Fuhrer Thumb Ski, The Rainier. June 26, 2010.
Posted: Mon Jun 28, 2010 5:35 am
Hannah, Reed, and I drove to Rainier Friday night. We suited up in a foggy half moonlight in the Paradise parking lot, and were skinning up the low slopes of the mighty Mt. Rainier before midnight. As we climbed the fog thinned, and the glowing hulk of the mountain shone through the mist. A few hundred more feet, and we were clear of the fog, standing in the light of the full moon. How surreal! Each step from here to the summit would take us higher above this sea of clouds.
We hiked through the night, occasionally noting headlamps shining from a faraway camp or climber's head. Its nice to know others were around to share a really magical night. A few hours more, and the partial lunar eclipse had started, and entertained us on our voyage upwards.
The sun rose as we climbed up the huge couloir of the Fuhrer Thumb. Finally above the couloir, we reached a reasonable spot to rest, eat and melt water at around 11,000'. Reed fell asleep, and Amar and Dave Pine Gar arrived having just climbed the adjacent Fuhrer Finger from their high camp. An unintended but unsurprising meeting. "Whose alpine trekker's are those?" Asked Amar. Hannah and I pointed at Reed. "No wonder he's unconscious." Indeed.
We headed higher eventually, with Reed bonking at around 13k'. Hannah, Dave and Amar continued to the summit. I dropped in with Reed and we skied awesome snow all the way down to the flats of the Nisqually, some 8,000' below. A nap in the sun, and we awoke to watch our three friends enjoy their descent off the summit.
Then we went to Spanaway and had Blizzards.
We hiked through the night, occasionally noting headlamps shining from a faraway camp or climber's head. Its nice to know others were around to share a really magical night. A few hours more, and the partial lunar eclipse had started, and entertained us on our voyage upwards.
The sun rose as we climbed up the huge couloir of the Fuhrer Thumb. Finally above the couloir, we reached a reasonable spot to rest, eat and melt water at around 11,000'. Reed fell asleep, and Amar and Dave Pine Gar arrived having just climbed the adjacent Fuhrer Finger from their high camp. An unintended but unsurprising meeting. "Whose alpine trekker's are those?" Asked Amar. Hannah and I pointed at Reed. "No wonder he's unconscious." Indeed.
We headed higher eventually, with Reed bonking at around 13k'. Hannah, Dave and Amar continued to the summit. I dropped in with Reed and we skied awesome snow all the way down to the flats of the Nisqually, some 8,000' below. A nap in the sun, and we awoke to watch our three friends enjoy their descent off the summit.
Then we went to Spanaway and had Blizzards.