Thanksgiving and other randomness

This is going to be just a general blog about my life over the past month, but more specifically about my thanksgiving. I am pretty sure that most of you know, but I am working at Crystal Mountain, and it has been going great. I love ski patrolling, the work is fun, the people are great, and the skiing has not been awesome, but at least its skiing. I am living in the patrol dorm with 10 other patrollers. The living space is actually really big so it does not seem too crowded, except for in the morning when we are all trying to cook in the kitchen. But you get used to it. I am sharing a room with one other guy, Josh Smith, who I worked with this past summer on Rainier, and we get along pretty well. The work days are pretty long so we do not do a whole lot after hours. For the most part, I get off of work, make dinner, and go to bed around 8 or 9 every night; fairly exciting nightlife. The mountain is open everyday until the snow melts, so we all have to work on holidays. So we decided to have one big thanksgiving dinner. The dinner was fantastic, and I have off on Thursdays and Fridays so I was able to help with the setup and cooking. We had about 25 people in our house which is a bit much in the living room, but we made it work. There was so much food! We had a turkey, 2 hams, sweet potatoes, 2 different kinds of green bean casserole, 2 kinds of mashed potatoes, candied pecans, and many other things that I am sure I am forgetting right now. For dessert we had 10 pies including pumpkin, pecan, apple, blueberry, and peanut butter. Although it was definitely not home for the holidays, it was a really good thanksgiving. It was nice to be able to spend it with some new friends.

It has been quite awhile since my last post, so this will be a short summary of a lot of stuff. I have been climbing down in Oregon since the middle of September. I was training for a rock climbing guide course that actually just finished 2 days ago. The course went well and I learned so much. I was not climbing as well as I would have liked, but that is the way it goes. I was on the course with 2 good friends and co-workers, Austin and Erica. We had a great time together and we spent about 2 weeks straight together. Our instructor was Amos Whiting, a fully certified guide from Aspen Colorado. Amos was a great instructor and I hope will be a life-long friend. I had such a great time that I was really disappointed when it was finally over, and I am already really excited to continue towards full IFMGA certification. I am taking a couple of days off before heading southwest, probably towards Moab. I have a few friends down there already and more are on the way so it should be a good time. Kristina Rand came out to visit me for the last few days and it was so good to see her again. It is really nice to have family come to visit and to be able to share something that I love so much with family and friends. She left today to go back to Utah, but I might be stopping by to see her again since Salt Lake is right on the way to Moab. Then it will be back to Washington on the first of November for ski patrol training at Crystal Mountain. Right now my plan is to work at ski patrol for the winter and try to make enough money to pay for my next AMGA course in the spring. I am excited to be in one place for awhile this winter and not have to worry as much about where I might be sleeping the next night, even though that is kind of fun as well. I will try to do better at updating the blog, so feel free to check back periodically.

The past week I spent climbing at Washington Pass in the North Cascades. It was great to have some time off from work to relax and reconnect with my personal climbing. WA Pass is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been to, it seems strange, but every time I go to a new place in Washington I seem to think that it is amazing. I spent 7 days climbing nonstop and I came back to Ashford completely exhausted but rested and replenished at the same time, climbing is strange like that. I have a lot of great pictures, but my camera and computer are at a friends house in Seattle so I will post some later when I go to pick up my computer. I arrived back in Ashford around 2 am and had to work the next day. George actually called me on the way back and asked if I could go up early the next day and climb the mountain to do some work on the route, so I woke up and did route work all day then met up with the rest of my clients that night. So I was fairly tired to start the climb and it went down hill from there. We had an epic summit day; no one else stood on top of the mountain that day except for my crew if that tells you anything. But we all made it up safely and made it down with 10 fingers and toes which is always good, and everyone was really happy with the trip which is even better. I think I have around 15 summits so far for the summer. I have only 4 trips up Rainier left and I am excited that the summer is almost over, it has been good, but I am ready to do some of my own climbing and and am even more excited for my Rock Course in October.

Alan comes to visit

This week I climbed Rainier with my cousin Alan Keller and 2 of his friends. Alan came up for the weekend and it was nice to have some family out to visit. We had a great trip and everyone got to the top which was nice for them. Then we all went back to Seattle and stayed at his friends house. He has a really nice house and it was fun to spend some time in the big city. We went out on his boat for awhile and cruised around the Sound, we went golfing in the morning, and then I was able to run some much needed errands. The season is starting to slow down a little bit for me which is nice. I had this week off, then another week off from August 17-24, then I work 2 more trips and its off to Kansas City to see the family. I am going to the University of Washington for a preview day on the 17th to see what there masters in education program is all about. It should be interesting and a step in the right direction if I want to go back to school. But all is well here in Ashford, it has been a little rainy recently which is nice because it had been so dry and hot for a few weeks.

