Trip Report: Mt. Rainier Intermediate Mountaineering Seminar Becomes Vantage Climbing

Night climbing is fun and challenging!

They say that when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. That's what our nine climbers found out when they attempted to climb Mt. Rainier during the July 21-24 Intermediate Mountaineering Seminar. The team, ably led by Shakers Ryan and TQ and advised by Movers Pat and Ray, planned to hold a glacier school and summit the mountain's northeast flank via the Emmons Glacier and Camp Schurman, repeating the itinerary of previous years, However, the difficulties began almost immediately; the team was unable to get a permit the team was delayed a day and stayed overnight at the Tobin's in Greenwater, then was turned back by foul weather at Glacier Basin. The team made the right call; conditions on the mountain (rain, snow, poor visibility, and high winds) were so poor that the three guide services cancelled their climbs, and few if any private parties reached the summit the rest of the week. That night, the entire park lost power as a lightning storm lit up Rainier.

With the climb scrubbed, the climbers had several options. They could attempt another peak like Mt. Aix or Mt. Stuart, or go climbing at Frenchman Coulee, better known as Vantage. The team opted for the latter. Though the team had ropes, harnesses, and safety equipment, Mark was generous enough to make the 4-hour drive to drop off proper footwear. After arriving and scouting out the area, the team settled in for the night.

Over the next two days the group climbed a variety of tricky routes, mostly around the Sunshine Wall. The columnar basalt at the site proved challenging, but everyone got a chance to lead, clean, and practice their ropework. Weather was generally good, interrupted only by the occasional thunderstorm. The night of the 23rd, several of the climbers rigged routes before dark, then climbed by starlight. The next day the group got an early start, did a few more routes, and was out before noon. After a delicious pizza lunch in Ellensburg the team headed back to Seattle to debrief, clean up, and prepare for their next adventures.

- I.B.

Trip Report: Mt. Baker Beginning Mountaineering Seminar

Mt. Baker summit shot, looking east towards the sunrise.

From July 14-17, CLC held its largest mountaineering event ever. For the first time the Beginning Mountaineering Seminar, held this year at Mt. Baker, attracted a record 14 climbers. As a result, the group had to climb under two permits, travelling and camping separately. The larger team with beginning climbers was led by Shakers Daniel and Jeremy and Movers Pat and Stephanie, while the smaller, experienced team was led by Ian and Ryan.

After a day of gear checks and food buying in Seattle, the group headed north. After checking in with rangers, the teams began their ascent up the Heliotrope Ridge and reached camp by later afternoon.

The experience level of the group varied widely, with some climbers attempting their first mountain and several others freshly returned from Denali. As this was the Beginning Mountaineering Seminar, the trip featured a very strong instruction component, with veteran climbers sharing their experience and expertise. July 16 was devoted to glacier school, where the beginning teams practiced walking on a rope with crampons, crevasse rescue, and self-arrest.

Summit morning came very early the night of July 16/17. Because of unusually warm conditions (temperatures never dropped below 50° F, even at the summit) the teams got a very early alpine start, leaving camp before 11 PM. Unlike in 2013, when the group climbed in a thunderstorm, the weather was clear, affording stunning views of Puget Sound and the North Cascades. One team was turned back by illness, but 10 climbers reached the summit just after dawn. The teams reported light winds and excellent visibility.

After signing the summit register and taking pictures, the group descended, reaching camp before 11 AM. The team broke down camp quickly and headed back down the ridge to the parking lot. Everyone rendezvoused in the town of Glacier for burgers, then went their separate ways. It would be only a few short days before the Intermediate Mountaineering Seminar on Mt. Rainier.

- I.B.

Trip Report: Exit 38 Rock Climbing

Trip Report Coming Soon!

Denali: The Team Returns

Below Denali's hanging glaciers at 7,800'

On July 2, Cascade Leadership Challenge's seven Denali team members returned home to a warm welcome at Sea-Tac Airport. They had spent the previous day carbo-loading and souvenir buying in the town of Talkeetna, the jumping-off point for adventure throughout the Alaska Range.
Over 21 days, the team battled severe weather and subzero temperatures in an attempt to reach the summit of the tallest mountain in North America. Due to a sudden storm that dropped over six feet of snow in 36 hours and the resultant avalanche danger, the team was halted at 14,200', below the fixed lines and Denali's headwall. Storms and inclement conditions have resulted in a 2014 summit rate of just 37%, half the normal and the lowest ever recorded. In a dangerous year, all of the members returned safe and sound, the most important goal of any expedition.


Below Squirrel Hill, on the way to 14,200'

Although they didn't summit, the team still enjoyed an incredible experience. Between sitting out storms, witnessing avalanches, and endless slogging in whiteout conditions, the team took in moments of haunting beauty and scenes of Alaska's sheer enormity. On clear days, the views were endless- sweeping panoramas of surrounding peaks (including the fearsome 17,402' Mt. Foraker) and even the occasional glimpse into the lowlands. The team got many complements on their lawn chairs (carrying a few extra pounds beat sitting in the snow for weeks) and their custom Wapiti Wollies hats, and enjoyed gourmet vegan cuisine. The flights onto and off the glacier in vintage DeHavilland bushplanes operated by Talkeetna Air Taxi was another highlight. Some episodes, such as the single carry the first day to 7,800' with sleds in the heat or breaking trail through knee-deep snow for 8 hours to descend 1.75 miles from 14,200' to 11,200' will be remembered for other reasons.

Our summit at 14,200'

The mountain itself was populated with colorful characters, not just from the United States but also Brazil, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Poland, South Korea, Sweden, and many other countries around the world. Chance meetings with a Christian (a Dutch massage therapist with an understated ferocity), Herbert (a German who skis every weekend in the Alps and has summited Mt. Everest), Polish skiers attempting insanely difficult routes who we invited in for cocoa, a Korean team attempting the Seven Summits, and even a brief chat with mountaineering guru Chris House could not have occurred anywhere else but a serious mountain like Denali. It was a sense of accomplishment in itself that we were able to stand toe-to-toe with these incredible people in such and incredible place, but we were still left marveling at the apparent ease with which they camped and climbed.

With the successful completion of our biggest trip ever, CLC is redoubling its efforts to serve local youth. Even while the Denali team was in Alaska, other youth climbed in Leavenworth and hiked at Shi Shi Beach. The entire team of youth and adults is committed to running future CLC trips, including the Beginning Mountaineering Seminar on Mt. Baker coming up July 14-18. Our experience is also a springboard for The Everest Experience, a multifaceted effort to put a CLC team in Nepal and Tibet (and perhaps even on Mt. Everest!) as well as 100 local teenagers on the summit of Mt. Rainier in 2015. CLC is growing and empowering people in ways we could never have imagined even a few years ago.

This trip would not have been possible without the generous support of our families, donors, sponsors, partners, and the CLC community. Without a doubt, no Scout or other youth group anywhere in the country runs the same caliber and variety of program with the same set of resources that we do. If you missed any of the action, you can read the trip updates on Twitter, Facebook, and the CLC website.

To learn more about CLC's entire Denali effort, visit the Denali page. To learn more about Denali National Park and Preserve, visit the NPS website. Safe travels and happy climbing!

- I.B.