BEST 3 DAYS IVE HAD IN QUITE SOME TIME...

BEST 3 DAYS IVE HAD IN QUITE SOME TIME...

Page Type Page Type: Trip Report
Location Lat/Lon: 46.85280°N / 121.759°W
Date Date Climbed/Hiked: Jun 20, 2002
SUMMITTED BY 3 MEMBER CLIMBING PARTY, JOHN FORTIER, QUINCY,WASHINGTON RICK HEATH, PUYALLUP,WASHINGTON ALAN SHULTZ , WENATCHEE,WASHINGTON JOHN AND RICK LEFT PARADISE FOR CAMP MUIR THURSDAY MORNING, I LEFT WENATCHEE AT ABOUT 4:OOPM THAT SAME AFTERNOON AFTER WORK. I ARRIVED AT PARADISE MYSELF AT ABOUT 7:30PM AND CLIMBED TO MEET THEM AT MUIR EARLY IN THE MORNING HOURS. WE AWOKE TO BRIGHT BLUE SKIES AND LIGHT WINDS ON FRIDAY MORNING, AFTER TAKING IN THE MORNING VIEWS OF THE MOUNTAINOUS SURROUNDINGS WE DECIDED TO PACK UP AND CONTINUE ON TO INGRAHAM FLATS FOR A HOPEFULLY BETTER ADVANTAGE AT OUR SUMMIT ATTEMPT LATER THAT NIGHT. DURING THE BRIEF CLIMB TO THE FLATS WE MET UP WITH 3 NPS RANGERS WHO CAREFULLY SCRUTINIZED OUR TECHNIQUE AND GEAR,AFTER ENLIGHTENING US WE WERE ON OUR WAY TO THE FLATS. THERE IS A SPECTACULAR ICE FALL JUST BELOW THE FLATS. MOSTLY SNOW ON THE ROUTE WITH THE USUAL ROCK SCRAMBLE THROUGH CATHEDRAL GAP, WE MELTED SNOW FOR H2O, OR RATHER JOHN AND RICK DID, THEY WERE QUITE GRACIOUS IN REALIZING MY LACK OF SLEEP AND LET ME TURN IN EARLY. WE AWOKE BETWEEN 11:30 PM AND 12:00 AM AND GEARED UP FOR OUR ASCENT. CONDITIONS WERE PERFECT, CLEAR MOONLIT SKIES AND A VERY MILD WIND. WE CLIMBED EFFORTLESSLY TO THE CLEAVER AND WERE SLOWED BY THE BOTTLENECK THERE. THERE WERE NO REAL HAZARDS OTHER THAN THE USUAL EXPOSURE TO FALLING ALONG THE BOTTOM EDGE OF THE CLEAVER WHERE THE GUIDE SERVICE HAD FIXED ROPES, MOST PARTIES RATHER THAN CLIP IN JUST HAND HELD THE PRO FOR A QUICKER CLIMB TO FREE UP THE BOTTLE NECK, IT DID HOWEVER GET QUITE CHILLY DUE TO LACK OF MOVEMENT AT TIMES. THE SUNRISE WAS ABSOLUTELY SPECTACULAR AS MANY OF YOU KNOW ON CLEAR DAYS. WE GAINED THE FINAL SUMMIT RIDGE AT AROUND 7:00 AM AND AT THE ACTUAL SUMMIT RIGHT AT 7:30 AM, WE WERE ALL VERY HAPPY, NONE MORE SO THAN RICK WHO FINALLY FULFILLED A 10 YEAR DREAM AND AMBITION TO SUMMIT RAINER, MADE EVEN MORE SATISFYING BY 3 PREVIOUSLY FAILED ATTEMPTS DUE TO WEATHER, WE CROSSED THE CRATER TO COLUMBIA CREST FOR OUR SUMMIT PHOTOS AND TO SIGN THE MAZAMAS SUMMIT REGISTER, WHRE MY LIFELONG CLOSEST FRIEND JOHN FORTIER DEDICATED HIS CLIMB TO HIS DAD,LEE FORTIER WHO RECENTLY PASSED. I HAVE TO ADMIT, THIS WAS ONE OF THE MOST TOUCHING MOMENTS I HAVE HAD IN SOME TIME WATCHING HIM WRITE THAT TO HIS DAD( FORGIVE ME JOHN IF I HAVE DONE WRONG IN POSTING THIS HERE) GOD BLESS YOU ALL. WE CROSSED BACK ACROSS THE CRATER AND HEADED DOWN. WE HAD NOT TAKEN 20 STEPS OFF THE SUMMIT WHEN A CLOUD CAP STARTED TO FORM AROUND AND ABOVE US, HOWEVER WE DESCENDED RIGHT THROUGH IT IN BRILLIANT SUNSHINE ALL THE WAY DOWN. THIS WAS A CLIMB THAT YOU COULD AMOST CALL "TO PERFECT TO BE TRUE,...ALMOST SPIRITUAL" JOHN, THANKS FOR ALWAYS BEING THERE, YOUR FRIEND..AL

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