbier Version)

These trips each cost $2745 and include: Guide fee, 2 nights lodging in Chamonix, 5 nights lodging in huts including dinner and breakfast, trams and lifts, all guide's expenses, ground transport during trip, use of avalanche tranceiver, luggage transfer from Chamonix to Zermatt, 7 days guided skiing with IFMGA certified guides.

Custom Haute Route Programs: If you have a group of 4 skiers we are happy to organize a custom date for the regular trip price. If you have fewer than 4 skiers, we can organize custom trips for groups of 1 or more skiers for a slight additional charge.

Please feel free to contact the office at 509-548-5823 for more details or visit our webpage using the link at the top of the page.

Happy Skiing!

John and Olivia Race
IFMGA Guides, Northwest Mountain School

2011-12 AIARE Level 1 Avalanche Course Dates

2011-10-04T07:33:00.000-07:00

We have once again teamed up with Sleeping Lady Mountain Resort and Stevens Pass Ski area to offer Leavenworth based AIARE Level 1 Avalanche Courses. For the winter of 2011-12 we have 6 set date programs and are also available for custom courses for groups.

2011-12 AIARE Level 1 Course Dates:

December 16-18, 2011
January 6-8, 2012
January 20-22, 2012
February 3-5, 2012
February 17-19, 2012
March 2-4, 2012

The cost for these programs is $295 per person and includes all course materials and your single ride ticket at Stevens Pass during the field portion.

AIARE Level 1 Avalanche Course Description

The level one is a 3 day/24 hour introduction to avalanche hazard management. The course is expected to:

Provide a basic understanding of avalanches
Describe a framework for decision making and risk management in avalanche terrain
Focus on identifying the right questions, rather than on providing "answers."
Give lessons and exercises that are practically oriented, useful, and applicable in the field.

Students can expect to develop a good grounding in how to prepare for and carry out a trip, to understand basic decision making while in the field, and to learn rescue techniques required to find and dig up a buried person (if an avalanche occurs and someone in the party is caught).

A final debrief includes a knowledge quiz to test student comprehension and to give feedback to instructors on instructional tools. Students are encouraged and counseled on how to apply the skills learned and told that no course can fully guarantee safety, either during or after course completion.

Student Prerequisites

This course will have a backcountry component. During the field day on the last day of the programs we will spend the full day in the backcountry. For this section students will need appropriate alpine touring (AT), telemark, or split board equipment. It is essential that participants show up with gear that will allow them and the group to travel efficiently in avalanche terrain. You do not need to be an advanced skier or boarder for the course, but you should be able to ascend moderate slopes using skins, and should be able to ski downhill effectively in a variety of snow conditions. The goal is not speed, but rather efficiency and safety.

For more details on these programs, please feel free to contact us at 509-548-5823 or by e-mail

John and Olivia Race, IFMGA Guides

Northwest Mountain School

Tumwater Fire Update ~ August 24, 2011 ~ Leavenworth Rock Climbing

2011-08-24T09:03:00.000-07:00

Just a short update to let everyone know that our Leavenworth Rock Climbing Courses will be running as scheduled as the fire scene is under control and not having any effect on our local rock climbing courses. Northwest Mountain School ~ 509-548-5823

U.S. FOREST SERVICE FIRE UPDATE

Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest

215 Melody Lane

Wenatchee, WA 98801

For immediate release: Tuesday, August 23, 2011 5 p.m.

Contacts: Robin DeMario, Okanogan-Wenatchee Public Affairs, 509-548-2558

Joe Anderson, Fire Information Officer, 509 860-7209

All Quiet at Tumwater Canyon Fire

Although smoke is still visible from the 458-acre Tumwater Canyon Fire, fire activity today was minimal. Approximately 50 firefighters continued mopping-up along the perimeter and patrolling the fire throughout the day.

With a fireline completely around the fire, and the success of firefighting efforts to date, this will be the final information update on the Tumwater Canyon Fire.

Fire managers are grateful to everyone involved with fire suppression efforts and for local community support. No injuries occurred during suppression actions and no structures were threatened.

Travelers through Tumwater Canyon will continue to see occasional flames along the highway and in the interior of the fire. These flames will be especially visible at night; please do not report flames seen between mile post markers 91 and 94 in Tumwater Canyon--these spots are not new wildfires.

Due to steep terrain, there is potential for rocks, trees and other forest debris to roll downhill from the fire area. Motorists are advised to be aware of these potential hazards as well as fire vehicle traffic and suppression activities along Highway 2. Fire managers ask the public to remain vigilant and drive safely and slowly through the fire area and not stop to look at the remains of the fire.

-End-

The mission of the USDA Forest Service is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the Nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations. The Agency manages 193 million acres of public land, provides assistance to State and private landowners, and maintains the largest forestry research organization in the world.

Mont Blanc 5-day Climb ~ August 13-17, 2011

2011-08-21T04:44:00.000-07:00

I wrapped up my summer 2011 Alps season by picking up a 5-day Mont Blanc trip with brothers Paul and Matt on a program organized by International Mountain Guides. Both had been scheduled to go on a Mt. Elbrus climb that needed to be cancelled at the last minute and were looking for a romp in the mountains that could stand up to the highest peak in Europe, thus Mont Blanc, the highest peak in Western Europe, seemed a logical stand-in.

Matt on the ski lift to La Breya above Champex-Lac, Switzerland

We started by taking a 90 minute taxi ride from Chamonix, France to Champex, Switzerland on the morning of August 13 as this would shorten the approach to the Cabane du Trient (3170m), and allow us to do a nice 2-day traverse back to the Chamonix Valley without needing to retrace our steps. We boarded the lift to La Breya (base of lift 1498m - top of lift 2194m) just above the Swiss ski resort of Champex-Lac, avoiding 600 meters of climbing enroute to the edge of the Trient Plateau, and making the Cabane du Trient a logical destination for a day that would also include some training on the hike in.

Matt and Paul just below the Cabane du Orny, with Clochers du Portalet in background.

The hike in takes the same approach used for the Cabane d'Orny (2826m), but then continues another 60-90 minutes on either glacier or trail to reach the Cabane du Trient (3170m), which is about 1000 feet higher and better positioned for a quick acclimatization program. The area between La Breya and the Cabane d'Orny is very well known for its excellent rock climbing, with the most impressive feature in the area being the Clochers du Portalet, which features a Yosemite-like clean corner system that goes at around French 7a. This is also a good place to see Bouquetin (Capra Ibex), a species of wild-goat, common in the Alps, but not so common that you are not psyched when you finally see one in the wild.

Matt hiking in to the Cabane du Trient with the Glacier d'Orny below.

As we would only be out for one night, we were able to keep our packs pretty light. This first trip is designed to become familiar with the differences between short-rope, short-interval, and long-interval rope techniques, to acclimatize, and to sort out what exactly is needed for climbing in the alps. As the huts provide food and shelter, you really can trim your personal gear down to less than half of what you might carry for a similar climb in the wilderness of the US. Our weather was stunning on any day we needed good weather.

Paul and Matt on Glacier d'Orny with Le Portalet (3344m) in the background.

After passing below the Cabane d'Orny we gained the Glacier d'Orny, which we followed up to the col d'Orny (3096m), on the edge of the Trient Plateau, just below the Cabane du Trient. I had been here a few weeks earlier and there was a solid foot of new snow on the glacier, but during the past few weeks the weather in the alps had finally returned to more normal weather for August, and things were melting pretty quickly.

Climbers on Trient Plateau with Aiguilles Dorees in the background

Once we gained the Trient Plateau we wrapped around to the approach used in the spring when we are skiing the Haute Route and practiced some short-rope, and short pitch technique on the steep rock bench to the NW of the Trient Hut. At this point we are over 3000 meters, or about 10,000 feet, so any time we can spend at this elevation is going to begin to help us acclimatize for our ascent of Mt. Blanc.

Matt and Paul in the dining area of the Cabane du Trient, Switzerland.

Hut life seems to be something that American's either love or hate. If you look at it as an opportunity to have someone else cook you a great, simple meal, and an opportunity to climb without a tent, stove, or sleeping bag, then you will love it. The hut wardens wake-up each day at 3 am, cook for a bunch of dirty, disorganized, climbers and skiers, and then work until close to 10 pm each night. They catch up on sleep during the day with cat naps here and there, and generally work 7 days a week during the busy season. Matt, Paul, and I were loving how well we were treated by Melanie Chollet and Olivier Genet, the guardians that took over the Trient Hut in the spring of 2011.

Aiguille du Tour with moon setting at sunrise from Trient Hut in August 2011.

We were up the next morning at 4:45 am to make a 5 am breakfast, and the weather was perfect. From the Trient Hut we simply had to cross the Trient Plateau to reach the Aiguille du Tour (3540m), which was our climbing destination for day 2, August 14.

Paul and Matt in early morning on the Trient Plateau enroute to the Aiguille du Tour.

We generally leave the hut right around sunrise, with the goal of being one of the first parties on the route so that we do not get stuck climbing behind the mob that often climbs up from the Albert 1er Hut slightly later in the morning.

Matt and Paul climbing the Aiguille du Tour.

The climb of the Aiguille du Tour is not difficult, but it does provide a nice place to become familiar with the idea of moving together as a team in short-rope mode. We made excellent time on the route and also had the advantage of being one of the first groups to start the climb this morning, which always avoids much of the challenge of climbing with lots of other climbers around.

Matt, John, and Paul on the summit of the Aiguille du Tour.

Once on the summit (3540m) the sky was starting to cloud up a bit and by the time we had started down there was even a bit of very light precipitation. Things held off for the most part until we reached Chamonix, but we did endure one cycle of rain in town (snow in the mountains) before everything cleared up during our Mont Blanc climb.

Paul and Matt resting at the Albert 1er Hut on our descent to Le Tour, France.

After hitting the summit of the Aiguille du Tour we descended to the Col Superieur du Tour (3286m) and then worked our way down the Glacier du Tour until reaching the Albert 1er Hut at 2702m. This is very nice walking down an interesting glacier with phenomenal views of the Aiguille du Chardonnet (3824m).

Matt and Paul with Glacier du Tour below and rain rolling up the Chamonix Valley.

Below the Albert 1er Hut we followed the trail that leads up to the hut. This trail has been blasted and scratched into the impressive steep walls to the NE of the Glacier du Tour and it consistently provides some of the best scenery on the Mont Blanc climb.

Paul and Matt maximizing their energy while waiting for the train to Nid d'Aigle at the Bellevue Station.

On the morning of August 15 we had a leisurely start, primarily because we were waiting for the rain to blow through and our day only required us to make the approach to the Tete Rousse Hut (3167m). We had chosen to climb to the summit of Mont Blanc via the Gouter Route, with nights planned before and after the climb at the Tete Rousse Hut. This works fine with strong climbers like Matt and Paul, but is a more difficult climb than say Mt. Rainier, which is a common reference for climbers from the US.

Paul pointing to the start of the trail that crosses the Grand Couloir on the Gouter Route, Mont Blanc.

Once up at the hut we indulged in a mid-afternoon nap as sleep in not one of the key things to be found at this hut on a night when the hut is full of climbers. In the photo above, Paul points to the trail across the grand couloir, a dangerous feature that must be traversed to gain the Gouter hut enroute to the summit of Mont Blanc. On our previous climb, 5 days earlier, we crossed this around noon without event and were saddened to hear that another climber was killed near this spot when crossing later in the day.

Sunset on August 15, Tete Rousse Hut, Mont Blanc, France.

We had another small rain event during the afternoon while we were staying at the Tete Rousse Hut and by evening things were starting to trend toward the good weather that would dominate during our climb on August 16, 2011.

Paul and Matt on the summit of Mont Blanc (4810m - 15, 781')

We woke the next morning at 12:45 am, had breakfast at 1:00 am, and were walking away from the hut at 1:30 am. We moved well enough and were busy enough that I took almost no photos enroute to the summit. I believe our time from the Tete Rousse to the Gouter Hut (3817m) was 2 hours 20 mins, and our time to the summit was just under 7 hours, with a round-trip time of 11 hours 58 minutes, which is perfect.

Matt and Paul on summit of Mont Blanc, August 16, 2011.

The weather on top was overall very good. We had a bit of a wind, but nothing out of the ordinary, and we were very pleased with the temps.

IFMGA Guide John Race on summit of Mt. Blanc.

This was a particularly nice way for me to end my summer season in the alps. Within 72 hours of standing on the summit with Paul and Matt I would be reunited with my wife, mountain guide, Olivia Cussen Race, and our 10 week old daughter, Josephine.

The summit of Mont Blanc is not huge, but there is room for a party.