Mt. Stuart Mini Epic

Last week some friends and I decided o go climb Mt. Stuart. Stuart is in the North Cascades about 5 hours from Ashford, it is one of the largest pieces of granite in the world, it is 9,400 feet tall, and the North Ridge is one of the 50 classic climbs in North America. So I got down from a summit climb on Mt. Rainier, drove the 5 hours to the trailhead, slept for a few, then started the hike in to the base of the route. We planned on doing it in 2 days, with the first day consisting of the approach and about half of the rock climbing, then we were going to bivy on the rock and finish it the second day. But as it turns out our plans changed after climbing for about 5 hours because one of the guys ending being a fairly slow climber. My partner Kelly and I ended up waiting for a couple of hours for the second team to catch up and when they did we decided it was best for them to go down because the speed at which they were moving was just too slow for comfort and it would have been quite unsafe for them to continue. So we rappelled down the ridge, which is not an established rappel route, until about 1 in the morning. We then bivied at the base of the climb for a few hours, then got up to walk out. But the fun was not over, because when we woke one of my fellow guides Mike woke up with some crazy sickness. He was throwing up all night and could not hold down any food or water. So we had a 6 hour walk to the car through trees, boulders, streams and all other sorts of fun, and Mike could hardly stand up without falling over. So we half walked, half carried Mike out the entire way. Oh yea, did I mention that the mosquitoes in that area are the worst they have been in years because of the heat wave we have been having in the northwest. So it was hot, and I was getting destroyed by mosquitoes the whole way, we did not get to summit, and Mike ended up in the hospital, so all in all it was another successful mountain climbing adventure. Really though, the climbing was spectacular and I cannot wait to go back! Unfortunately I had time on that trip because I had to get back to work the next day to climb Rainier again. So needless to say, I was fairly tired on that trip, but I got everyone to the top and back down safely, so all is well.

Busy Season

I am sorry that it has taken me so long to update my blog, but it has been quite hectic for the last few weeks. I have been working nonstop for around 17 days straight now, I am not exactly sure because it seems as though they are all running together now. I never know what day it is anymore, but it does not really matter when you are climbing everyday anyways. I have been having a great time and all of the climbs have been going really well. The only real thing to report is that I was able to help out a climb that was stuck on the summit in some pretty bad weather. I was leading a climb that ending up turning around at 12,800 feet but I kept on going to the summit to help out a team that was stuck in a really bad storm and was able to lead them down to relative safety. It was a great experience and the other guides and clients were extremely grateful for the help. They even took me out to dinner to say thank you, which is nice because a good meal is hard to come by in the mountains. So far I have summitted 7 of the 9 times I have been up which is a great success rate for this time of year. Last June the weather was miserable all month and nobody was summitting. So there is really not much news to report here other than that I am really busy. Right now I am sitting in the Alpine Inn which is where we base out of for the Emmons climb (which is a route up Rainier) and they have wireless internet so I am able to get some work done on the computer before I head up the mountain again tomorrow. I work a 6 day climb then I actually have 2 days off which I am planning on going to climb Forbidden Peak in the North Cascades and I am really excited about that. I am training for some guiding courses that I am taking in the fall so whenever I have days off I will probably be climbing. It sounds a little crazy, but I love it!

Liberty Ridge

I just got back from climbing Liberty Ridge. Liberty is one of the 50 classic climbs in North America and definitely deserves its fame. It is typically done in 3 or 4 days, but Austin and I did it in 2 long days. We got back late last night and I was completely exhausted. It took everything I had to just pick my feet up and keep walking. Overall the climb took us 38.5 hours which I was really pleased with. The entire route was challenging and very exposed. You had to be on your game the entire way because one slip would basically mean death, and since it was so steep and exposed no rope was required for most of the way. At the top of the climb is a few nice ice pitches, these were the crux, or hardest part, of the route. I really enjoyed leading the pitches. This was Austin's first time ice climbing and I think he enjoyed it as well. Then to top things off, the whole mountain was covered in clouds when we topped out, so we got to enjoy some brutal weather and complete white out navigation on the way down. But it was a great climb and I am so excited that everything went well and we got down safely. Right now I am relaxing at the office trying to recover because I leave for a guided trip up Mt. Rainier tomorrow. Life sure is busy this time of year, but it is so fun and I love every minute of it, well maybe I did not love getting pummeled by the wind and snow yesterday evening, but it is all okay now.

