Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Any members ever climbed Mt.Shasta, Hood or Rainier ?

If you've never done any climbing on glaciated mountains don't just start off without learning how to stay safe among the crevasses. Learn self-arrest and rope team techniques and climb with someone who is experienced. Or, even better, sign up for a climb with the Mt. Rainier guide service. They'll give you some training on the first day, then you climb up to Camp Muir at about 10,000 feet, then get up at 3 AM and begin the summit climb the next morning. Back down to the car at Paradise by afternoon. And get in shape first. Serious climbing at high altitude, with a fairly light pack. Think climbing an endless staircase, step after slippery step, for many hours with no flat areas. Up and up. If under 40 and in shape it's no problem if you've been running a lot or climbing a lot of hills. If older, get a heart checkup and get real. And learn to take it slow, step then take a breath, then another step and another breath, then another and another. If you try to go too fast you'll run out of air and cramp up real fast. The secret is to keep it slow and steady, for hour after hour. But if you make it you'll have a memory for a lifetime. And a sense of having done something special. So go for it but do start getting in shape right away.

I like to climb. Going up those 14er's in Colorado is just about my most favorite thing to do. I'm in my 50's now...and slow and steady is the way to get up em'. I like to spend a fair amount of time on the summit if the weather permits...I like to just breathe it in and soak it up...and let it marinate in my lungs and bathe my grey matter.

[quote=bloodworks The shelter at Camp Muir is the nastiest place imaginable and I never could convince myself to sleep in it [/quote]

Agreed. When I did the 5 day class we had a guest instructor who was a Sherpa, born at 14,000 feet, who had summited Everest. He slept out in the rocks, in a sleeping bag that was probably intended for the kids to camp out in the back yard. We were all bundled up in the nasty shelter and it was mid-summer and really good weather. So you could sleep outside if the weather isn't too bad. But the sand and pumice is constantly blowing so I'd opt for a bivy sac and a good foam pad under the bag.
I understated the physical requirements for these climbs, also the risk. Like somebody said, people die on these mountains every year. Some from falls, some from avalanches of ice in the icefalls, some from weather or exposure/hypothermia or high-altitude cerebral or pulmonary edema. And you do need to be in shape. This is way tougher than a sheep hunt guys. If you're backpacking in the high mountains every summer, and if you're the guy with the heaviest pack who always makes it up to the lake before everybody else, and if you feel great after that 7 mile uphill pack, and if you still want to climb up on the ridge to glass for goats or whatever, then you're probably good for the mountain climbing. Or if you run marathons. But if you don't do that, you'd better run a lot and get on the elliptical and the stair climber at the gym and try to hike plenty of hills with a pack. And if older than 35 or 40 do go get a cardiac checkup.

lol. Body blow! I'm starting to think Maser never left. Hmmmm...

bump

The biggest mountains I ever climbed was Stella McCluskey's rack about 30 years ago. Man, that girl defied gravity.

maserbator posted a couple of days ago on one of the troll threads.

Stella is my mommy. I am 31 YO.

Daddy? Is that you?

I did Hood 2009. I spent the bucks and time to fly over. My BIL and I were going up with a guide. We spent one day doing safety training like how to walk right, the ax, ropes, checking snow, et cetera. We were supposed to go up the next day, but they wouldn't let any climbers go because of the weather and bad snow.

I went back a few weeks later (this was all in March IIRC). We left the lodge at midnight in a snow cat thing and it dropped several climbers at about 8K feet. Since the summit is only 11 something K, we were on top before sunrise and back down for breakfast.

I know a lot depends on the weather and snow, but my impression is that it wasn't too strenuous at all. Since I was 37 at the time, and I live at 5K, I'm sure that made it a little easier for me. I like to hike anyway, and for two months before the trip I'd start my weekday mornings going up and down stairs with 55 pounds on my back for an hour. When we did the climb, I think we only needed to stop once for a two minute breather. Also, I had a very light pack. Lots of my hunting days are far tougher!

I did have problems with my rental boots really hurting my feet. I have my own good, stiff leather boots that I really should have worn, but I thought I'd play it safe and take up plastics. If plastics fit you, great, if not, ouch. Also, my Kahtoola (that are great for hunting in) crampons lack front points and were inadequate so I needed to rent some of theirs.

If you don't know what you are doing, hire the guide. IIRC it was $450, they give you that training day where you'll learn a lot, and they really help everything go smoothly.

I had a blast and made some great memories. Watching the sunrise from the summit was beautiful.

i've been up shasta a few times. Last time we snowboarded down avalanche gulch.


ML

Although I have never tried climbing I see Mt. Rainier whenever the sky is clear. By chance this article was in our local paper recently. Read it here

Hood from a marina on the Columbia



From the Hood River valley

Mt Adams from across the gorge.

And they didn't ban Climbing Mt Hood because of those deaths on Mt Hood either!

Wife & I did that!!! The Motel 6 thing last week.....

I once ate at Black Bear Diner at the foot of Mt Shasta...

well if lee24 was still around..... probly tell us he did all three the same day!

We used to do St. Helens on Saturday and Hood on Sunday. Not much to brag about but good memories. (And no sno-cats, hiked every foot.)

Friend and I took a Helo to Rainier this past fall...

I'm lazy so I flew over them instead.