We did not mess around for long on the summit as we wanted to get back down and through the rock section below the Gouter Hut before things loosened up and rocks began to come down the Grand Couloir.

Looking across to the Bosses Ridge and Vallot Hut from the Dome du Gouter on Mont Blanc.

On the way across the short climb back to the top of the Dome du Gouter, I snapped a few photos of the upper mountain, including the one above of the route to the summit from the Dome du Gouter.

Matt and Paul below the Dome du Gouter on the way down from the summit of Mont Blanc.

This is a shot looking up at the glacier climb up to the Dome du Gouter from the Gouter Hut. This section usually takes a bit less than 2 hours on the way up if you are moving well.

New Gouter Hut under construction August 16, 2011.

There is a new hut being constructed next to the old Gouter Hut on Mont Blanc. This is expected to be completed and ready for use in the summer of 2012. It is hard to imagine the logistics and engineering involved in making a new hut in a spot like this. All of the supplies come in by helicopter, and these guys can really only work in pretty good weather.

Matt and Paul back at the Tete Rousse hut.

We arrived back at the hut just before 1:30 pm. Even though we could have easily caught the train down that afternoon we opted for one more night in the hut as it would provide an opportunity to catch a 3.5 hour nap following the climb and hike down sans crowds the next morning.

Paul, John, and Matt back at the Tete Rousse following the climb of Mont Blanc.

Thanks much to Paul and Matt for a great trip, and to International Mountain Guides for the work. I am sure we will be back in France running Guided Mont Blanc Climbs next summer so, do not hesitate to contact us for more details.

Leavenworth Fires Update~ Tumwater Canyon Closure ~ August 19, 2011

2011-08-19T07:03:00.000-07:00

US Highway 2 has been temporarily closed from Coles Corner to Leavenworth while the USFS works to contain a fire in Tumwater Canyon. The fires and the closure are not adversely affecting Leavenworth Rock Climbing Courses offered by the Northwest Mountain School in the Leavenworth area.

During the road closure we will not be offering climbs in Tumwater Canyon. The main climbs that this takes off the table for us are the routes on Castle Rock, which can easily be substituted with similar routes in the Icicle Creek Canyon.

The latest report on the fire can be found on the USFS website here:

We are open for business as usual and expecting a busy weekend with courses in basic rock climbing, multi-pitch climbs, and rock rescue programs occurring on the weekend of August 20-21, 2011. If interested in details of climbs that can be reached during the fire season, feel free to call the Northwest Mountain School at 509-548-5823 for details.

Zermatt Climbing Trip Report ~ July 15-20, 2011

2011-07-21T00:24:00.000-07:00

I just finished up a great week of climbing with Talley and his son John and wanted to post a trip report before I move onto our first Guided Mont Blanc Climbs of the season. Talley and I completed the Haute Route Ski Tour this spring with Talley's wife Sarah, and during the tour we decided to visit Zermatt in the summer so that John could get some exposure to mountaineering. This trip is most similar to what we do when we run a Guided Matterhorn Climb, but for this program the Matterhorn was not on the agenda.

Downtown Zermatt, Switzerland

We met on the evening of July 14 in Zermatt, Switzerland. Zermatt sits at the base of the Matterhorn and is at around 1600 m / 5,250'. On the day arrived (July 13) there was a huge rain storm that was depositing snow up high.

Packing in the ski room of the Hotel Bahnhoff

We all stayed at a small hotel-hostel and used the ski room to pack for our ideal trip, which was to be a traverse of Monte Rosa starting at the Klein Matterhorn (3820m / 12,533'), and then climbing the Breithorn (4165m / 13,665'), Castor (4221m / 13,845'), Pollux (4091 / 13,423'), Lyskamm's "ice nose", the Pyramide Vincent (4125m / 13,534'), Ludwishohe (4342m / 14,246'), Zumsteinspitze (4563m / 14,971') , and finally the Dufourspitze (4634m / 15,204'), the highest of Monte Rosa's summits. This is called the Spaghetti Traverse because you spend each night in an Italian Hut, with the usual progression being the Val d'Ayas Hut (3394m / 11,136'), the Quintino Sella Hut (3585m / 11,762'), The Citta' Di Mantova Hut (3470m / 11,385'), and finally the Margherita hut (4554m / 14,942').

Nothing but gray on the Klein Matterhorn webcam.

On the first morning we had a good forecast, but the webcam up at Klein Matterhorn did not look so good. We decided to head up hoping that the forecasted sun would soon arrive.

Talley and John in the tram from Zermatt to Trockner Steg

We boarded the tram at the far end of Zermatt and rode up to Furi (1867m / ), The Trockner Steg (2923m / ), and finally the Klein Matterhorn (3820m / 12,533'). On the way up the weather began to improve and was near perfect when we arrived at the top.

John and Talley with the Breithorn in the background.

The Breithorn is pretty low hanging fruit when approached from the Klein Matterhorn and is the most often climbed 4000 meter peak in the Zermatt area. The local guides take lines of people up all-day long during the busy summer season. This provided a good warm-up and an opportunity to acclimate.

Summit of the Breithorn!

We made good time and hit the main summit, which is the West summit and then descended the very narrow and exposed ridge that runs down to the col between the West and Central summits. This provided good training for the climbs ahead, which would all require much careful cramponing and efficient climbing.

Monte Rosa and Lyskamm as seen from Breithorn

Given the excellent day we were able to see most of the peaks that we intended to climb over the next 5 days. Of interest the climbers finger in the photo is just over the Central summit of the Breithorn.

Breithorn's Central Summit

As we descended to the col between the Breithorn's two main summits we go a glimpse of the Central summit, which we hoped to climb later in the week by the Breithorn Half-traverse route. The sharp point in the center of the photograph and behind the Breithorn is the Dufourspitze, the highests of Monte Rosa's summits.

Castor's West, Northwest Flank

From the summit of the Breithorn we descended to the base of the SW ridge of Pollux, and then continued down to the Val d'Ayas hut, where we spent the first night.

John and John at the Val d'Ayas Hut

The Val d'Ayas is a really nice hut, but as this was our first night at altitude we needed to take it a bit easy as we would be sleeping at over 11,000'. One reason you can push it a bit here is that if you are having a hard night, it is always possible to take a trail down from the hut to a lower hut or the towns below.

Talley and John at the Val d'Ayas Hut

In general the Italian Huts have really good food and this was no exception. Warm beds, an espresso machine for the guide, and a very comfortable eating area made this one of our favorite huts of the tour.

JR doing the route plan for the Spaghetti Traverse

With a weather forecast that included the possibility of white out travel conditions I spent a good part of the afternoon putting together a solid route plan for the next few days. As it turns out, this came in quite handy.

John and Talley on the SW ridge of Pollux

Up early the next morning, we climbed back up to the base of the SW ridge of Pollux and ascended that route to the summit. John and Talley are unusually strong, so we were able to be the first on the route and have it entirely to ourselves until the descent. The climbing is not very technical, but is very exposed in spots and requires great care in foot placements. The lower portion could be described as scrambling, with a steep section near the top where you climb aboput 40 meters of thick rope that has been fixed on the more difficult rock sections. This is common in Europe and critical to accommodate the large numbers of climbers that attempt the most popular climbs.

John and Talley finishing the belayed climbing on Pollux.

At the top of the rock climbing section, which we did in 2, 20 meter pitches, there is a nice bolted anchor and great views down the steeper rock section. We did this with our crampons on.

Talley and John at the top of the rock on Pollux

As you finish the rock climbing section, which comprises about 75% of the climb there is a statue of the Virgin Mary that looks out over Italy. There is also a nice flat spot where we had a chance to grab a quick snack, take a drink of water, and switch back to short rope mode after belayed pitches below.

John and Talley on the summit of Pollux

We were on top with not a soul in sight and the weather was generally good with light winds and still plenty of sunshine.

WNW Flank of Castor

From the summit of Pollux we could also get a great view of our next objective, the West Northwest Flank of Castor. While not a technical objective, this climb requires good snow conditions and very delicate cramponing near the top. Things looked good and we were psyched!

If you look close you can see climbers on the summit of Castor.

The usual route moves in from the center and zig zags up the center of the face before moving left to gain the saddle to the looker's left of the summit. For some reason people were traversing out right over the ice bulge above the bergschrund and then going up the West Ridge to the summit.

John and Talley descending the snow ridge from the summit of Pollux.

We headed back down, did a bit of lowering and down climbing and eventually reached the base of the SW ridge again.

Talley and John gaining the ridge on Castor.

As we moved over to Castor the clouds were building and we had to hustle. Rather than follow the line others were taking to the climbers right, we moved left, did one 30 meter pitch of 45+ degree snow and ice and gained the North Ridge, which provided very excellent, albeit exposed climbing to the summit.

John and Talley on the summit of Castor

By the time we reached the summit it was looking like the inside of a ping pong ball and we took a few quick photos before beginning our descent of the Se ridge enroute to the Sella Hut, where we would spend the night.

View down SE ridge of Castor in the clouds

The SE ridge of Castor is relatively straight forward, but we still needed to take great care as the visibility was less than perfect and the exposure significant in spots.

Quintino Sella Hut in a whiteout

We made good time to the Sella Hut and arrived in such think fog that we were almost unable to see it until we were within less than 100 meters of the actual building. In total it had taken about 7.5 hours for us to come over from the Val d'Ayas hut, so when we arrived we immediately tucked into pasta for lunch and then took a nap.

Lyskamm's Ice Nose as seen from Sella Hut

Our plan the next morning was to climb over Lyskamm's Ice nose enroute to the Citta Mantova Hut, but a storm raged all night and in the morning things looked too unstable for us to commit to the trip. The current route ascends the finger of rock just left of center in the photo and then follows the rock to the top before you make one pitch of moderately steep ice to where the angle eases off. You then traverse right and eventually do a series of lowers off the other side to a easy glacier.

Descending the rock ridge from the Sella Hut toward the Colle di Bettaforca.

One nice thing about the Spaghetti Tour is that you have the option of bailing at each hut and either hiking down and back up to reach the next hut, or descending all the way to the valley below and using taxis, buses, and trams to make your way around to Zermatt. We opted to go down as the weather was once again looking to deteriorate and we did not want to sit a day at the hut. The ridge descent was an unexpected and wonderful hike!

Climbing along the fixed route below the Sella Hut

The climb down took a bit longer than planned because the views were so stunning that we kept stopping to take photos and enjoy the scenery looking out into Italy. The route is exposed, but very doable unroped and ended up being one of the odder highlights of the trip.

Talley on a high rock point on the descent from the Sella Hut.

We were followed down the route by an Italian climbing club from Bergamo. As we eventually descended into the clouds we were able to keep tabs on where they were by the constant chatter and laughter of this group of happy Italians.

Talley and John high over Italy

The plan was to descend to a chairlift, take a taxi or bus back to Cervinia and then use the tram system to come up and over to Zermatt. As expected the clouds below slowly rose, and the clounds behind us slowly descended and climbing shut down for the day.

John and Talley descending to Gressony

Eventually we hiked for a hour or more through a thick fog and reached a tram at 2729m / 8,954' that took us all the way down to the Italian town of Gressoney, which is a good two hours by car from Cervinia.

Once in Gressoney we hitched a ride with the Italians from Bergamo and stopped at a really beautiful hotel and called a cab. I grabbed a card because the place was so nice that I hope to return some day and spend the night. The woman at the front desk was very helpful in making the taxi arrangements. If you are ever looking for a place in Gressoney check out the Hotel Dufour, a slice of Italian heaven!

JR indulged in a Cappauchino at the Hotel Dufour

Of interest the map for this area is the Alp Monte Rosa, which is a good map, but is inexplicably in 1:35000 scale, which makes it hard to pull UTM coordinates. A better map is the Swiss 1:50000 Gressoney, which is a bit large for very precise navigation. Most of the route is covered by the Swiss 1:25000 map, with the exception of Lyskamm's Ice Nose and the Sella and Mantova huts.

John and Talley at the Cervinia Guides' Hut

We took a taxi to Cervnia (160 Euro) and then things got weird. The weather had really deteriorated so we took a series of trams up to the Testa Grigia and had planned to either hike down to the Theodul Hut or hike down the piste to the Trockner Steg. As it was raining and very windy with no visibility we opted to stay at the Cervinia Guide's Hut, which only sleeps 36. After a short afternoon nap I came down to find Cathy Cosley, an accomplished American guide also in the hut. She had started the day at Trockner Steg and also ended up stuck here as you could not connect the trams between Zermatt and Cervinia due to the high winds and subsequent tram closures. We had a nice reunion and enjoyed this wonderful, small hut.