Back in Washington

I have been working this week at the IMG Headquarters in Ashford, WA. So far it has rained every day since I have been back. At work on Monday while I was hammering nails I started to ask myself, "Why did you leave the desert for this?" I remembered soon after that I was getting paid which makes it all worthwhile, but I still wish that I was climbing in the warm, dry desert. But alas, I will be in the bad weather from now until late September. It is good to be back in Ashford though, I really do enjoy it here. It is nice to see friends and co-workers again, and to get some actual work done. And I have accumulated more work since I have been back than I originally expected. On Sunday I will be heading out for a 6 day Denali training seminar. This is the same type of seminar that I was on back in March. So I will be hoping for better weather this time around, and maybe we will actually get to do some real climbing. But the weather does not look too promising right now, so I am preparing myself for the worst, which I am sure will not be any worse than the last trip. And after that we are in full swing for the Rainier season, which means I will be working pretty much non-stop until the end of September.

Sending In Joshua Tree

For the last 2 days Austin and I have been climbing in Joshua Tree. The climbing here is unlike anything I have ever been on before. The rock is solid, but it chews up any skin that touches it. It sorts of feels like running your hand up and down on a cheese grater, if that helps to give you a visual of what I am talking about. The grades are also really hard here. For example, the day we left Red Rocks I sent a 5.10a, but today I was destroyed on a 5.9 route, and yesterday I was definitely nervous on a couple of different 5.8 climbs. But it is all really enjoyable, and so far I have a great time in Joshua Tree. And there is so much climbing to be had here as well. We have spent 2 entire days climbing and we have not had to walk further than 4 minutes from our campsite. I could definitely spend a lot of time here. Unfortunately, we plan on leaving on Wednesday morning for San Diego to visit Austin's Aunt and Uncle, and to go to the beach and hopefully go surfing. But who knows, if the next 2 days go well we may just end up deciding to stay here and keep climbing for a couple more months. I would be perfectly okay with that scenario as long as someone is willing to fund my life for the next few months. Do I have any takers? If not, the plan is to start work back in Ashford on the 4th of May, which I am really excited about. It will be nice to start earning a paycheck again. I guess that is all for now because I need to head off to bed so I can get sleep for a long day of climbing tomorrow.

The Black Orpheus

Austin and I capped off our 2 week stay in Red Rocks with a route that I have been wanting to climb for a long time now. It is called the Black Orpheus. The route is a solid 5.10a, which is harder than anything that I have lead before. It is over 1300 feet long so needless to say, it was a major undertaking. I was a little worried about time because it is a really long approach hike, and an even longer walk off, so I made Austin get up early so we could get a head start on the day. I do not think he was excited to wake up at 5:45, but I thought it was a good idea since neither of us have ever climbed something that hard and long. But the day went off without a hitch. We sent the entire route and made it back to the car in 10.5 hours which is really fast! The climbing was unbelievable, definitely a great way to end our Red Rocks stay. I also had the luck of leading the 5.10a pitch, and I really enjoyed it. When we got to the top both of us were excited, but we both knew that we need to keep on upping the ante.

Now, we are showered up and ready to head for Joshua Tree. I am sad to be leaving Red Rocks, but also really excited to head to a new place. Joshua Tree has such a rich climbing history, and many world class climbers call it their home. I also hear the climbing there is steep and hard, so it should be a good place to grind my teeth on some harder routes.

I am still working on publishing all my pictures from the trip so they can be viewed as a slideshow, so keep on looking for those in the near future.

Last night I dropped off Lauren at the airport, and today Ryan and Courtney headed back to their home in Wichita. We had a great visit, and I think everyone really enjoyed their vacation in Vegas. We did some great climbing, had some fun on the strip, and soaked up some rays. It was Ryan and Lauren's first time climbing and they did great, and I think they might both be hooked. By the end of the trip, Courtney was itching for some harder climbing and was ready to get after it for sure. We stepped up the climbing everyday and finished the trip with a great 530 ft., 4 pitch route that we all enjoyed. Austin and I got some good practice guiding, and I think our visitors enjoyed it all, except for the small amount of short roping that we made them endure. But it was great practice, especially since we are both planning on taking the Rock Instructor Course with the AMGA this fall. But right now, we are both ready to get back to some personal climbing. We have our eyes on a couple of routes that we want to grind our teeth on. Austin and I can tell we are getting stronger and are ready for some harder, more challenging routes. It is really exciting to see our progress and to feel like we are accomplishing what we set out to do on our trip.

