Train Train Train
Welcome! and thank you
for joining me on this incredible adventure! Only through your
support, will I make it to the Top of Mt Rainier!
First things first ... why the climb and why become a sponsor?
Well, that could be an easy answer, or it could be a lengthy story.
But, for now, let's go with a rather succinct response.
This is a challenge ... and it is human nature to want to succeed.
So, in this case, I am serving as YOUR representative in the Climb
for Clean Air! I'm providing the TIME, ENERGY and STAMINA to make it
to the summit of Mt Rainier and as my sponsors YOU make it possible!
Together, we will raise $4,000 or better yet, $14,000 for the
American Lung Association of Washington!
Yes ... I would LOVE to be the top fund raiser for this hike! How
about you?!!! With your help, and
corporate sponsorship,
anything is possible ...
PLEASE ... get involved! Do it NOW! :-)
Ps... we need
hiking gear. Help create a pool of gear that can be
used by future climbers!
Organized Training Hikes
err ... now it's Climbs!!
The ALAW wants every
climber to make it to the summit. So, they bring in the pros to help
us train. On our training hikes, we learn about gear requirements,
what we will need for food and WATER and ... about our fellow
climbers. We are building more than strength and stamina, we are
building friendships and a camaraderie that will enable us to help
each other make it to the top!
Hikes and Climbs
Thanks to out INCREDIBLE Trainers, led by Mark Anderson, there were
several official training hikes and climbs to get us in shape to
reach the summit! I hope you enjoy my stories ...
Rattle Snake Ledge
Little Si
Tiger Mountain 3
Mt Si
Panorama Point
Pebble Creek in the Sunshine
Pebble Creek in a Blizzard
Climb School with Lou Whittaker
Camp Muir
July 8 --9 Summit Ascent!
Rattle Snake Ledge
My
first training hike was to Rattle Snake Ledge. The cool drizzle may
have discouraged a few, but this was an excellent introduction in
hiking.
Since it was such a short hike, I figured I'd up the pack weight ... heck,
15 pounds seemed pretty darn light since the goal is to build up to
carrying a 45 pound pack. (errrr ... the photos may give a hint that
I'll be toting a significant percentage of my body weight!!!)
WHEEE !!! This was a blast! I did it and even jogged
(with my full pack) to the truck afterwards!
Little
Si Oh My!
A perfect day for a hike! Again, I figured I would do a little
extra and started with 30 pounds instead of 20. Lots and lots of
water!
On the way up, we were lured by a rock slide. So, we promised to
climb the boulders on the way out. The weather was perfect for
tee-shirts and shorts, and there was even a cool breeze to refresh
us at the top.
And the view ... It is spectacular to look out over the valley ...
and across to the distant ranges. And, during the lunch break, there
was a bonus of scrambling up and down the rocks. Ok, I'll admit that
there were walking paths around the rocks, but it is so much more
fun to scoot straight up!!
And
on the way out, as promised, we took the time to climb the rock slide. I would
have made it to the top of that too, but ... well ... hollers from
the bottom kept saying "That's far enough!!!" "Don't climb any
higher!" Heck,
After two short (that
is a relative term) hikes, I realized how easy it would be to become
"hooked" on hiking. There is an amazing sense of accomplishment when
returning from a hike carrying a 30 pound pack!
WOW ... that was ME! I did it and I feel great!!!
(top)
Tiger Moutain, Trail 3
Another
great day for a training hike. Nearly 50 of us moved up the trail.
Mark set an impressive pace on the way up. But, some of us still
managed to visit the entire way. Hey, we need to build our lung
capacity. Right!?!! Ok ok ... yes, I'm having a bit of fun
with this.
Many thanks to Tini for loaning me a larger pack. I manage to
fill it ... both volume and weight. There's a debate on whether I
carried 36 or 38 pounds, but heck, it was only a "20 pound" hike.
So, either way, it was a lot! Ya gotta love it, I even had a soft
sided cooler with ice. I figured I might as well get some benefit
from all that extra weight.
You'll notice that I'm squinting. Oh yes, I had sunglasses,
but not in the pictures! It was so bright, that it was tough to
focus the camera. Check this out though ... Can you see Mt. Rainier
in the background?
Less than 3 hours round trip. Plenty of time to tackle more. WOW ...
This is SOOOOOO exciting. Our training hikes provide opportunities
to meet wonderful people, enjoy awesome views AND get into shape.