Hiking up the piste to the Klein Matterhorn in early morning

The next morning we climbed the 340 meters up to the Klein Matterhorn with the intention of doing the Breithorn half-traverse and then descending to Zermatt. The Matterhorn is the big peak in the background.

Climbers going to the central summit of the Breithon

Once up at the Klein Matterhorn we traversed out to the base of the Breithorn half-traverse and confirmed my suspicion that it was too iced up to climb. At one point a local guide followed our track out and continued, which had some second guessing going on. We also encountered some English climbers headed there. Later in the day we heard that they all turned around when the route was deemed to icy, which made us feel better about backing off. We opted to grab the central summit of the Breithorn as a consolation and then descended to Zermatt.


View of Central Summit of the Breithorn with Monte Rosa in background

John and Talley are super fit and so we decided to once again go back up to the main summit just for the exercise. Talley even went for a 1000 meter trail run when we got back down to Zermatt in the afternoon!

Train to Gornergrat

The following morning we boarded the train to Gornergrat with plans to hike up to the new Monte Rosa hut to climb Monte Rosa via the normal route.

John and Talley at Rotenboden

We took the Gornergrat train to Rotenboden (2815m / 9,263') and got off near the Rifelhorn, made famous by Mark Twain in the 19th century.

The Rifelhorn, used to train climbers for the Matterhorn

We had hoped to climb the Rifelhorn, but once again opted to race the rain to the hut and started the hike in to the new Monte Rosa Hut, which took a leisurely three hours.

Breithorn from near Rotenboden

The views of the Breithorn from Rotenboden are spectacular!

Summer view of Schwartztour, a popular spring ski

I was also able to point out the Schwartztour, a glacier that we actually ski in the spring if we have the time at the end of our Haute Route ski tours. In the summer this looks impossibly broken, but in the spring it provides a spectacular ski descent from the Klein Matterhorn all the way down to Zermatt.

On the trail to the Monte Rosa Hut

We set off on the long traversing trail that leads down to the glacier enroute to the Monte Rosa Hut. When you get off at Rotenboden you are nearly at the same elevation as the Monte Rosa Hut, but the long gradual descent to the glacier and subsequent climb to the hut make for a decent half-day hike.

Lyskamm with medial moraines in foreground.

On the hike in you also get really impressive views of the North side of Lyskamm and the excellent climbing routes there.

Talley and John hiking to the Monte Rosa Hut

The first hour of hiking follows and excellent trail with a steep drop to the glacier and then eventually takes you down to a series of ladders and ropes leading to the ice.

Talley hiking across the "dry" ice on the Gornergletscher

Once down the ladders (photo further along) you gain the ice. This can usually be done without crampons and follows a series of tripods and poles placed in the glacier to guide you across. Part way across the traverse you cross over a medial moraine, which is a jumble of rock and ice.

John jumping a stream on the Gornergletscher

The glacier crossing itself is an interesting hike with glacial streams running along the surface that eventually disappear into hols in the ice, only to reemerge further down glacier.

Climbing the slabs below the Monte Rosa Hut

Once across the glacier, you climb the steep slabs that lead up to the Monte Rosa hut, with wooden boards and ropes to aid you on the more exposed or slippery spots.

Talley hiking to the Monte Rosa Hut with Grenzgletscher in the background.

As you hike up these slabs you can look up and see an old stone building, which is the bathroom from the old Monte Rosa Hut. A new hut was built a few years back and the old hut was demolished with dynamite just a few days before we arrived. I had stayed in the old hut many times over the past 20 years and while the new hut is amazing, it was a bit sad to see the old hut gone.

Dining area in the new Monte Rosa Hut

This was my first visit to the new Monte Rosa Hut and it was stunning! I don't recall ever being in a hut that was so spectacular. The woodwork is elaborately decorated, there is wi-fi, power to charge phones, and toilets with running water. At one point we even considered spending a second night just to enjoy the comfort.

Talley and John enjoying a Spaghetti lunch at the Monte Rosa Hut

For lunch we indulged in the very unique European experience of a hot lunch, perfectly cooked.

Salad that came with our dinner.

We hit the sack early with plans to wake at 2 am and climb to the Dufourspitze. This is a long route and will take most parties a good 12 hours roundtrip.

Snow at 3 am on the day of our Monte Rosa climb

We woke up at 2 am to find the snow storm that had started when we arrived at the hut in the afternoon had developed into a full blown storm and we started the waiting game. By 7 am it was clear that we were not going to be able to climb the route, which requires visibility and we decided to wait a bit, go for a hike, and then return to Zermatt.

John and Talley leaving the hut in the morning.

We finally left the hut when the weather cleared around 9 am with plans to hike up a bit. The summit was still obscured by clouds and while disappointed, we were happy with our decision not to climb. We hiked up about an hour over snow covered rocks and encountered three climbers who had pressed on in the storm, only to turn at 3600 meters after falling into a crevasse.

Our high point on Monte Rosa

Once up to our highpoint at around 3000 meters we had a snack and enjoyed the views and snow once again rolled up the valley from below.

Massive boulders atop the medial moraine on the Gornergletscher

After our short hike up we began the hike back down to Rotenboden and the conclusion of our trip.

Talley and John climbing the ladders off the Gornergletscher

I included this photo of the ladders that go down to the Gornergletscher when the trail to Rotenboden ends. The ladders were dry when we were there, but there are likely days when you would want to be roped up for this!

Thanks much to Talley and John for a great week! John did a great job and should now feel like he has a feel for what climbing is all about. If he is this strong, this young, I suspect he will be a force to be reckoned with when he is older.

If you would like beta for the Spaghetti Traverse, climbing in Zermatt, or climbing Monte Rosa, feel free to call our office at 509-548-5823. For more details on this trip visit our Zermatt Climbing Guides page.

Upper Icicle Road Closure Info - June 17, 2011

2011-06-17T14:03:00.000-07:00

Here is the latest information on the Icicle Road Closure after a landslide near Fourth of July on June 10, 2011.

This Road Closure does not in any way affect any of the Leavenworth Rock Climbing or Mountaineering Programs at the Northwest Mountain School. We are 100% open for business and have access to 99% of the routes we guide.

U.S. FOREST SERVICE NEWS RELEASE
Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest
215 Melody Lane
Wenatchee, WA 98801

For immediate release: June 17, 2011
Contact: Susan C Peterson, Public Affairs, Wenatchee River Ranger District, 509.548.2558

Upper Icicle Valley Remains Closed to Access

Leavenworth, Wash. — The upper Icicle Valley, located on the Wenatchee River Ranger District, remains closed to all public use beyond the junction of Eightmile Road and Icicle Rd because the hillsides are unstable and water saturated.

The closure affects all motorized, pedestrian, stock and any other type of entry into the area.

A large mudslide on Friday, June 10, closed upper Icicle Road (FS Rd #76) approximately 10 miles west of Leavenworth in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, stranding over 30 people overnight before crews could rescue them. No injuries were reported.

The District continues to keep the area closed because of continued mud slides flowing in the upper Icicle Valley and the potential for more slides to occur. There is no estimate on when the area will be reopened.

Closures:
•         Upper Icicle Road #76 from the junction of Eightmile Road and Icicle Road     (access allowed on Eight mile Road).
•        All Icicle campgrounds except for Bridge Creek and Eight mile Campgrounds, which remain open.
•        4th of July Trail #1579 is closed.

For more information call: 509-548-2550.

New! Guided Mt. Baker Climbs!

2011-06-13T09:04:00.000-07:00

We are excited to announce that the Northwest Mountain School can now offer Guided Climbs on Mt. Baker. We signed the permit with the US Forest Service a few days ago, bringing to close a 16 year effort to gain access to this iconic Northwest Peak.

Mount Baker 10,775', photo by John Scurlock

The Northwest Mountain School obtained its first permit on Glacier Peak back in 1994. At that time we also inquired about guiding on Mt. Baker and were turned away due to a moratorium on issuing new permits. That moratorium was recently listed and we were one of the first guide services to be awarded access and we could not be happier to be offering guided climbs and a mountaineering school on Mt. Baker for the summer of 2011.

At 10,775', Mt. Baker is technically the 4th highest mountain in the State of Washington, with Mt. Rainier, Mt. Adams, and Little Tahoma being higher. Due to its proximity to the ocean and location just south of the 49th parallel, Mt. Baker is one of the most glaciated mountains in the lower 48 and holds the US record for total snowfall in one year at 1140 inches (over 95 feet!). Our permit here opens up access to heavily glaciated and challenging routes that are worthwhile in themselves, and also great training for other mountains.

Mount Baker from the south, photo by John Scurlock

For this first summer, we are focusing our offerings on 4 popular climbing routes:

The Easton Glacier
The Coleman Deming Route
The North Ridge Route
The Coleman Headwall Route

Each of these routes is very distinct and offer differing levels of difficulty and terrain for our customers.

Easton Glacier Climbs
The Easton Glacier is approached from the south side of Mt. Baker and the town of Sedro-Woolley, WA, and is a comfortable climb that usually takes 3 days. Each program features a half-day approach, a full-day of review in the basics of glacier mountaineering, and a one-day summit climb and exit form our high camp. We are offering set dates for 3-day climbs for the summer of 2011 on July 8-10, July 23-25, and August 19-21. These programs cost $750 per climber and are very suitable for those new to climbing or with no previous climbing experience. We also offer custom climbs at our private climb rates, which in some cases can be even cheaper than the set dates.

Mt. Baker's Easton Glacier, photo by John Scurlock

Coleman-Deming Climbs
The Coleman-Deming Route is approached from the North side of Mt. Baker and the town of Glacier, WA. This route is typically also done in 3 days and is perfect for either new climbers, or those looking for one of the more moderate routes to the summit of Mt. Baker. The hike in takes about 4 hours and the second day is spent reviewing everything you need to know to climb Mt. Baker with a guide. On the 3rd day we make our summit bid and return to the trail head. Set dates for 2011 include July 15-17 and September 2-4. The cost for this program is $800 per customer and can also be organized as a custom climb.

Mt. Baker's Coleman-Deming Route, photo by John Scurlock

North Ridge of Baker Climbs
The North Ridge of Baker is an ultra classic Pacific Northwest test piece and will be guided up to 2:1, with one fixed date of August 27-29, but custom dates easily arranged on any day of the week. This climb is very similar in nature to other classics like the North Face of Buckner, and the ice pitches on the North Ridge of Forbidden, and would be ideal training for a route like Liberty Ridge on Mt. Rainier. The climbing is generally in the 40-50 degree range with a few spicy pitches of steeper climbing high on the route. We descend the Coleman-Deming Route and generally schedule 3 days for the climb. We can also offer a one-day warm-up on the steep, top-roped ice climbing to be found on the lower Coleman glacier throughout the climbing season.

Mt. Baker's North Ridge, photo by John Scurlock

The Coleman Headwall Route
This route is a bit harder and more sustained than the North Ridge, and does often have some objective hazard on the lower portions of the climb. Most of the climbing is in the 45 to 50 degree range with a few steeper steps encountered during the climb. This route usually forms as a snow route in the early season, in many years even being a reasonable ski, and then becomes icier as the summer progresses, and eventually becomes a straight alpine ice route. Like the North Ridge we descend the Coleman-Deming.

Mt. Baker's Coleman-Headwall in late season, photo by John Scurlock.

About the Northwest Mountain School
The Northwest Mountain School was founded by IFMGA guide John Race in 1994. It is now operated by John and his wife, Olivia Cussen Race, also an IFMGA guide. John has worked full-time on Mt. Rainier since 1989 and Olivia has worked full-time on Rainier since 2001. The stated aim of the Northwest Mountain School is "not to be the biggest guide service, but to be among the best," and access Mount Baker allows us to expand our program offerings to cover most of the main guided peaks in the Pacific Northwest.

For details on our new programs, visit our Guided Baker Climbs page or feel free to contact the office at 509-548-5823.

Mount Stuart, Sherpa Glacier

2011-05-28T08:41:00.000-07:00

April showers... bring May flowers and landslides. Leavenworth has been enjoying perfect temperatures for alpine climbing in the Stuart Range as well as sunny rock climbing in the Icicle and Tumwater Canyons. On May 22, Michael flew into SEATAC from NY and drove over to the East side to get more than a sample of both.

All flower photos are compliments of Michael F.

Photo Michael F.

On April 1, 2011, rain on snow on already saturated soil created a slurry that was set off by rockfall and eventually ran across the Icicle Canyon road. This is where we started and ended our journey, on bikes.

Photo Michael F.

The ride in was casual. The ride out was not. Here is a before and after of the road portion of our journey.

Photo Michael F.