The weather has been gorgeous, but it is getting hotter and hotter. Today topped out at 96 degrees, and to a couple of mountain bums used to the cold and snow, that is really hot! But I do think that with some time I could really get used to weather like this. The next couple of days will be in the mid 90's and then it should cool off again to around 85. We are planning on staying in Vegas until Friday, then heading out to Joshua Tree, California. We would like to climb for a week or so there, then head up the coast back to the Washington area. The plan is to go surfing while in Cali, which should be fun since I have never been. Then spend some time on the beach working on our tans before we put on the puffy coat and pants for the Rainier season.

Bad Weather

I did not realize that the desert could actually have bad weather. Probably because I have been so fortunate whenever I have been in Red Rocks. But the last 2 days here have brought on some pretty severe weather. Yesterday the wind speeds topped out at about 50 mph, which was enough to blow down Austin's tent, and send quite a few other items flying around the camping area. The wind made it quite hard to sleep so I spent most of the night staring up at the ceiling of the tent. This morning I woke up to a completely strange sight in the desert, it was snowing. For a second, I actually thought that I was dreaming, then I stuck my hand out the tent and I realized that I was not dreaming and it actually was snowing. It was quite a cold and windy day, so Austin and I decided to just go sport climbing. The climbing went quite well, except for the ground fall that I took while leading an easy 5.9. But that kind of thing happens when you climb enough, and I am none the worse for wear, so it all worked out okay.

Lauren comes in to visit tomorrow, and Ryan and CJ the next day. They are all staying for the weekend and I am really excited to have them out to visit. It is kind of strange to have friends and family come to visit while I am on vacation, but I guess that is the way it goes when you are traveling all the time. I think they are all really excited, and the weather looks to be improving so I hope they have a great time.

Denali Seminar '09

Wow, that is about all I can say about this 6 day trip on Mount Rainier. We could not get into the park the first day beause the rode was closed; we snuck in with a private park escort the second day and that was great because it would have certainly been a bummer to do 6 days of teaching in Ashford. Then we camped for 4 days about 30 minutes outside of the parking lot at Paradise. Everyone would have loved to get higher up on the mountain but the weather just did not allow that. The wind speeds at Camp Muir on day peaked peaked at about 140 mph, crazy! In total it snowed about 6 feet on us while we were up there, and the wind never stopped for more than 10 minutes.

The clients all seemed to have a good time however. It was a Denali training seminar and 2 clients will be going to Denali in June, so they really appreciated all the training that we were able to accomplish. All in all, it was a really great

trip, and I would have to say that Rainier in the winter is one of the most amazing places I have ever been.

Red Rocks #1

Austin and I arrived in Red Rocks at 4 am on the morning of April 9th. We drove to the campsite completely exhausted only to find that all of the campsites were full. We really had no idea what to do, and the climbing area did not open until 6 am, so we decided to head back into town and take a nap inside the Tahoe in the parking lot of the nearest grocery store. We managed to get a couple hours of sleep in, fairly uncomfortable sleep by the way, and then headed out to the climbing area for our first climb of the trip. We had decided to start on a mellow route that we could finish quickly since we were both really tired. The route was fun, however, it took much longer than we expected because we were stuck behind a few other parties who were all going pretty slowly. I guess that is what we get for climbing an easy and popular route. We followed that up with a climb of Frogland the next day. Frogland is a 5.8, 760 ft. climb that was really enjoyable. Austin and I have been switching leads on all the climbs; I have been leading the first half and Austin the second.

Last night it rained so today we have been forced into taking a mandatory rest day. The rock here is sandstone, and when it rains the rock becomes brittle and breaks easily which is why you have to wait about 24 hours before you can climb again after it rains. So we are taking full advantage of our rest day. We headed into town, and I was able to take my first shower in 5 days, and it was great! Right now we are at the The Coffee Bean sipping on a latte and using their free wireless internet. Well, I guess it is not totally free since we have to pay for coffee, but I love coffee so it works out wonderfully.

Red Rocks Here I Come!

Today I leave for Las Vegas with my best friend Austin Shannon. We will be driving for about 18 hours which is by far the worst part of the trip. I went to Las Vegas last October for a month of climbing in Red Rocks, and I have been dying to go back ever since. The rock there is world class, and is my new favorite spot to rock climb. The Red Rocks National Conservation Area is about 15 minutes outside of downtown Las Vegas. I am not a huge fan of the Vegas scene, but it is nice to have a big city close by. The grocery store is only a 5 minute drive, and the local recreation center has cheap showers, so everything is easily accessible. I also enjoy the cheap buffets and the occasional night of gambling on the strip. We will be driving for 2 days, and probably arrive in Vegas on the 9th. Then its nonstop climbing for a month! I will try to post pictures when I get into town.