I can hardly believe that I still had the energy to mow the lawn and
do other yard work. (top)
Mount Si!
That the tall ridge beyond North
Bend! WOW! This was another great hike. And, although I didn't
climb the
haystack,
I did scramble up the rocks where we rested for lunch.
We couldn't have asked for a better day ... sunshine, yet cool
enough to climb at a very good pace without killing ourselves.
If you really squint ... or maybe you need to (re) enlarge the photo
on the right back up ... you can see Mt. Rainier in the background
... What an inspiration ... I can only imagine what it is going to
be like to be ON TOP of Mt. Rainier.
On May 2nd, we're going to take a comfortable walk (aka 2 hour hike)
at Rainier. Because on May 9th, there is an official training hike
to Pebble Creek. And, we'll not only need to be there before 9
AM, but we'll need all our snow gear!!! HELP!! We are still
hoping to borrow gear! If you or someone you know might loan
or donate gear, PLEASE let me know right away!!
It may be breathtaking at the top, but there are always great people
and i
nteresting
sites along the way --- both up and down. It was a blast to take a
short break and visit with Steve. And, then ... we ran into this ...
hmmm ... I think this guy is taking the Lord of the Rings a bit too
seriously!
Anyway, I have have a great time on the hikes. This
time, I carried a FORTY POUND PACK! Yikes! Happily, a good
deal of that was delicious Great Harvest Bread which was shared with
all the climbers at the top! THANK YOU Great Harvest!
(top)
Above Panorama Point!!! 7000 feet! Wanting to get some
exposure to higher altitudes and to see what it is like to climb on
snow, we headed to Paradise on May 2nd. (doesn't that should
like a great destination -- Paradise!!) As we were getting
arriving at the parking lot, a couple of other ALAW climbers were
just leaving. I guess that indicates that we got a very late start.
Err.. headed up the slope at 3:30. We decided to only go up a couple
of hills, check out the views and come back down. But ... we just
kept walking.
After getting accustomed to walking in snow, it didn't seem hard
going at all. At our second photo break, a returning climber said
that Panorama Point was just around the corner. Well, we were
committed then!! Oh man ... we rounded the corner and it
looked like a chair line run in front of us!
The going was much slower, kick in a toe, take a step, kick in a
toe, take a step. About 2/3's up, we moved over to walk up the
glissade. That was a little easier, but the plateau still seemed a
ways off. WOW!! Talk about breeze. Yes, the winds are stronger
near the top! As soon as we reached the little plateau,
we
realized that the point was yet another level higher. YIKES. The
snow tested our reserves by letting our feet fall through. But, we
plugged away and WOW!!! it was definitely worth it!!! That is the
summit in the photo behind me! Of course, that is a two day not a 2
hour climb. SOOOO AMAZING!
Being a novice, I didn't even know what glissading was. But it is a
BLAST!!!! As a cautious person, I kept testing my ability to stop
... I felt like an ungainly gosling -- arms flailing and body
swaying. Of course, the pack did it's best to keep me off balance by
exaggerating every weight shift. I laughed so hard I nearly
fell down. Heck, the snow was soft, so that was OK too.
Wow, the trip out was a breeze. We took a photo break to capture
where we had been .... See the rocks on th
e
center peak ... well, we just came down from there!
I am SOOOOOO ready for next weekend and the official climb to Pebble
Creek! Bring it on!!!
By the way, I am delighted to report that despite all that stair
stepping, there wasn't a sore or over tired muscle on my body!
WHEEEE The summit is calling and I'll be there!
(top)
Pebble Creek, May 9th!
Over 40 climbers participated in
our first official training climb. What a great group. It was
snowing in the parking lot, so a lot of folks dressed for mildly
inclement weather. And, about 10 minutes out, we took a break to
start stripping off clothes (heh, thought that would get your
attention.) Before we headed up the chute to Panorama Point, there a
lot more was peeled off ... down to tank tops for those who would
brave the rays.
The
break included a short lesson in climbing, breathing and resting.
Then, we stair stepped up to Panorama Point. ahhhh I'm practicing
the rest lesson <g> sit on your back and stay dry... You can see why
we need to drink lots of water ... It is easy to get toasty carry a
34 pound pack (to say nothing of the heavier plastic boots) and
climb stairs. --Note, we didn't go up the to vantage point that we
enjoyed the previous weekend.