At the Stuart Lake Trailhead we traded bikes for snowshoes.

Photo Michael F.

We approached Mount Stuart via Mountaineers Creek (good snowshoeing along the right side of the creek) and camped at 5,500' at the base of the Sherpa Glacier.

Photo Michael F.

The Sherpa Glacier as of 05/24/11. We climbed and descended the right snow weakness that gains the col.

Photo Michael F.

The overnight temperatures were below freezing and rain gave way to partly cloudy skies. Brilliant conditions with new snow accumulation of around 5" which was rarely over our boot tops.

Photo Michael F.

Michael and I summited Mount Stuart at 11:15 a.m. On the ridge we found Cerro Torre-esque mushrooms of rime ice and boiling clouds to the North and East. The views of Rainier and Adams to the South were breathtaking.

The fourth day was spent taking advantage of dry rock and increasingly warm temperatures. In the a.m. we climbed The Fault to Catapult to Saber on the Castle in Tumwater Canyon. The afternoon was spent on the mega-classic R&D on Icicle Buttress in Icicle Canyon.

Big THANKS to Michael for the great four days and awesome photos!

Click here for more information on Guided Mt. Stuart Climbs, and Guided Leavenworth Rock Climbing.

Leavenworth Rock Climbing Programs - New Fixed Dates!

2011-03-13T19:10:00.000-07:00

For the 2011 rock climbing season in Leavenworth, WA we are now offering fixed dates for our most popular rock climbing programs. Most courses cost around $200 and each course is guaranteed to run if we have at least one participant. This is a departure from our usual practice of only running programs as people request each course, and is in response to many of our customers asking for this.

Leavenworth rock climbing programs that we have set dates for include:

Introduction to Outdoor Rock Climbing: This is our basic rock climbing program and is suitable for climbers with no previous rock climbing experience, or those who have climbed indoors and want to move to outdoor crags. We provide Petzl harnesses and helmets for each climber and you can rent rock climbing shoes from Leavenworth Mountain Sports for under $10 per day. You can reserve shoes by calling LMS from 9-6, 7 days a week at 509-548-7864.

Scheduled Dates: March 27, April 2, April 10, April 16, April 24, April 30, May 7, May 15, May 22, May 28, June 5, June 11, June 19, June 25, July 3, July 9, July 17, July 23, July 30, August 7, August 13, August 21, August 27, September 4, September 10, September 18, September 24, October 2, October 8, October 16, & October 22. Custom Dates also available.

Introduction to Outdoor Rock Climbing in Leavenworth, WA

Traditional Lead Climbing Course: We have this course dialed and have come up with a format where you can learn to lead climb with a guide following alongside on a fixed line. Not sure if a piece is good, ask the guide who is right there with you, as they climb along on a separate fixed line and evaluate your placements as well as the frequency of the placement. This course is taught in a progression that begins with gear placements, moves to top-roping your objective, then mock leading it, and finally sending it on your own. We can provide the rack and the rope, or you can bring your own.

Scheduled Dates: April 3, April 23, May 15, June 4, June 26, July 16, August 6, September 3, September 25, & October 15. Custom dates also available.

Lead Climbing training with Northwest Mountain School

Rock Climbing Anchors Clinic: This course is the foundation for all lead climbing and also critical for those who simply want to set up top-ropes. We are amazed to consistently encounter strong recreation climbers in the mountains who still have difficulty building bomber anchors quickly and efficiently. We will discuss gear placements, trad anchors, and go over how to evaluate the bolts you encounter while rock climbing. Again, we provide all the gear, but you are encouraged to bring your own if you have made the leap to buying a climbing rack.

Scheduled Dates: March 26, April 17, May 21, June 12, July 2, July 24, August 20, September 11, October 1, October 23. Custom dates also available.

Rock Climbing Anchors Clinic in Leavenworth, WA

Multi-pitch Climbing Course: Learning to multi-pitch climb will open the mountains for you in a big way. We take participants up a 3 to 5 pitch route while discussion and modeling route finding, belay station management, belaying the second using modern "hands-free" devices such as the Reverso 3, explaining how to avoid factor 2 falls, and descending the route. The goal is to get you to climb more efficiently allowing for a higher pitch count, or a little extra time to get to Gustav's for your post climb beer and burger. You need to have previous climbing experience and show up familiar with modern belay techniques.

Scheduled Dates: April 9, May 29, July 10, August 28, October 9. Custom dates also available.

Multi-pitch Climbing Course with Northwest Mountain School

Improvised Rock Rescue Course: Most climbers have some level of first-aid training, but have not gone the extra step and learned how to perform quickly in a rock rescue situation. We call this an "improvised" rock rescue course because it teaches you how to do what you need to do with the gear that a climber would normally have while out in the mountains. We go over escaping the belay, raises, lowers, and various descent methods such as counter-balance rappels, and tandem rappels. As IFMGA guides we have come to specialize in this course as it is a basic requirement in the certification process of all AMGA rock and alpine guides.

Scheduled Dates: May 1, June 18, July 31, September 17. Custom dates also available.

Rock Rescue Course in Leavenworth, WA

How to save even more money on your Leavenworth Rock Climbing Course: Many of these courses can be taught at a higher ratio. If you can put together a group of 3 or more climbers, the price for the Intro to Outdoor Climbing Course, Rock Climbing Anchors Clinic, or the Traditional Lead Climbing Course drops below $200 per person.

Prices for larger group programs:
3 climbers with 1 guide (3:1) $165 each
4 climbers with 1 guide (4:1) $145 each
5 climbers with 1 guide (5:1) $135 each
6 climbers with 1 guide (6:1) $115 each

Don't see your date?: Any of the above courses can be scheduled any day of the the week at our custom rates during the normal Leavenworth rock climbing season, which usually runs from late March until the end of October.

Just want to go climbing?: A large portion of our Leavenworth business is simply going out climbing with people and climbing great routes. We offer everything from single-pitch climbs to all day climbs on Snow Creek Wall. Check out our website, or give us a call at 509-548-5823 to see if we can put something together. While at the site check out our Snowcreek Wall Climbs, Crack Climbing Technique Clinics, Sport Climbing Technique Clinics, and our Alpine Rock offerings in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness as well as the North Cascades.

Mexico Volcanoes Climb ~ Trip Report ~ Jan 29 - Feb 6, 2011

2011-02-09T08:59:00.000-08:00

In early 2011 Eric Wempen, Jim Gouwar, and myself traveled to central Mexico to gain some high altitude climbing experience and build on our very successful trip to Climb Mont Blanc about 18 months earlier. This would add to around a dozen trips I have led to climb Iztaccihuatl (17,159 ft - 5,230 m) and Orizaba (18,491 ft - 5,636 m). Iztaccihuatl is also called Izta and is the 8th highest peak in North America, and El Pico de Orizaba is also called Volcan Citlaltepetl and is the 3rd highest peak in North America.

El Pico de Orizaba (18,491 feet - 5,636 m), 3rd highest mountain in North America

Of interest, here are the 10 highest mountains in North America:

#1: Mount McKinley (Denali) (20,320 feet - 6194 m)
#2: Mount Logan (19,541 feet - 5956 m)
#3: El Pico de Orizaba (Volcan Citlaltepetl) (18,491 feet - 5,636 m)
#4: Mt. St. Elias (18,008 feet - 5489 m)
#5: Volcan Popocatepetl (17,749 feet - 5410 m)
#6: Mount Foraker (17,400 feet - 5304 m)
#7: Mount Lucania (17,257 feet - 5260 m)
#8: Iztaccihuatl (17,159 feet - 5,230 m)
#9: King Peak (16,972 feet - 5173 m)
#10: Mount Bona (16,550 feet - 5044 m)

I had always been under the impression that Izta was the 7th highest mountain in North America, but as I researched this trip report I realized that Mount Lucania is actually the 7th. Either way, our primary objective was to climb Orizaba and Izta was the most logical place to acclimate. In the past we used to climb Popo, which sits next to Izta, for acclimatization, but in December of 1994 it once again began to erupt and has been closed to climbers since then.

Our trip began on Jan 29 when we all flew from our home cities to Mexico City, the world's third most populous city with a population of 21.2 million people. We checked into our hotel, and immediately headed to the local grocery to pick up the fresh food that we would need for the trip. These days you can buy just about anything you will need in Mexico Cities excellent grocery stores, and I was amused to purchase a half-dozen apples that were likely grown within a few miles of our home in Leavenworth, WA and picked by Mexican migrant workers. The world is getting smaller by the day.

After a night in the hotel and an excellent meal we were met by our driver, Rogelio, early the next morning for the drive to Izta, which is located about 70 km from Mexico City. On our way we passed through the town of Amecameca, and then drove up to the Paso de Cortés, which is the low point between Popo and Izta and a significant place in history as this is where Cortes crossed in to Tenochtitlan on his way to conquer Moctezuma and the Aztecs in 1519. The pass is located at around 11,150 feet (3400 m). Mexico City is located at around 7,350 ft (2,240 m) so we were starting to acclimate while in Mexico City and this would build on our acclimatization.

At the pass we checked in with the National Park and paid our 25 Mexican Peso (about 2 dollars in 2011) per person fee and started our hike toward Izta.

We hiked about 7km with a slow uphill gain toward La Joyita, the trail head for Izta. Along the way we came upon a series of simple buildings that we later found out were the set for a Mexican TV show, and not actual vacation cabins as we had first guessed.

Hiking around the Paseo de Cortes provides really fantastic views of Popo, which still smokes to the South. When I first climbed Popo in 1988 I remember Pat Rastall, a guide with Colorado State Universities outdoor program, telling me that one of the best things about climbing Popo or Izta was the view of the other mountain while on the climb. The scenery here is very spectacular.

A new trail has recently been constructed that runs along the pass that is great for mountain bikes, and allows hikers to use the trail, rather than the road when walking from the pass to La Joya. In the past much of the hike followed the road, which at this time of year can be very dusty.

We hiked beyond La Joyita as we started up the regular route on Izta, the Arista de Sol, and climbed up to about 14,500 (4,420 m) feet as part of our acclimatization plan.

There is a very good trail that runs up the Arista del Sol route as far as the Grupo de los Cien Hut, but like most volcanic trails, it is at times very loose and steep, but easy to see.

At the end of the day we drove down to Amecameca to spend the night in a hotel and allow ourselves a bit more time to adjust to the altitude, following the high-altitude plan of "climb high, sleep low."

The next morning, now day 3, we drove back up to La Joyita (located just a few meters shy of La Joya, which is often mentioned in guide book descriptions) with a plan to carry about 20 liters of water up to the Grupo Cien Hut to acclimate and also to put in place some water for the climb as there is no water on the Arista del Sol route on Izta during this time of year.

We headed up the same trail we had climbed the day before, this time continuing on to the Grupo de los Cien Hut located at around 15,500' (4,750 m) where we planned to sleep the night prior to our climb.

Today our packs were a bit heavier as we were transporting close to 40 lbs. of water and we would be climbing a bit higher than the day before.

The Grupo de los Cien hut is a usuable space, but is not very fancy and could be very tight, and very difficult to sleep in if you are sharing it with other climbers. We took the risk of not bringing up a tent as it was midweek. In the photo above Jim and I are showing off some of the water that we carried along.

Here is a photo of the hut with Jim and Eric in the door and the start of the climb showing just beyond the hut. The primitive trail goes up and through the rock band before traversing to the climbers right to gain the ridge and the ruins of another hut. Many climbers opt to descend a steep, loose gully just out of sight to the left.

On the upper section of the trail to the hut there are a few easy sections where you need to work your way thorough some loose rock that is at times slightly steep. It is never difficult and does not really require scrambling, but is getting beyond what you would call a standard hiking trail.

Here is a shot looking back up at the trail below the hut on a nice section. Very beautiful, very dry.

Here is Jim just above La Joya with Izta in the background. The summit is the farthest peak on the left, which looks a bit lower from this perspective, but it lets you see how much of the mountain you need to traverse to climb from this side.

After reaching La Joyita, we hiked down and across to this bizarre array of antennae that has a small hut called the Altzomoni Hut 13,000 feet (3,950 m). This would be our first night sleeping up "high" and things went really well.

We had a beautiful sunset and I ran out during dinner to grab a photo of Izta.

Here is a shot of the interior of the hut. There is no running water, but there are toilets that can be flushed by dumping water from large barrels of water in the hut (non-potable) directly into the toilet. If staying here, be sure to bring your own drinking water. Maybe a step above a tent, but not by much.

