Climbing in Oregon

So a group of us headed down to climb South Sister, in central Oregon, this weekend. We planned to set up basecamp on Friday night, alpine start early Saturday, summit Saturday before midday and return to basecamp Saturday night, before driving home Sunday. We also hoped to get some rock climbing in at Smith Rock on the way home on Sunday. The mountains were so clouded in as we drove down Friday that I suggested we just climb at Smith Rock all weekend. Either folks agreed with me or I just whined enough that they gave in, and we headed to Smith Rock for a great weekend of climbing. (Turned out that Saturday would have been a stellar day to summit South Sister, we could see it from Smith that morning. But the clouds rolled in quickly in the afternoon, and that probably would have been pretty miserable.)

Photos are on my Flickr site.

Climbing in Leavenworth

Jeff, Nick, Cassie and I headed over to Leavenworth to do a little rock climbing along Icicle creek. We ended up climbing at RotoWall and Clamshell Cave. Much fun, and the scenery is gorgeous in a barren way (forest fire a couple of years ago really cleared things out).

Photos are on my Flickr site.

Attempt on Mt Hood

So a couple of us went to climb Mt Hood this weekend. Turned out the weather was actually too good. Things didn't freeze solid the night before and so rock fall and ice fall blocked the summit. Not that I noticed. I was rocked with a migraine late that night and so didn't even try.

At least one climber that attempted the summit this weekend was seriously injured and had to be helevac'd out.

A few photos on my Flickr account:

St. Helens

Climbed to the rim of St. Helens. Still the winter route up Worm Flows from the Marble Mountain snowpark parking lot. A fun crew. Would have been just a tremendous climb, but smoke from forest fires in Oregon obscured the views.

Snowshoeing at Mt. Rainier - Castle & Pinnacle

I headed into the Tatoosh, up to the Castle and Pinnacle Peak. Forecast called for scattered snow showers. It should have called for: Snow, with conditions ranging from flurries to full on blizzard, clearing occasionally for momentary glimpses of blue sky.

Trees on Mazama ridge.

On the way up. The light gray blur above the trees on the left is the castle.

The Castle in a moment of clarity. The skiers had fantastic conditions that day.

The Castle (dark on far left), with Pinnacle behind it.

Looking up at Pinnacle.

Looking down on Reflection Lakes. Near the center, about a third of the way down from the top edge is a rectangle that is the new Visitors Center at Paradise.

The trail on the way down from Castle and Pinnacle.

Cool, droopy snow.

Trees between Reflection Lakes and Mazama Ridge.

On the way out the clouds lifted for a bit and revealed some more of the Tatoosh (Eagle?).

Mt. Baker

Shortly after returning from Colorado, I was fortunate enough to climb Mt. Baker via the Easton Glacier with a group of Olympia Mountaineers. Ron Raff led the trip, the rest of us had taken the Mountaineer's climbing course together in the spring - it was a very cool group.

James Pierson snapped this shot near the beginning of the hike in (that's me directly in front of James).


We had a fairly leisurely hike up to camp (although it was still 3000+ ft of gain with packs full of climbing gear); here we've stopped at a stream crossing. (Again, thanks to James for the photo.)


As we made our way out of the woods, this was the first look we got of the mountain.


The trail follows this fairly even ridge created by the lateral moraine, and so has been named Railroad Grade.


Looking over the edge of the moraine up at the Easton Glacier.


Looking back down Railroad Grade.


We stopped for a bite to eat and a group photo just before we left the Railroad Grade. Some crazy funny New Yorker took the photos for us.


The hiking got a bit more rugged as we approached the glacier and left the moraine.


And up we go into the clouds


James and Angela, with Easton Glacier and then the valley behind them.


A vivid blue pond of meltwater not far off the trail.


Luke and Adrienne, up out of the clouds for the time being.


Looking left, across rock and snowfield.



Ian scouts a place for camp.


Across the snow to the Black Buttes (and perhaps Seward Peak?)


A clear look up the mountain from near camp.


Looking down on some of the tents. The rest of us camped on snow above where I'm standing.


The clouds eventually solidified below us. The ridgeline on the left side of the photo was our route up. The tents on the rock in the middle of the photo were a Scout troop that had apparently summited the day we arrived.


Camp gave us a pretty good view of what we'd face the next day.


Sleeping above the clouds. At least we tried to sleep, we went to bed early in the evening because we were getting up at midnight to start our climb.


Almost dawn, we get a glimpse of distant peaks and morning light through the sulfurous steam (ugh) at the crater.


After the crater rim comes the Roman Wall (which Clint dubbed the Stairway to Heaven). That's Craig ahead of me leading our rope.


Looking down at the Black Buttes.


Dawn light managed to catch the steam rising out of the crater just right...


Mountain shadow. What a beautiful sight.


It was a stunningly beautiful morning. I think our whole rope had stopped to take photos here.


Ron, Clint and Ed lead the way up the Roman Wall.


Crevasses near the summit.


Down into the crater from the summit.

Pretty nice views from the top.

We could actually just see Rainier in the distance, but you can't make it out in these photos.


After our summit, Jen and Ron preparing for the descent. The top of Baker is a very large flat cap; the proper summit is there in the background.


Ed relaxes with the view. That may be Rainier on the far right horizon.


Ian comes back across the snowfield. The top of Baker is _very_ expansive.


Sweet crevasse on the descent. Didn't so much notice it in the dark on the way up.


Details of another crevasse.


And another...


Looking back up at the other two ropes.


Very cool crevasse and snow cave.


Crevasses and snow bridges on the glacier, below camp.