Summiting K2 is widely considered the ultimate prize for elite mountaineers. For every four humans that stand on her summit, one dies during the attempt. With the exception of Annapurna, the challenges of K2 leave the other 8,000 meter peaks in the spindrift.
The route quickly grew quite steep, a series of switchbacks along the face of the mountain. When we had our first snack break, we were in snow a few inches deep. As we continued, the terrain changed to scree, making the going a bit more difficult. I ran out of water before I reached the summit, and right about as the sun rose over Mawenzi. It was a glorious moment.
Colin sprayed (climber’s term for shameless plug) about the awesomeness of the Cascades and how other mountain ranges, such as the Tetons or the High Sierras, paled in comparison.
For those already accustomed to climbing in the North Cascades, Eldorado will not disappoint. For those not yet initiated the climb is a great primer. Not only for its one-of-a-kind summit, Eldorado is a classic North Cascades climb because it throws in most of what a climber can expect of this small, close-knit but incredibly wild range of glaciated peaks.
Now onto the fun facts: there are two main climbing trail heads, Marble Mountain snowpark and Climber’s Bivouac map here. The latter cuts off a good chunk of elevation again, but requires that you wait until later in the year when it is opened (as of the writing of this article, it is not yet open for 2011). In my opinion it’s much better to climb when there is consistent snow- easier to kick steps and fun to glissade (or ski!) down.
Do you know what the record ascent time for Mailbox Peak is? Neither do I, but the other day, a couple members of the SBM[Read More…]
Hells Canyon is more than a quarter of a mile deeper than the Grand Canyon, a fact that’s surprising to many.
Lindeman Lake is one of the most beautiful lakes in the area, with water color that could easily be mistaken for that of a tropical island in the Caribbean. It takes between 30 minutes and an hour to reach Lineman Lake from the parking area.
As an avid explorer and photographer of the volcanoes of the Cascade Mountain Range, I’ve found that what really amazes me about them is how different they can be at different times of year. Especially Mount Rainier
Everyone needs a climbing partner like Owen. He’s motivated and kind, mixed with a healthy dose of cynicism and a love of irony that keeps things light no matter how bad things get.
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