As nobody else was using the hut we had a room entirely to ourselves and we cooked in the hall. Each room sleeps 8 people and has mattresses. With the help of Rogelio we made burritos with Carne de Res and had a feast. The next day all we needed to do was hike up to the hut, so we got to bed early with plans to sleep in.

We were up around 7 am and hiking by 9:30 am. Rogelio gave us a ride back to the pass at La Joyita and we made the trip back up to the hut in around 4 hours. Here is photo of Jim and Erik in the door the evening before our climb of Izta. You can now see the descent gully on the left side of the photo.

Here is a shot inside the hut showing the cooking space in the center with the triple tiered bunks on either side. We were careful to sleep on the middle bunk as this is the hardest for the Ratoncitos ("mice") to reach in the middle of the night. At one point during the night I leaned out of the bunk and counted 6 mice on the floor!

Here is the view to the West as we cooked dinner at the hut. The smoke and smog is a combination of the pollution from Mexico City and smoke produced by people burning the grass around the edges of their fields and as well as old corn stalks in recently harvested fields.

The views became even more interesting as the sunset progressed.

Erik and Jim watching the sunset and contemplating the climb the following day.

Looking out the door of the Grupo de los Cien hut on Day 5 of our trip. We were in bed by dark, which seems to fall just after 7 pm. When we went out in the dark it was amazing to be basically in a wilderness while looking down upon a population of over 20 million people just a few miles away.

The next morning (day 6) we woke up at around 2:30 am and were off by 4 am. We climbed steadily up and through the rock band before taking a break about 1100 feet above the hut. We climbed around 2/3rds of the route in the dark and were just below the summit when sunrise arrived. We needed to wear crampons for a very short section as we descended to the top of the Ayoloco Glacier and traversed toward the summit.

Sunrise on Izta looking toward El Pico de Orizaba, which is to the East.

Jim making good time on his way to the summit of Izta with Popo in the distant background and the Ayoloco just behind him and to the left.

Looking East at the summits of La Malinche and El Pico de Orizaba from high on Izta.

Our team on the summit of Izta with Popo in the background. It took us about 3.5 hours to reach the summit from the Grupo de los Cien Hut.

This is one of my favorite shots from Izta. It shows Eric and Jim walking down the Arista del Sol after coming off the summit of Izta. Note how the cold air coming down the mountain has pushed the smoke in the valley to the east away from the mountain.

The climb up Izta finishes with some steep ridge walking. It is not to the point where you need to scramble, but it is a place where you need to take a bit of care.

As we crossed over the upper sections of the Ayoloco Glacier we had to negotiate sections of "Neve Penitente Snow" where the glacier was very melted out. We were able to make it all the way back to the trail head for a total time of just of 9 hours round trip.

When we got back to the trail head things were starting to cloud up a little bit. This provided really good photos of the summit, but would prove to add to the difficulty of climbing our next objective, Orizaba.

We drove off the back of the Paseo Cortez down to the town of Puebla, one of the nicest spots in Mexico. We checked into our hotel that afternoon around 4:30 pm, took showers, and repacked our equipment for Orizaba. The hotel is old, very nice, and full of interesting paintings.

Puebla has many quaint spots to eat and we wished that we had more than one evening to spend in this beautiful colonial town, but we still had some climbing to do.

Here are a few night shots of the area where we ate dinner near our hotel.

On the morning of day 6 we drove 2 hours from Puebla to Tlachichuca. There was a big windstorm that was moving a lot of dust around, but we still managed to get good views of the mountain. Tlachichuca is an interesting place as it is an agricultural center and you still see people plowing with mules or oxen, and people riding horse drawn carts loaded ten feet high with firewood or corn.

In Tlachichuca we base out of the Reyes Family compound. They have turned a soap factory that goes back three generations into a climbers base camp and dormitory featuring a comfortable seating area, spaces to pack and leave gear, hot showers, sleeping quarters, and a dining room where local meals are cooked for visiting guests.

The interior of the soap factory has a large collection of old tools, soap making equipment, and various flags, posters, and stickers that have been left by climbers who have visited the area over the past 30 years. I first stayed here when I was 19 in 1988 and while the quality of everything has improved (I love it!) it still has the essential character that attracted me in the first place. Waking up to the sounds of roosters, Mexican music, vendors, and all the noises of rural Mexico is always a highlight of my trip.

Here is part of the old engine that ran the operation and was built in Chicago and then shipped to Mexico.

On this visit we did not use the Dodge Power wagons that the Reyes family maintains for transporting climbers up to the Piedra Grande Hut, but looking at them brought back memories of the many pleasant, but dusty, rides I have taken in these vehicles over the years.

Here is myself, Erik, Gerardo Reyes, and Jim outside the soap factory and dormitory.

Some of the Calla Lilies in the garden at the Reyes compound in Tlachichuca.

Jim and Eric loaded into the back of the truck for the multi-hour drive from Tlachichuca to the Piedra Grande Hut.

As we drove out of town the wind was picking up and you could just barely see the mountain through all the dust. This wind never really died down for the next 24 hours.

As we drove higher and higher we passed through the town of Hidalgo and got better view of the El Pico de Orizaba.

Eventually you round the corner and you are looking directly up at the route you will climb, which basically goes up the drainage in the center, passes to the left of the Sarcofago, the peak in the foreground, and then climbs up the steep Jampa Glaceir to the crater rim and summit of Orizaba.

The Piedra Grande hut is by no means fancy, but it did allow us to not bring a tent and simplified the camping process. The hut is located at 14,000' (4267 m).

The inside of the hut has been repainted and cleaned up by the outfitters that provide transportation to and from the hut and we were happy to have the hut to ourselves once the group that had climbed the day arrived headed down the mountain.

The hut has 2 sections of three tiers of bunks, and can sleep as many as 50 or 60 people, not a situation I would ever want to witness, and a good reason to avoid climbing on a weekend.

We woke up at 1 am and were able to walk out of the hut by 2 am. It was still fairly windy outside and we had some concern that it would be much more windy up high.

As we climbed upwards the wind remained workable, but made for a pretty cold climb. The lower sections of the route are exposed to significant rockfall hazard so we were very careful to only stop in places that offered some level of protection from rockfall coming from the dark cliffs above us.

By the time the sun rose we were well up onto the Glacier de Jampa. Here we are taking a break at around 17,200' (5,242 m) where we sat in the wind and watched the sun rise. At this point I was very unsure if we would be able to make the summit given the combination of high winds and a steep, relatively slick glacier surface.

As the sun rose the colors became more and more spectacular and motivated us a bit to stick with the climb. The photo above is looking to the East and gives an idea of the angle of the lower Jampa Glacier. At this point things are still pretty reasonable, and you need to commit to climbing the steeper slopes above.

On all mountains you often see a very impressive shadow of the mountain to the west as the sun rises and this was an exceptionally beautiful shadow.

We were in and out of the clouds and the summit had a cloud cap, which would make the winds up high even stronger.

Eric and Jim buckled down and climbed very strongly from 17,200 all the way to the summit at just over 18,400'. We took a line out to the climbers right side of the Glacier de Jampa that went almost straight to the summit, but narrowly avoided putting us over the ice cliffs to the west. As we neared the crater rim we wanted to get over the the rim, but the wind kept us out on the glacier itself. Here are Jim and Eric on the summit after climbing to the top in just under 7 hours, a very impressive time, but one that we needed to take given the conditions.

From the summit of Orizaba you get very wild views down into the crater rim, a treacherous and inhospitable place.

Jim on the summit displaying some of the rime ice he picked up while climbing in the clouds.

Eric with his iced up clothing and eyebrows on the summit of Orizaba.

We made the descent back to the hut and then took the 4WD truck back to Tlachichuca. After a great dinner and a long night of sleep we headed to Mexico City. On the drive to the city we decided to take a short detour and visit the pyramids outside Mexico City. We went to Teotihuacan, site of an ancient city that dates back almost 2000 years and lies to the NE of Mexico City.

We climbed the steep steps up onto the Pyramid of the Moon.

You would think something like this would be easy after climbing the third highest mountain in North America, but we were all still a bit tired and dehydrated after climbing 2 mountains in the past 3 days.

We then went over and climbed to the top of the even larger Pyramid of the Sun. It was interesting to see folks meditating on the top and struggling to get up and down the steep steps.

Here is a shot looking down the steps that lead to the top of the Pyramid of the sun.

Jim and Eric on top of the Pyramid of the Sun with the Pyramid of the Moon in the background between them.

I had them shoot the obligatory tourist photo of me, the guide, for posterity.

There is an really interesting museum near the Pyramid of the Sun which we toured on the way out.

No visit to these spots is complete without reading about the human sacrifices that were made on most of the pyramids throughout Mexico. This is an odd shot to end the trip report on, but it was one of the last photos we took.

Hats off to Jim and Eric for such a great trip and many thanks to the Reyes family for providing us with excellent transportation and support.

If you would like more information about guided climbs to Orizaba and Iztaccihuatl, the Mexican volcanoes, feel free to contact the Northwest Mountain School at 509-548-5823 or visit our website at: www.mountainschool.com.

Mexico Expedition Update - Orizaba Summit: 100% to the Top

2011-02-04T17:38:00.000-08:00

Jim and Eric on the top - 18,880'

Despite challenging conditions John, Jim and Eric were able to summit Orizaba this morning. John called in at 8AM this morning to report that they were on the summit after about 6.5 hours of climbing through windy, icy and cloudy conditions. Climbing Orizaba is not normally a wilderness experience but John mentioned that there were no other teams on the mountain today. After a quick break on top the team descended back to the hut where they were picked up by their 4x4 and driven back to Tlachichuca to a welcome shower and dinner at the Reyes family base camp.

Nice work guys!

Mexico Expedition Update - Team preparing to climb Orizaba

2011-02-03T17:00:00.000-08:00

John called in from the hut on Orizaba this afternoon to say the team was in position and planning to climb Orizaba tomorrow. After a relaxing night in Puebla the guys were driven to Tlachichuca, the base of our local outfitter's - the Reyes family, this morning. They enjoyed lunch with the Reyes' and then transferred all of their gear to the heavy duty 4x4 vehicles necessary for the drive up to the Piedra Grande hut on Orizaba.

The weather was a bit windy and cloudy this evening but John said it was looking reasonable for their climb tomorrow. One of the unique things about the Mexico climb is you are able to climb to ~18,880' while only missing 1 week of work. If all goes according to plan the team will be back in Tlachichuca in time for dinner tomorrow evening.

Mexico Expedition Update - Ixta Summit: 100% to the Top!

2011-02-02T12:29:00.000-08:00

On the summit of Ixta with Popo in the background.

The team successfully summited Ixta this morning and were back at the hut when John called in. He said the weather was pleasant and they were treated to a beautiful sunrise with views of Popo, La Malinche and Orizaba in the distance. The guys did great and everyone is looking forward to a night in a hotel in Puebla - it sounds like they are especially looking forward to the showers.

Mexico Expedition Update - Team preparing for Ixta summit bid

2011-02-01T17:33:00.000-08:00

Eric and Jim at the Grupo del Cien Hut

John phoned in this evening and reported that the team was at the Grupo del Cien hut enjoying a spectacular sunset. They were getting ready to head to bed to prepare for an early start for the summit tomorrow morning. After their climb tomorrow they will head to Puebla for a good meal and a night in the hotel before moving on to their next objective - Orizaba.

Mexico Expedition Update - Carry to camp completed

2011-01-31T13:30:00.000-08:00

Group at Grupo del Cien (Group of 100) hut 15,500'

John called in to report that the team had successfully carried 5 gallons of water to the Grupo del Cien hut at 15,500' on the Arista del Sol (Ridge of the Sun) route on Ixta. As the mountain is very dry these days it is often necessary to carry all of the water that you will need for the climb. By doing a carry with the water today the team lightens the loads they will have to carry when they move up tomorrow while getting a valuable acclimatization hike in. It took 3 hours of hiking uphill to make the carry from Altzimoni to Grupo del Cien.

Spot track showing route from the hut (#16) to the Grupo del Cien Hut (#26)

Everyone is doing very well and will spend the night at the Altzimoni hut before moving up tomorrow.

Team headed up to Ixta

2011-01-31T06:42:00.000-08:00

Track from yesterday's acclimatization hike.

John, Eric and James spent last night in the town of Amecameca after an acclimatization hike around the Paseo de Cortez (11,150'). The Paseo de Cortez is the pass connecting Ixta and Popo, and gets it's name from the fact that Cortez crossed this pass on his way to Mexico city in 1519. The track from the spot beacon above shows the Paseo de Cortez marked with #1. You can see the town of Amecameca on the left edge of the image. Ixta is out of view beyond the upper right corner of the image and Popo is located below the lower right corner.

