Lack of Storm Woke Me
Still & quiet now. Accustomed to the wailing wind & constant buffeting of the tent, couldn’t sleep. Outside now, can see Rainier towering above by starlight. Took a few photos.
Still & quiet now. Accustomed to the wailing wind & constant buffeting of the tent, couldn’t sleep. Outside now, can see Rainier towering above by starlight. Took a few photos.
It’s about 2AM here and I just heard an avalanche higher on the mountain. It was a drawn out powerful and deeply resonant rumbling. Sounded like a Hollywood freight train crash.
Stove line ruptured while cooking in tent vestibule causing a considerable flareup. We zipped the fly open and tossed the whole conflagration outside. It was all very exciting.
Late afternoon we headed out for some snow skills and sled practice, but the weather was brutal so we didn’t stay out long.
Thanks everyone for the messages of support.
We have had heavy snow since yesterday afternoon. The entire camp is buried this morning and we are still digging out.
I’m getting good at peeing in bottle while lying down.
LOTS of snow.
The weather up higher is insane with winds over 100 so we are staying put. Rather be moving, but I am getting the extreme cold weather I wanted.
The weather is much calmer now with less wind, but visibility is still low. Rain has been replaced with big fluffy snowflakes.
Spent 2 hours melting snow for drinking and cooking this morning. Relaxing in tents waiting for better weather.
The map shows low camp which is approx 1 mile up mountain at 7,200ft. It was raining when we started and I didn’t activate tracking map until we reached camp.
We were on deep snow from trailhead on. It was raining when we started and has not stopped yet. most of my gear is wet, snowing now
It is 4AM now and is still raining, wind is gusty, temp in low thirties but feeling toasty warm inside down bag.
Woke up hungry and Grabbed the Gold.
Load was easy, training heavy paid off.
Stopped at 6 to make camp. Had to dig out snow for tents. Cold temps, heavy rain and high winds made it an ordeal.
Cold & raining hard, won’t move far today. Leaving the trailhead in a few minutes.
My load weighed in at 112lbs w group gear.
Hello Friends,
This is my first post using the new “Danger Network” blog broadcast system. (see the bottom if you are a geek for the technical explanation) I will be making periodic posts to my adventure blog during the Rainier expedition via satellite beacon and these short (160 character or less) updates will also be sent to your inbox.
Why Are You Getting This?
This is a photo I took while climbing Mt Baker. I used my Olympus Stylus TG-2 iHS Digital Camera which is a waterproof camera and placed it half underwater in the glacial pool to shoot this. So this shot captures both the under and above side of the ice.
I took several shots like this, and was enjoying the novelty of it, but had to stop when my hand began to freeze.
I did a lot of research before purchasing this camera and it has been the best outdoor camera I have ever used, and I have gone through several of them. It also meets my USB chargeable requirement for gear so I can keep it topped off from my Goal Zero solar panel.
Here is my beautiful wife Susan and granddaughter Valentina modeling the Mountain Hardwear Absolute Zero Parka I’ll be wearing on Denali in May and Mt Rainier next week (where temps are already in the teens). This parka has already been to the top of Denali with my friend Allen Wilson whom I borrowed it from, and he assures me; “it knows the way”.
I’ll do a review of this jacket when I get back, but for now I can tell you it is well made, comfortable and has some well thought out technical features characteristic of Mountain Hardwear products.