Camp Patriot Climb - July 11th

RMI guide, Eryka Thorley gave us a trip report of her climb with Camp Patriot...

Camp Patriot Climb July 11^th 2010

The group arrived at Base Camp in Ashford on Sunday the 10^th of July ready for adventure!  They spread all of their gear out in the front lawn of RMI and prepared themselves for the next four days on Mount Rainier.  The group consisted of four veterans of combat during Iraq and Afghanistan along with 14 others including guides, Mystery Ranch Backpack representatives and other highly skilled supporters for the climb.  The veterans consisted of Navy Corpsman 3rd Class Petty Officer Kevin Ivory, Navy Seal Senior Chief Mike Day, Navy Seal Bryan Stuart and Navy Seal Lieutenant Jason Redman.

After packing our “rucks” with all the gear needed for the next few days of mountain life, the group headed to Paradise on the morning of Sunday the 11^th to begin the 2010 Camp Patriot Climb.  In Paradise the group was greeted by numerous supporters including family and friends as well as well as a large group of military personnel from nearby Fort Lewis that were going to be ferrying much appreciated gear for the group to Camp Muir.

The four and a half mile and almost 5,000 vertical feet excursion to Camp Muir was no trouble for the Navy Seal Veterans.  With full sunshine and a slight breeze the group cruised along the Muir Snowfield to Camp Muir arriving in around six hours time.  Once  at Camp Muir the group settled quickly into tent life on the Muir Ridge.  

The following day, Monday the 12^th, Anne Keller, Art Rausch, Curtiss Fawley, and Daniel Zokaites led the group through mountaineering school.  Skills discussed included self-arrest, cramponing and team rope travel.  These skills would all be practiced and used on the mountain in the days to follow.

On Tuesday morning the 13^th the group headed out to utilize these skills and practice ice climbing along a serac on the Cowlitz Glacier below Camp Muir.  The previous plan had been to push for the summit on early Tuesday morning but the weather had other ideas for the group so instead we enjoyed a great day of ice climbing.  

The team had an early wake up call of 10:30pm on the night of the 13^th.  After a breakfast of granola and oatmeal the crew was walking across the Cowlitz Glacier by 12:00.  The winds had finally slowed down from the previous two days and the temperatures were comfortably in the mid 20’s.  The first stretch of the climb to the Ingraham Flats (11,000 feet) was smooth and fast.  At our first 15 minute “maintenance break” at the Flats, climber and astronaut Scott Parazynski, a space explorer of five times and Everest climber was bombarded with questions regarding the beautiful starry scene above us.  

Due to the high winds throughout the previous two days there had been many climbing parties waiting for a break in the weather along with our team so the Disappointment Cleaver, the next stretch of the climb, was busy with traffic.  We efficiently followed the pack up the route and stopped for our second break at the top of the Cleaver (12,300 feet). Just above this point we lost the first and only member of our group to exhaustion.  After spinning the oldest (68 years old) member of the team back towards Camp Muir the group pressed onward and upward.  The weather remained consistent with slight winds, temperatures in the 10’s to 20’s with great route conditions.  The trail was easy to follow with the majority of the route being styrofoam snow and easy to walk along in crampons.  

After the third break the route had to be slightly changed due to a fast moving crack around 13,600 feet.  From this point the climbing was direct and speedy to the crater rim.  

The group reached the crater rim at 6:30am on Wednesday the 14^th of July. All four of the veterans successfully charged to the summit of Mount Rainier and the excitement and sense of accomplishment was group wide.  The summit was sunny and the visibility was perfect.  We could see all of the major cascade volcanoes as well as a clear view of Seattle and the ocean.  

After spending an hour and half on top of the crater the group began the descent back to Camp Muir.  The descent many times is the most challenging aspect of climbing and this descent was no different.  Yet the energy of the group remained strong and we returned back to Camp Muir at 10:00am to rest and refuel for the remaining hike back to Paradise and eventually the celebratory BBQ and awards back at RMI Basecamp.    

The Camp Patriot climb of 2010 was an incredible experience for all who partook.  It was humbling to hear the stories of these veterans survival and recovery but the most impressive of this experience was to be surrounded by their passions for life.  These veterans climbed Mount Rainier for the cause of developing a place where injured soldiers can retreat for healing and peace.  Let us always remember the sacrifices these soldiers have made for our freedom and where possible let us continue creating space and adventures like Mount Rainier and Camp Patriot where they can retreat to upon return home.  Thank you Kevin, Bryan, Mike and Jay.  Climb on soldiers!