Ixta as viewed from Paseo de Cortez yesterday

Today the team will head back up to the pass where they do another acclimatization hike and then spend the night at the Altzimoni Hut just above the pass. This is a very basic hut and the guys will be bringing all of their food, water and cooking gear with them. Tomorrow they will move up to their high camp on Ixta in preparation for their summit bid.

Popo as viewed from Paseo de Cortez yesterday

More to follow...

Mexico Volcanoes Trip Underway! ~ January 29, 2011

2011-01-29T19:53:00.000-08:00

We all made it to Mexico City with our luggage intact. We spent the afternoon visiting a grocery store and picking up some fresh food and last minute supplies for Monday and Tuesday, when we will be camping. Things have sure changed since I came to Mexico City for the first time in 1988. Over the years it has become easier and easier to find food that works well for camping. On this trip in particular I was struck by how easy it would be to buy all of your food in one of the many big grocery stores in Mexico City.

It is now possible to buy once impossible to find things such as cheddar cheese, Starbucks, and even flour tortillas, which historically have been only available in Northern Mexico, where they are more commonly eaten. We are now well supplied with enough food to get us through our Orizaba climb and back in Mexico City in a week.

After the grocery we went out for a nice dinner in the Zona Rosa and then did a quick equipment check before turning in early. I am climbing with Eric and Jim and these guys have their scene dialed. Both joined me on Mont Blanc two summers ago, and Eric came out to climb the North Face of Mt. Buckner in the North Cascades last summer along with NMS regular Dusty.

The plan from here is to drive to Amecameca in the morning, drop our gear at a hotel, and then drive up to the Paseo Cortez for an acclimatization hike lasting a few hours. We will then return to Amecameca for the night, a great Mexican meal, and then return to the pass the following day. I will be checking in with Olivia and she will be posting updates from here. If all goes well we will make a summit attempt on Izta on Wednesday and then work our way back to the trail head and then move to Puebla.

Izta is just over 17,000 feet high and is the 7th highest peak in North America. This will be used to acclimate for our attempt on Orizaba, which is close to 18,500'. Olivia just finished our first Ouray Ice Climbing trip of the season and will be doing some personal climbs and helping with our logistics until her next trip begins in Ouray later this week. It will be a busy week at the Northwest Mountain School as we also have a very full AIARE Level 1 Avalanche course running next weekend. Stay tuned and see how things go.

North Cascades Climbing Trip Report ~ Aug 30-Sept 6, 2010

2011-01-27T14:07:00.000-08:00

From August 30-September 6, 2010 NMS guides John Race and Mike Walters had a blast climbing with Chuck Moomey, Todd Ziegler, and Matt Voelkel in Leavenworth, Frenchmans Coulee, and North Cascades National Park. This trip report was super late in coming out primarily because we had such a packed 8 days of climbing that I wanted to put up a good trip report. Here goes.

We started with a spectacular day of rock climbing in Leavenworth. The weather forecast was for a significant storm system to start to roll through on Day 2, so we jumped on it and hit several different locations in the area. We started at Clamshell and then climbed the Tree Route (5.6, 3 pitches) in the afternoon.

Day 2 was very wet and stormy as forecated so we took advantage of our new permit at Vantage and headed over for a day of climbing at Vantage. It was just barely dry enough to climb, but we had a great day.

The climbing at Vantage is steep and is either well bolted sport routes or crack climbing.

Many of the pitches are a good 25-30 meters of vertical climbing. Great training for the arms and the head!

On Day 3 we drove over the Cascades to North Cascades National Park and headed into Boston Basin, where we spent the next 3 days climbing Sahale and Sharkfin. We had Forbidden Peak and/or Mount Torment on the menu, but pulled back from this once we saw how much new snow there was on the rock.

The storm had dusted Forbidden, which is featured in the center of the photo, with the classic West Ridge of Forbidden just right of center and the Torment-Forbidden Traverse running from the left edge to the center.

All trips into Boston Basin provide fantastic views of the NE Ridge of Johanesburg, a route that I had the great pleasure of climbing with the late Joe Puryear. We did this in 14 hours round trip. It is a wild route with very moderate climbing, almost 5000 feet of gain, and a wild descent.

Our first objective was the Quien Sabe Glacier on Sahale Peak. With the new snow you can clearly see the route that most parties take up the Glacier.

On our first night we had a great sunset and were encouraged that the weather would hold for the next couple of days.

On the hike in on Day 3 we noticed that we were particularly well outfitted with Sportiva boots. All of the boots pictured are appropriate for climbs of Sahale, Sharkfin, Forbidden, and Torment and allow us to use crampons and climb rock up 5.6 or 5.7.

Matt, Chuck, and Todd on the evening of Day 3 as we prepared to hit the sack in preparation for an early climb the next morning.

We often combine Sahale and Sharkfin into one day, but we decided to give the rock on Sharkfin another day to dry out, so we started at first light, rather than in the dark, and headed up the Quien Sabe Glacier. Sahale is the peak in the background that we are heading toward.

One of the best reasons to climb Sahale is the unbelievable views of Forbidden Peak. The ridge on the left is the West Ridge (5.6), the right ridge is the North Ridge (5.0), and the ridge in the middle is the East Ridge (5.8+). I have guided all three many times and think that Forbidden is one of the "must do" peaks in the North Cascades. There is no easy way to the summit, but all three routes are within reach of competent rock climbers used to alpine rock climbing.

On our way up Sahale we also had a good view of the SE Ridge of Sahale, which we would climb the second day.

Here you can see Forbidden with Eldorado Peak behind it to the left and Mt. Baker behind that again on the left. The low saddle in the brown rock in the foreground is Sharkfin Col, which we use when climbing the North Ridge of Forbidden or when doing the Forbidden Tour in the Spring.

Chuck climbing perfect Neve on the way to the summit of Sahale Peak.

This is taken up at the Col between Boston and Sahale Peak. It is unusual to get enough snow in August for this cornice to form, but it does happen. This is always something to consider when climbing in the Spring as you hit the col very unaware of how big and serious the drop into the basin below would be. On more than one occasion I have arrived here to see the outline of a a tent platform built directly over the cornice!

Here we are contemplating the rock pitches that lead to the summit of Sahale.

A great shot looking down at Matt and Todd climbing the fun terrain leading to the summit.

Todd climbing the rock that leads to the summit of Sahale.

Once on top of Sahale you have great views of the Ptarmigan Traverese with Glacier Peak in the background.

Chuck and Matt on the descent from the summit on what proved to be one of the best weather days of the trip.

Chuck on the summit of Sahale with Forbidden in the background.

On the way down we opted to subject the gang to some ice climbing on one of the many crevasses on the Quien Sabe Glacier.

Since I started guiding in the North Cascades in the mid 1990's the glacier has really pulled back leaving a series of snow gullies and rock slabs to negotiate at the base of the glacier.

The next day we set about to climb Sharkfin, the main summit in the center of the photo.

From high on the route you get really spectacular views of the North Face of Mt. Buckner, which I had guided a month earlier

Chuck on the way up to the summit of Sharkfin Tower.

On Sharkfin we had really good views of the route we had taken up Sahale Peak.

Chuck, Todd, and Matt on the summit with JR in the background. The peak behind us is Boston Peak. We hiked out of Boston Basin on Day 5 after climbing Sharkfin.

On Day 6 we drove around to Glacier, WA and approached the Fisher Chimneys on Mt. Shuksan despite a weather forecast that indicated that it was going to be hard going. At this point in the trip we had covered a lot of terrain and the crew did a great job of staying motivated and getting the job done.

Chuck, Todd, and Matt at the trailhead ready to do battle with one more summit in our week of climbing.

We hiked and climbed all day. The highlight being our climb of the Mt. Shuksan's Fisher Chimneys where we encountered a very nice, but relatively inexperienced group. They were all climbing unroped and at one point I threw in a cam as the guy above me was looking a bit shakey. As I pulled the cam out he looked down and asked me "what is that?" Needless to say I put in two cams and waited for him to make the next few moves before we continued. This is our camp at the base of Winnies Slide.

Approaching the base of Hell's Highway on the regular Fisher Chimney route on Mt. Shuksan on Day 7.

Our climb of Shuksan on Day 7 was full value. Lots of new snow covering the rock made for very interesting climbing in what is typically a rock scramble to the summit.

This is a photo of folks lowering off Winnie's Slide at the end of the day. Winnie's Slide has really fun 45-50 degree snow climbing right out of camp.

We arrived back in camp tired and late enough that we decided to save the descent for Day 8. As you can tell from the photo Todd was greatly enjoying the opportunity to put his Gore-tex to the test this evening.

One last shot of the rappel from just below the summit of Mt. Shuksan. I think what made this trip such a great outing was the groups willingness to have a flexible schedule and work around all of the weather issues the trip presented. Many thanks to Mike Walters for his great guiding and easy going attitude and for Todd, Matt, and Chuck for trusting us to keep things moving.

More details on guided climbs of Mt. Shuksan

January 14, 2011 - Aconcagua Expedition Update

2011-01-14T10:10:00.000-08:00

Our expedition has nearly come to a close and we hope to be able to post a bunch of great photos very soon. We are all back in Mendoza enjoying the return to civilization and everyone is busy shaving off beards, sorting and packing all their gear and clothing, and preparing for the trip home.

Two of our team have already left on flights for the US, eight others will fly tomorrow, and the last two will depart Argentina on Sunday.

Andy has sorted all of his photos and we have some very good ones. These will be used in a final trip report as soon as we can sort out how to get them from one device to another. We are very happy that the entire group was able to successfully make it all the way up to our high camp, and then down over the other side of Aconcagua. While only a small portion of the group was able to reach the top on our summit day, our hats are off to the entire team for managing to deal with the winds, cold, and difficult conditions presented in our time up high.

Many thanks to Olivia for keeping everyone up to date while we were on the mountain. It may take a few days for us to get the final batch of photos and text loaded onto the blog, but we will get it done.

All best-

John Race, IFMGA Guide

January 14, 2011 - Aconcagua Expedition Updates - Back in Mendoza

2011-01-14T08:43:00.000-08:00

Last year's group enjoying a very civilized lunch at one of the local wineries.

John called in this morning to report the team is all back in Mendoza. Less than 48 hours after leaving high camp Mendoza surely feels like a foreign place but I am guessing everyone is enjoying the comforts of the city. Showers and a couple of good meals are usually the first order of business after a long trip like Aconcagua. John and Andy should be posting a final trip report at some point soon. This will be my last post for this trip. Nice work everyone!

Joel getting ready to enjoy another meal at the Hyatt in Mendoza.

January 13, 2011 - Aconcagua Expedition Updates - Team headed out the Horcones Valley

2011-01-13T08:02:00.000-08:00

John phoned in this morning to say the team was headed out the Horcones Valley from Plaza de Mulas. They spent last night at base camp and were busy organizing gear so they didn't get a chance to call in. Point 28 on the map above was a check in from the spot beacon this morning as they were heading down the valley. Disregard the line leading to #28 this is just a direct line from the last point where they had the spot turned on. John said they anticipated making it to the trailhead by 5:30 PM their time and would be back in Mendoza late tonight.

January 11, 2011 - Aconcagua Expedition Updates - Back at High Team

2011-01-11T12:25:00.000-08:00

John called in at 12:10 PM Pacific (5:10 PM local time) to report the team was all reunited at high camp. Everyone is doing well and will spend the night there tonight. The total summit day took 11.5 hours round trip. Tomorrow everyone will descend to Plaza de Mulas to their well earned pizza lunch. From there they will almost be able to smell the steak grilling in Mendoza!

January 11, 2011 - Aconcagua Expedition Updates - On Top!

2011-01-11T10:24:00.000-08:00

Aconcagua Summit (22,841')

John called in at 9:15 AM pacific time to report that he was standing on the summit of Aconcagua with Rich & Tania. He reported it was a tough summit day and a portion of the group had turned back with the other guides but the weather was reasonable and it took 8.5 hours from high camp to the top. John and crew are now headed down to rejoin the rest of the group (everyone is doing well) for one more night at high camp before descending to Plaza de Mulas.

We'll keep you updated as we hear more...

January 10, 2011 - Aconcagua Expedition Updates - Rest day at High Camp

2011-01-10T14:47:00.001-08:00

John called in to report the team was taking a rest day today. The plan is to go for the summit tomorrow once the winds calm down.

The map above gives a feel for where the team is now. Camp Cholera , their high camp, is marked "27" by the spot. This view shows how they are now directly above the Plaza de Mulas base camp. It is approximately a 3 hour hike down from high camp to base camp. I spoke with our local outfitter and the team's gear is headed to Penitentes today and will be at Plaza de Mulas by tomorrow evening. John also asked that I put in their pizza order for Wednesday afternoon - always a nice treat after the summit bid.

