I'm new to the site and sport and live in the chicago area so I don't have a chance to get into the mountains without a big time commitment. I started small by hiking a remote forest preserve called big rock which is 15 minutes from my house and I've done triathlons and been active my whole life. I'm almost 29 years old as well.
Last year I led my friends on a 5 day 43 mile hiking trip at isle royale national park. In 2010 I also took my fiance to yellowstone in hopes to climb mount sheridan on a three day backcounty trip but backed out because she wasn't ready for climbing.
For the past year I've been doing my normal workouts and hiking on the weekends and have worked up to a 70 lb pack while pulling a 60 lb sled. My goal is to get up to a 100 lb pulk with my 70lb pack on to prep for rainier and someday denali. Here is a vid of my hill I have. Its 80 feet tall and we do hill repeats after a 4.44 mile flat approach to it. Here is a video of us doing the hill. Not Cell compatible cuz I'm not a plus member of vimeo yet.
[vimeo]<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/18350103" width="400" height="300" frameborder="0"></iframe><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/18350103">Kris and Jim Climbing Mount Big Rock in our training December 23rd, 2010</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user5538932">Kris Kline</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p> [/vimeo]
If that embedded video doesn't work here is the direct link:
This coming july I am again leading my friends on a trip. We are going to do mount elbert and massive on a 4 day hike. I figure none of us have ever climbed at elevation so giving two days for each mountain is the smart way to go. After this trip im going to continue to train and plan on going with REI in June of 2012 to summit Shasta under their expedition teams guidance. After Shasta in maybe August of 2012 I plan on taking a week long mountaineering training trip with one of the guide services by mount hood and rainier to get skills with the intention of climbing rainier in early summer climbing season of 2013. I'd then like to do A Rainier climb in 2013 and then try for Denali in 2014 after possibly another refresher weeklong course in Mountaineering training to keep the much needed skills.
I know there are many people on this site that have a ton of experience, and I'd like to learn from you all.
My first question is what do you all think of my goals in terms of building up to the more difficult mountains? Am I taking a path that is too easy, or am I right on?
My second question is centered around the skills based part of Mountaineering. Since I live in IL (boooooo) I don't have anywhere I can go to (thus far that I have found) that I could even use Crampons and/or practice self arrests with my ice axe. Our snow is lame because it doesn't get deep enough even to need snowshoes. Do you think that only being on crampons maybe once or twice a year when I'm out west is enough, or am I going to forget the technique's, or is is like riding a bike and once you know it you know it and then you pick it right back up when you do it again. What I don't want to do is get in over my head and kill myself because I'm ignorant of the skills needed.
I'll be sending out a separate thread too centered around gear. I've been accumulating gear and I have a good job so I have the $ to spend on good gear, but until you get into the thick of things $ can't make skill and experience appear in the blink of an eye. I just want to ask a few questions to make sure I buy the correct gear.
Also side question. Can't find on the site. How do I get embedded vimeo to work in the forum thread? I clicked on the vimeo button here on the thread and also used the embedded code that vimeo gave me from my account.