It only took 40
minutes to get from Panorama Point to our
destination and lunch break above Pebble Creek. Glorious on a great
day. It is amazing to be so warm standing in the snow, but without a
wind, this was glorious. Can you believe it ... we are THIS close to
Mt Rainier.
For lunch, we shared more delicious Great Harvest Bread! See there
is a method to my process ... by carrying in bread for the group, my
pack is guaranteed to be lighter heading down the mountain.
We're ready to head
down the mountain. It is amazing how a short break, food and
water
and revitalize a person. Just before heading out, we received a
quick lesson in walking down the slopes. No glissading this trip :-{
Instead, we all supposed to maintain a semblance of control and
balance ... keep the sliding to a minimum. Ok, I still had fun
because some steps were prettttttty long and my pack was still about
24 pounds, so that helped with the downward momentum. The trek out
took less than an hour. The only break was to regroup at the bottom
of Panorama Point.
WOW!! This is great! Can you believe that a novice hiker
is already carrying a 34 pound pack up Panorama Point! WHEE,
soon it will be climb school and Camp Muir.
Leaving Rainier, we stopped at Alexander's Cafe for an
indredible meal. The presentation really deserved to be pictured
here!!! And, the story is that no one should miss their
blackberry pie. I hope that you will all stop into Alexander's and
say hi to Melinda. She is amazing AND, she's climbed mountains all
over the world! If you are looking for a place to stay on the
mountain, this is IT! hospitality, hot tub, history (built in
1912) and mmmmmmmm incredible food.
WAAAAHHHOOOOOO!! (top)
Testing our Constitution... Pebble Creek, May 22
It was snowing on the way and didn't let up all day. This
presented a new dilemma about the right gear. And, it was also a bit
exciting, because it felt like a little test to see if we were
really going to make it. Well, that little test kept gaining
strength. The higher we went, the stronger the winds and the heavier
the snow. Every break, our guides asked if we wanted to call it a
day and head back. The resounding reply was
"We're with the American Lung Association, and we're climbing for
clean air!!!"
Onward and
upward. Literally -- the upwards part that is!! There were a
couple of places that the steps in the snow bank were as steep as a
ladder. Try that with a 35# pack, wind, cold and snow that felt like
needles on your face! Ok, I like a challenge ... but sometimes But,
we made it to Pebble Creek. After a very short break -- just
long enough to TOTALLY FREEZE my fingers!!! we headed back.
There was only one break on the trip out. And that was only because
a rope team crossed our path and split up o
ur
group. So, we had to wait until the rest could catch up again. BRRR!!
Anyway, we still managed to bust out of there in record time ... 35
minutes!! WAHHOOOOO What a BLAST! We
hit the parking lot and KNEW that we have what it takes!!
As you can see, there was 4 - 5 inches of new snow protecting our
cars! WHAT A BLAST!! AWESOME!!! (top)
Climb School with Lou
Whittaker!
Ice axe arrest, no glissading, walk slow, rest step, pressure
breath. WHAT is all that stuff??
As
you might imagine (and since it is my story) socializing provided
many of the highlights for the day! Lou is an amazing man, fun, fit
and 80+!! What an attitude! He nearly swept me off my feet <g> ---
Too bad we didn't capture that on video! And we all love Joe with
his purple boots! Actually, all the RMI guides are terrific. We will
be in great hands as we head to the summit.
Climbing with a rope is a new experience. I don't think t
hat
I've ever walked that slow!!! On top of everything else that I have
to do for training, now I am supposed to learn to SLOW DOWN??
YIKES!!
24 showed up and 24 passed climb school. Another inclement day on
the mountain. This time, we were low enough that we were RAINED ON
all day!! Three pair of gloves were soaked. I with gortex
mitts, the liners were soaked from the combination of rain and
taking them on and off.
Ok
... enough is enough! Where are the clothing sponsors???
I think I need to go shopping for some cool climbing clothes.
Actually, Chrysty should be the official model for our group!
(top)
On The SUMMIT!!
8:30 AM July 9th!!!
WHAAAAHHHOOOOO!!!
I made the Summit!!!
What an incredible climb!!
I'm posting pictures now with a little story. Please check back in
a couple weeks for more stories and photos!!!
Let's have dessert first, cause who knows what the future will bring
... Meaning, we'll start with the summit shots and add a few from
the descent!