More tomorrow....

January 9, 2011 - Aconcagua Expedition Updates - Team at High Camp

2011-01-09T15:54:00.000-08:00

High Camp - Camp Cholera (19,400')

John called to say the team was tucked into their tents at Camp Cholera - their high camp for the trip. From here the team is in position to summit and then drop down to the Routa Normal side of the mountain. John has already arranged for the mules to pull the gear the team left at Plaza Argentina and bring it around to meet them at Plaza de Mulas after their summit bid.

There was some snow and winds today but the winds were calming when he called in. The forecast is for the winds to continue tomorrow before calming on Tuesday. The plan is to use tomorrow for a rest/acclimatization day before going for the summit on Tuesday.

A minimalist kitchen

Now that they are high on the mountain the guides are working with a small kitchen, the tent vestibule, as the winds can make it difficult to use a cook tent. The one benefit to the windy evening was that the team were treated to dinner in their tents.

More tomorrow...

January 8, 2011 - Aconcagua Expedition Updates - Carry to high camp completed.

2011-01-08T13:53:00.000-08:00

Moving on up

Today was an optional carry day. John and Andy lead part of the group up to high camp, Camp Cholera (19,400'), on a carry while part of the group opted to take a rest day at camp 2. The carry team made it to high camp in 3 hours 45 minutes and it took a little less than an hour for the descent back to camp 2.

High Camp

The plan is for everyone to move up to high camp tomorrow so the team is in position for the summit once the weather provides a good window. Based on the current forecast Tuesday is looking like the best summit day which would mean the group would get a rest day at high camp on Monday prior to their summit bid.

Leavenworth Ice Climbing

2011-01-07T13:11:00.000-08:00

Rainbow Falls - Icicle Creek Leavenworth

The cold snap between Christmas and New Years brought another round of ice to the Leavenworth area. Corinna from Seattle took advantage of the current conditions to get in a couple of days of climbing with us at Millennium Wall and Rainbow Falls.

This was Corinna's first ice climbing experience and it sounds like she might be hooked - so to speak.

John and Olivia usually spend about a month in Ouray CO every winter as the ice is more predictable there. This allows people to plan their vacations months in advance and know there will be ice when they arrive. But we love it when the temperatures cool down here in WA, and we get the opportunity to climb in our own backyard.

We are in the middle of a warm period right now but temperatures are forecast to drop again starting Sunday night and we are looking forward to getting out again next week!

January 7, 2011 - Aconcagua Expedition Updates - Camp 2 Established!

2011-01-07T12:15:00.000-08:00

Camp 2 (17,700')

John called in this afternoon to report that the team had moved up to Camp 2. The team was walking by about 10AM local time and it took about 4 hours to move from camp 1 to camp 2. Everyone did well on the move and they are now settling into their new home at camp 2. The tentative plan is to carry up to high camp, camp cholera @ 19,400', tomorrow.

A more modest kitchen for the higher camps.

The higher the team gets the more pared down the operation becomes. The winds have been light enough (about 10-15 mph in camp this afternoon) that the team is likely still able to use a small cook tent at camp 2. Once they move to high camp it is likely that the guide will be making all of the food and water for the group in the vestibule of their sleeping tents.

Enjoying the scenery.

Now that the team is getting higher they can start to hone in on the best summit day. We will continue to monitor the weather and give them daily updates. Right now it is looking like Monday would be the first possible summit day based on the team's schedule.

January 6, 2011 - Aconcagua Expedition Updates - Carry to Camp 2 Complete!

2011-01-06T12:14:00.000-08:00

Spot view of what the team has been up to.

The same as above but in the map view.

The tracks shown above include all of the team's movement above base camp. Plaza Argentina is the furthest right point (without a number label) in both of the above images. Camp 1 is located right by the point marked "50" and the team's Camp 2 (the same as Camp 3 on the Guanacos route) is marked by the number "38."

On the carry to camp 2 - looking back towards camp 1 and base camp.

Headed up toward the Col Amagino.

Climbing towards camp 2 with the Guanacos route in the background.

John reported that everyone did well on the carry today and all are back at camp 1 now. They had some light snow during their carry. The camp 2 that our team is using is the same camp that is camp 3 when reached by the Guanacos route. Rather than going from Casa Piedra up the Relinchos Valley toward Plaza Argentina (as our team did) the Guanacos route continues up the Vacas valley from Casa Piedra and curves back toward the mountain from the head of that valley. Our camp 2 (Guanacos camp 3) is very close to (slightly below) the camp that is referred to as Chopper Camp.

Notice the gray duffels in the foreground - this is the cached gear at camp 2.

Guanacos Camp 3 (Same as our team's camp 2) - The image is a Guanaco.

The guanaco is native to S. America and is in the same family as camels, llamas and alpacas. It is not uncommon to see guanacos when hiking up the Vacas valley on the approach to base camp.

With their carry complete the team may take another rest day tomorrow, or may move up depending on how everyone is doing and what the weather is up to. I have been sending John more detailed weather forecasts now as he begins to hone in on the best possible summit day.

January 5, 2011 - Aconcagua Expedition Updates - Rest Day at Camp 1

2011-01-05T12:58:00.000-08:00

John called in this morning to report that the team is enjoying a rest day at camp 1 (16,200'). The weather is beautiful and the winds are forecast to continue to improve through the week. The plan for tomorrow is to carry to camp 2 (17,700'). The key to success on these high peaks is being patient enough to take things slowly and give your body time to adjust to the altitude and that is exactly what our group is doing. Everyone is feeling good and I am sure they will all be excited to carry tomorrow after lots of tent time today.

January 4, 2011 - Aconcagua Expedition Updates - Team at Camp 1

2011-01-04T13:03:00.000-08:00

John called in to say the team had completed their move to camp 1, had camp established and were hunkered down in their tents as it is quite windy outside. The plan is to wake up tomorrow and see what the weather is up to. If the winds calm, and everyone has a good night at camp 1, then they will carry to camp 2 at 17,700'. This camp is also called "Chopper" or "Lama" camp due to the wreckage of an old helicopter crash near this site.

Weather Forecast for 15,800' for the upcoming week.

View looking up toward Camp 1 on the move.

The patch of snow in the above photo contains snow formations called "Penitentes" - like the ski area the team spent the night at. This is a snow formation found at high altitudes - these are tall thin blades of snow that can grow to be taller than a person.

Looking back down the Relinchos Valley toward Base Camp

Since the team is planning on doing the 360 traverse of the mountain, exiting via the Routa Normal they are not planning on returning to Plaza Argentina. Once everyone makes it to the high camp the mules will pickup any gear that the team left cached at Plaza Argentina. They will bring this out all the way to Punta de Vacas and then bring any gear that the team needs for their exit into base camp on the normal route - Plaza de Mulas.

Moving to Camp 1

The team left base camp this morning in their climbing boots - leaving their hiking boots behind. This will be part of the gear that the mules will move around to the other side of the mountain for them.

A typical setup at Camp 1.

Looking up from Camp 1 to the Col Amagino (17,600') - towards Camp 2

Other than some winds our team is currently experiencing clear weather at camp 1. It is not uncommon to encounter afternoon graupel (like hail) storms - as you can in the previous 2 photos.

We will keep you posted as to whether the team is carrying or staying put tomorrow...

January 3, 2011 - Aconcagua Expedition Updates - Team ready to move up to Camp 1 tomorrow!

2011-01-03T19:50:00.000-08:00

Not much to report today. Everyone enjoyed their 2nd rest day at base camp and will be ready to move up to camp 1 tomorrow. We have begun sending daily weather reports to the team which will be important as they begin to hone in on the best summit window. Leaving base camp behind always feels like you are transitioning from the approach to the meat of the climb. I am sure everyone is excited to be getting under way. More tomorrow.....

January 2, 2011 - Aconcagua Expedition Updates - Carry to Camp 1 Complete

2011-01-02T18:58:00.000-08:00

Spot track from Base Camp to Camp 1(16,200')

John reported that the team made their carry to camp 1 today in 6.5 hrs round trip. Everyone did well and the weather cooperated for the most part - with only light snow during the carry. The plan moving forward is to take another rest day at base camp tomorrow before moving to camp 1 on Tuesday. On these larger expeditions there always seem to be waves of movement as groups get funneled onto the same schedule by the weather they encounter. John said a large wave of people, who are a little ahead of our group, moved up to camp 1 today. They will likely be moving on by the time our group arrives there on Tuesday afternoon.

The forecast for the upcoming week is for clearing weather so the team should enjoy a sunny day at base camp tomorrow.

January 1, 2011 - Aconcagua Expedition Updates - Rest Day at Base Camp

2011-01-01T19:56:00.000-08:00

Click the map to expand the image and follow the team's path.

John called in this evening to report the team had a successful rest day at base camp. Plaza Argentina is at 13,800' so the rest day is key to the acclimatization process. In addition to reorganizing their gear and preparing their loads for tomorrow's carry to camp 1 there are many other ways to pass the time at base camp.

Bouldering just outside of base camp.

There is a great boulder a short walk from Plaza Argentina. The guides always pack their rock shoes along for the couple of rest days here.

Calling home

Yahtzee!

Reading

The team will carry up to camp 1 tomorrow and return to base camp to spend the night. They had some light snow in camp today and according to the forecast they may have a little more snow tomorrow before the weather clears on Monday.

More tomorrow...

December 31, 2010 - Aconcagua Expedition Updates - Team at Base Camp!

2010-12-31T16:11:00.000-08:00

Crossing the Vacas river early in the morning

John called in at 3:30PM Pacific time (8:30 Aconcagua time). He said they had a beautiful day for the move to base camp today, sunny and windless. This morning started with an early crossing of the Vacas river to gain access to the Relinchos Valley.

Looking down the Relinchos Valley back towards Casa Piedra

The Relinchos is a much smaller valley than the Vacas and is particularly narrow for about the first half of the day's hike.

2nd Stream Crossing of the day

After hiking up a steep slope you gain the more open upper half of the valley and encounter the second stream crossing of the day. Today's two stream crossings are the reason everyone has to pack sandals along for the trip.

Half way up the Relinchos the valley opens up with Aconcagua ahead

The mules making their way to base camp with the team's gear.

Once they reach base camp the mules have taken the gear as far as they are going to and now the team is going to have to haul all of their gear up the mountain. Tomorrow's rest day will give the team the opportunity to resort all of the gear and prepare the 1st of the loads they will take up the mountain. Above base camp it will take 2 carries to get the gear to each successive camp. After the team carries their 1st load to the next camp they will return to the previous night's camp to sleep. They will then move to the new camp, either the next day or after a rest day, with the other half of the gear. These "double carries" both reduce the weight the team has to carry at any given time and aid in acclimatization following the adage "climb high, sleep low."

Base Camp!

Basecamp is a big place.

Base camp is a mini village on the mountain. You can find showers, sodas, pizza and much more if you are so inclined.

Our local outfitter

The team has a dining tent that is provided by our local outfitter - Grajales Expeditions. This is where they will eat their meals, and hang out while at base camp. The team will likely have 2 full rest days and and 4 nights at base camp before moving to camp 1 so there are likely to be lots of card games played in the dining tent.

Getting settled in for a few days

When John called he mentioned that the music was just getting going as the locals celebrated the new year. Our crew was going to stay up for a little bit before heading to bed - but it did not sound like anyone was planning to stick it out until mid-night.

More tomorrow...

December 30, 2010 - Aconcagua Expedition Updates - Team at Casa de Piedra

2010-12-30T17:25:00.000-08:00

Crossing the bridge just upstream of Pampa de Lenas

John called in this afternoon to report that the team had arrived at their 2nd camp - Casa de Piedra (3200m or 10,500'). The weather was better today with just the slightest bit of snow as they arrived into camp.

Looking up the Vacas Valley

The Vacas valley opens up today and Casa de Piedra is located at the junction of the Relinchos and Vacas valleys. Just before arriving at camp you get the first glimpse of Aconcagua once you can look up the Relinchos Valley.

The first view of Aconcagua - looking up the Relinchos Valley

The route that the team will climb is out of site around the right side of the mountain in the above photo.

One of the cowboys cooking up the delicious asado

One of the highlights of the trip is the amazing asado that the cowboys cooked up for the group at tonights camp. While simple fare - 7kg of beef, a few vegetables and bread - this is an incredible meal. The cowboys cook the meat over a simple fire and it is some of the best grass fed beef you will ever eat. John reported that the team managed to polish off the entire 7 kilograms (15.4 lbs)!

Last year's group enjoying the asado

The plan for tomorrow is to get up early and be walking by 7AM. This will allow the mules to make it to base camp, unload the gear, and turn around to head back out. The day will start by crossing the Vacas river (with sandals this time) before heading up the Relinchos Valley. News Year Eve will find the group in base camp at Plaza Argentina!

December 29, 2010 - Aconcagua Expedition Updates - Team Under Way

2010-12-29T11:25:00.000-08:00

The start of the trail - Punta de Vacas

John called early this morning to say the team was headed to the trailhead and excited to get underway. Based on their Spot signal it appears that the team has arrived at camp at Pampa de Lenas at 2800 m. I am including some photos from last year's expedition to give a feel for the terrain the team is moving through. From this point on all photos will be from previous expeditions until John posts the final trip report once the team is back in Mendoza.

Headed up the Vacas Valley

Camp at Pampa de Lenas 2800m

Update at 3PM Pacific time: John called in this afternoon to report the team had reached their camp at Pampa de Lenas. Unlike the sunny photos in this blog entry John reported that the team experienced moderate to heavy rains during their walk in today. By the time he called the team was warm and dry & getting ready to eat dinner. Everyone is doing well and looking forward to another day of walking tomorrow.

The mules arriving at camp with the team's gear

The night's camp set up at Pampa de Lenas

December 28, 2010 - Aconcagua Expedition Updates - Pententes

2010-12-28T18:17:00.000-08:00

We woke up semi-early, had a nice breakfast in Mendoza and then drove about 3 hours to the ski area at Penitentes. Once in Pentitentes we spent the day repacking all of our gear and packing it into loads for the 3-day trek to our base camp at Plaza Argentina, as well as separate loads that will go directly to base camp. This is always a bit stressful as you don't want to put something into the wrong load and find yourself without stoves, or fuel, or one of your mealson the way to basecamp.

Beautiful Mendoza on the morning of December 28, 2010

I am writing this a bit after 11pm local time and the air temp outside is 60 F, which seems really warm for this spot at this time of the evening. The forecast has called for afternoon thunderstorms, which makes sense given the heat. We will not be climbing up high for a good week, so while these storms are in the back of our minds, it is not a huge concern.

Hotel at Penitentes, Argentina

Everyone did a great job and in the end we came up with around 450 kg of gear for our group of 12 people. This is about 37.5 kg (82.5 lbs) per person and represents food and supplies to support us for 15 days if need be. Additionally we will each carry packs that weight around 9 kg (20 lbs.) each day as we hike to base camp. It would be possible to do it with smaller packs, but having some weight is a nice way to do some very light prep for the climbing higher on the mountain.

Northwest Mountain School Aconcagua group packing in Penitentes, Argentina

Some of the things we are taking with us include: 6 stoves, 4 gallons of benzine for cooking, 4 melons, 5 lbs. of Starbucks, 6 tents, 12 pairs of crampons, 12 ice axes, a solar panel and 2-50 watt batteries to store the solar power, 1 satellite phone, many iPods, 90 eggs, a case of soda, a case of beer, and a bunch of other items. Many of these things are luxuries, but they will pale in comparison to what can be purchased at base camp and will not go above Plaza Argentina with us.

View from the ski area at Penitentes

Tomorrow we will drive to Punta de Vaca and then hike for about 4 hours to camp at Pampas Las Lenas. We are only a few miles from Punta de Vaca and we drove past it on our way up from Mendoza. We will hike up the beautiful, but very dry, and at times very windy Vacas Valley. We stay on the North side of the Vacas River and will not cross to the other side until we leave camp on the morning of day 2. This first camp is where we check in with the officials from the Aconcagua Park and are entered into the log of climbers on the mountain.

Dinner at Pentitentes, really roughing it here.

The next day (December 30) we will cross to the South side of the Vacas River by a good bridge and then follow that all the way to the Casa Piedra a good 5 hours later. At Casa Piedra we will have the mule drivers cook us a traditional beef meal called Asado. This is cooked over an open fire and served with white bread, salad, and wine. We opted to have them include the wine, but are planning to give it to the mule drivers as we will be working to acclimate and staying away from alcohol.

Our 450 kg. of gear once all packed up for Aconcagua

On day 3 we start the day by crossing the Vacas again on foot and then heading up the steep and wild Relinchos Valley to base camp at Plaza Argentina, which is located just under 14,000. We are planning to arrive at base camp on New Years Eve, and hoping to camp far enough out to sleep through any party that ensues with the porters.

We are planning to spend New Years Eve resting at Plaza Argentina and will then carry to Camp 1 at around 16,200 on January 2. Of note, we were very lucky with everyone and all of their gear making it in. All of the other groups around us are either missing people or equipment from the ripple effect caused by the big snowstorms in Chicago, Atlanta, and New York.

The first waypoint of the journey - Penitentes

The above screen shot of our Spot beacon gives a good feel for where we currently are as well as for what lies ahead. The point marked by a 1 is the hotel at Penitentes. You will find Punta de Vacas (tomorrow's starting point) at the bottom right of the map. Aconcagua is towards the top left of the map. We will travel north up the Vacas valley until we intersect the Relinchos Valley which is unlabeled but is highest valley that intersects the Vacas from the left at the top of this map.

All of the photos were taken by Andy Beerman.

December 27, 2010 - Aconcagua Expedition Update - All in Mendoza

2010-12-27T14:45:00.000-08:00

Our entire group made it down to Mendoza safely despite a few folks have flight delays due to various snowstorms. Better yet, everyone's luggage arrived. We managed to pick up our climbing permits this afternoon and have that out of the way, which will allow for a more relaxed departure tomorrow morning and will give us a bit more time to pack and fidget with our gear up at Penitentes.

2010-11 Northwest Mountain School Aconcagua Group

Andy, Joel, myself, and David spent most of the morning and early afternoon picking up the last of the food at the supermarket and then packing it up for the trip. We are eating mostly camping food, but we did find space and packing for melons, eggs, tortillas, cheese, onions, potatoes, carrots, apples, as well as some soda for basecamp.

This is going to be a short post as we are all headed for dinner a bit early as folks want to get to bed early after the overnight flight down from the US. Of interest, an early dinner in Mendoza means we are headed out to eat at 8 pm, rather than 10 pm.

For those reading this that are planning to come down this season, be warned that the permit fee for Aconcagua was just raised to 3000 pesos per person, which is close to $770 per climber, and a huge increase over last year. There really is no way around this, but it does sting a bit.

Aconcagua Update - Dec 26, 2010 - First group in Mendoza

2010-12-26T18:42:00.000-08:00

Andy, myself, and David all arrived in Mendoza this afternoon around 3 pm. When we got to the hotel, Joel was waiting for us after taking the all-night bus up from Bariloche. The flight down was uneventful for us, but it sounds like some of those following us may be contending with some weather delays. I ran into Marty Schmidt at the airport. He is a guide and we had not seen each other since the Fall of 2001 on Cho Oyu. We also ran into Stuart Robertson, who is working for Alpine Ascents and was on our schedule last season and will be again this year. It is always fun to come back to mountains like this and run into folks you know.

The four of us, plus Karsten (friend from Fox Mountain Guides) all went out for dinner. We had the usual delicious combination of huge steaks, and a bottle of red wine, followed up with ice cream. This is all part of our vigorous training program.

It is warm as expected in Mendoza. It was somewhere in the low 90's this afternoon when we arrived. The plan from here is to get in an early breakfast, hit the grocery for the remaining food items, and then meet with the group as they arrive throughout the day. We will check everyone's gear to make sure it is all going to work, have a team meeting, perhaps a pisco sour, and then all head out for dinner.

We will either get the climbing permits tomorrow afternoon or Tuesday morning after we leave the hotel and begin the drive to Penitentes. I have not posted our planned itinerary, so here it is. Things typically run as scheduled, but we have some extra days built in to deal with weather if need be.

Aconcagua Expedition - 360 Traverse Itinerary:

Dec 26: Leave US and fly to Mendoza, Argentina.
Dec 27: Arrive in Mendoza in afternoon or early evening. (Night in Mendoza)
Dec 28: Drive to Penitentes (8200') pack mule loads, and spend night.
Dec 29: Drive to Vacas Valley (7,600'), hike to La Lena (8,850'). (7 miles/4-5 hrs.)
Dec 30: Hike to Casa Piedra (10,500') (8 miles/5-7 hours.)
Dec 31: Hike up Relinchos Valley to Plaza Argentina BC (13,800') (6 miles/6 hrs.)
Jan 1: Rest Day at base camp.
Jan 2: Carry to Camp 1 (16,200') (4-6 hours up) & return to base camp.
Jan 3: Rest Day at Base camp.
Jan 4: Move to Camp 1.
Jan 5: Carry to Camp 2 (18,200') & return to Camp 1. (5 hours RT)
Jan 6: Rest at Camp 1.
Jan 7: Move to Camp 2.
Jan 8: Move to Camp 3 (19,600')
Jan 9: Possible Summit Day
Jan 10: Possible Summit Day
Jan 11: Possible Summit Day
Jan 12: Descend to Plaza Mulas on Ruta Normal
Jan 13: Complete hike out and return to Mendoza.
Jan 14: Extra Day
Jan 15: Return flight to US
Jan 16: Arrive in US

More to follow. See our Guided Aconcagua Expedition Page for more details.

December 25, 2010 Aconcagua Expedition Post

2010-12-25T13:28:00.000-08:00

This feels very familiar. I am at the airport in Seattle waiting for the first leg of my trip. My flight down will go from Seattle to Dallas to Santiago, Chile, and finally to Mendoza tomorrow. Checking in for expeditions is always interesting as the airlines are always a it dismayed when I show up with 4 duffel bags, each weighing exactly 50 lbs. The 2 extra bags were $100 each, so we are paying $2 a lbs to ship things like cheddar cheese, tortillas, and pesto from the US. While this seems expensive, we don't usually feel it was expensive when we are tucking into some good, familiar food after a hard day in the mountains.

Putting together a climbing expedition is always an experience of very meticulously trying to get everything absolutely dialed, leaping into the void, and knowing that there will be bumps along the way. I have come to rely on the opportunity to eventually walk away from the house, walk away from the office, and realize that making that break is a step forward in life, and there will be a few plates in the air that may eventually spin off their axis and fall. After 21 years of going through the drill of breaking free of the day to day grind, and then finally doing it, I have sort of come to rely on it as an opportunity to reset my priorities, and take a few weeks to live simpler.

We have a great group put together for this trip. 8 climbers and 4 guides. I am going to make sure everyone wants to be mentioned on the blog when we have our team meeting in Mendoza, about 48 hours from now. One of the climbers is flying down today, the rest come down tomorrow. Andy Beerman (guide) is enroute to meet me in Dallas, Joel Kauffman (guide) should be on a bus headed to Buenos Aires, and then Mendoza, and Jared Bonea (guide) will fly down on the same day as the rest of the group tomorrow.

Once Andy, Joel and I are on the ground in Mendoza we will empty the 300 lbs. of gear I brought down, and then head to a couple of big grocery stores to buy the rest of the food for the trip. We bring the usual collection of camping food (soups, rice, pasta) and then supplement it with as many eggs, veggies, and other fresh foods that we can pack onto the mules. We are also very careful to have a guides meeting and sample the amazing food and life of Mendoza, Argentina. Argentines have life figured out; up early and drinking strong coffee, hard work until noon or 1, lunch, napping, and leisure until 3 or 4, then back to work until 7 or 8. Everyone finally eats dinner late, often as late as 10 or 11 pm, and then off to bed to do it all over again.

We have 6 tents packed. Each sleeps 3 people and we will go 2 to a tent down low, and then cram 3 into each tent up high to save weight and to limit the number of tents we need to defend if we encounter high wind, which we usually do. We have 6 MSR Whisperlite stoves, 4 pots, a big cooler for fragile items that need to stay cool such as eggs, and the usual assortment of gear. I will have a total weight once we pack the mule loads in Penitentes on the 28th, but it usually ends up somewhere in the ballpark of 100 lbs. per person, or about 1200 lbs. for a group this size.

It is always a bit frightening to see how much food, fuel, and equipment it takes to sustain 12 people for 15 days on the mountain. On the way in we will have the mule drivers cook us a meal over an open fire, typically big chunks of heavily salted beef, tomatoes, and slices of a heavy, white bread. It sounds really simple, but not a group has ever concluded that it is not one of the best meals of the trip.

If you are following these posts, note that the comments are moderated to prevent people from spamming the site. If you post a comment, it will next go by e-mail to Olivia and she will then approve it and it will show up on the site.

That's it for now!

JR