It was soooo glorious on the summit. After bucking 25+ mph
headwinds, we crested the crater at about 8:30 AM! It was so flippin
cold that we wore our down parkas from for the last hour and a half
climbing! The wind was strong enough to knock me
backwards.
WAAAHHHHOOOO!!! Inside the crater!! What a monumental
accomplishment. Not enough time to cross and sign the book and too
windy for us to wait for all the groups to get together for a photo.
So ... after a half hour to eat and rest, we took some photos and
put our gear on to head back down!
It was a pleasure to
have Jessica on my rope team! What a delight! As you can see, we are
still bundled up and I'm even wearing Marmot Mitts over two layers
of glove liners! YIKES! BRRRR and every thing else.
Not that you can
recognize anyone ... But this is our first rest
break
on the descent. We're above the Disappointment Cleaver and about to
tackle the rocks! This is a critical rest stop because the rocks are
treacherous on the way up and even worse on the way down! Plus, we
are all dealing with justifiable fatigue!
Anyway, from the left you see Jessica, Bill, Teresa and our leader,
Kevin! WAAAHHHHOOOOO!!! one rope of the FnA team!!!
It's almost noon and
we've been up about twelve hours! So, yes, I'm looking a bit tired,
but still exhilerated to be above the clouds. As you see, I'm on par
with the peak of Tahoma!! Knock em Dead!!!
ahhhh ... there
was a relatively safe area, so Kevin let us pause long enough to get
a breath and snap a few photos. We had to skirt this Crevasse. This
photo does not do it justice. At the left end, the jutting of snow
resembled an eagle head ... the black line for the beak and the
round circle seemed to be positioned for the eye. I took a few
other photos of ice fields, snow and rock structures. But, looking
at them, welll ... they certainly aren't as spectacular as being
there!
The WIND!!! Did I tell you about the wind! Well, the
temperature was dropping and the wind was picking up. DANG! We'd
been enjoying shirt sleeves, but crossing the rock and ridges was
enough to chill us to the bone! Jessica and I were freezing!
Anyway, we all made it safely back to Camp Muir. Then, we
scurried to drink, eat, JOYOUSLY CELEBRATE and get all our gear into
our packs! Then, about 2 PM it was our group's turn to head back to
Paradise. That brought a new challenge! Not only MORE down hill ...
my knees were getting sensitive :-{ ... but it was socked in!
Many of us added a layer of wind pants and jackets. As we descended,
it got thicker and thicker, to the point that we couldn't even see
the silhouette of someone thirty feet away! SCARY!!
There is no trail on the snowfield, so we had to keep the group
together! Nine climber and three guides. The lead stopped every five
or ten minutes to let everyone catch up ... almost the story of the
tortoise and hare except this wasn't a race.
The last two miles were torturous for a few of us. We were on rock,
gravel and then pavement and my knees were letting me know that they
were not liking the shock. To minimize the impact, I side stepped
down to my left foot on all the stairs and even down the steeper
paved areas.
It was a relief to finally reach the parking lot, shed the pack and
boots and rush to the lodge. Fourteen hours and I'm finally getting
to put on regular shoes. I CAN MOVE AGAIN!!! Yikes, two
flights DOWN to the room and shower! What kind of justice is that!
A quick shower and I'm still late for the dinner. But, it was worth
cleaning up for!! Heck, by the time I finished dinner, I was
ready to dance!!! LETS GO!!!
WHAAAHHHOOOO Thirteen of twentyfive made it to the
summit! I will add photos of the certificates and climbers
soon. We are sharing photos :-) TEAM SPIRIT!!
Moving Back In Time
...
Wednesday was a beautiful day for our trip from Paradise to Camp
Muir. Our last break was on the snowfields below Camp Muir.
(top)
Please check back soon ...
And, I'd love to hear your comments about this site.
Thank you for supporting this monumental endeavor and the ALAW!
The Next Step Is Up to You
Whatever your
motivation for sponsoring this climb,
it is the right reason for
YOU!
Thank to everyone's support and encouragement
I was on the summit of Mt Rainier on July 9, 2004!!
It is a monumental, once in a lifetime event that I will celebrate
for the rest of my life!
I am excited about going on this climb and
about making more people aware of
American Lung Association
®
and
American Lung Association®
of Washington!
" - Teresa Hennig
