Great video of snow shoeing the South District of the MTTA huts.

A few weeks ago a young lady by the name of Anna came into our shop stating that she was making a video blog about snow shoeing in the Mount Rainier area. She had already finished her trip but wanted to film a segment where she would come into our shop and ask for directions to get the the south district of the Mount Tahoma Trails Association. Here is a link to the video.

ENJOY!
http://matadortv.com/winter-adventures-snowshoeing-mt-rainier/

Video produced for Under Solen (http://undersolenmedia.com) and MatdorTV (http://matadortv.com/) by Daniel Fox (http://thewildimageproject.com/)

First Winter Seminar of the season summits!

RMI had a great start to the New Year with a successful summit on a Rainier Winter Seminar. The trip lasted from Jan 3rd-8th. RMI guide Andy Bond was kind enough to give us a trip report.

"Heading up to climb a mountain in the dead of winter in rain is never a fun proposition, which is exactly what we were faced with on this January seminar. Leaving the Paradise parking lot in the rain for the 4500’ climb up to Camp Muir the group managed to push through white out conditions and rain all the way up to 9200’. The nice part about some storms in the Pacific Northwest is their low cloud ceiling or a marine layer, which meant Camp Muir was above the clouds and in the sun. The warm temps and nice weather up at Muir gave us a great chance to do some training for our summit climb push the next day. Practicing self-arrest, cramponing and rope travel before moving onto building anchors and crevasse rescue the group was able to work on and build skills needed to climb Mount Rainier and similar mountains.

We awoke the next morning to warm temps and not a breath of wind. Leaving Muir at 6 am we climbed the Gibralter Ledges route, which used to be the standard route on Rainier offering a more direct route to the summit. Climbing on the upper Cowlitz Glacier we saw the sun rise from the East painting an amazing array of colors across an incredibly clear sky where Mount Adams, Hood, Jefferson and Saint Helens were all visible. After enjoying these magical couple of minutes it was time to enjoy the steep climbing and sense of exposure the Ledges route gives a climber. You start by traversing along snowy ledges at the base of Gibralter Rock until you reach Gibralter Chute offering some 50 – 55 degree climbing with the Nisqually Ice Cliff to the left. Once out of the chute we were able to walk a pretty direct line to the summit switching backing over the filled in crevasses to the summit crater. After a safe descent back to Muir where the weather turned to near white out conditions we all enjoyed the comfort the shelter of the bunkhouse gave us from the storm. A long and hard, but very rewarding day left us with a sense of great accomplishment." Andy Bond

Thanks Andy for the great trip report. Check back this winter for more Mountaineering, Skiing and Snow shoeing trip reports.

WM

Driving to the South District of the Mount Tahoma Trails Association

As some of you may know the original road that takes you to the south district was washed out several seasons ago. The new route is a little different and actually takes you through Ashford. You can stop in at Whittaker Mountaineering to reserve your hut or to buy your SNO-PARK permit. We also rent Cross-Country Skis, Snow Shoes and even Randonee Ski set-ups.www.WhittakerMountaineering.com

Once you leave our shop, you will head West on 706 towards Mount Rainier National Park. About two and a half miles down on your right you will see Skate Creek Road/Forest Service Road 52. Hang a left there and follow the road down across the Nisqually River. As the road starts to bed to the left you will see a neighborhood on the right called Paradise Estates. Turn right like you are heading into the neighborhood and you will notice a road marked to the left that will take you up to the SNO-PARK.

You will then follow this road until you come across this sign where you will turn right.

You will pass over several bridges on you way up to the SNO-PARK. This one is Catt Creek. The bridge was once washed out but has since been restored.

Here you can either head up to the SNOW-PARK or head right towards the Anderson Lake trailhead.

As you can see only vehicles are allowed in the SNO-PARKS. Above the SNO-PARKS only foot traffic is allowed for its users. Dogs are permitted though.

At the lower SNO-PARK there is a bathroom for use. At this point you want to make sure and have your SNO-PARK permit visible on your windsheild. Once you pass the restrooms you will drive to the Upper SNO-PARK. The road is usually plowed to this point.

BE SURE TO HAVE LOTS OF FUN AND BE SAFE.

WM

Rocktober 2009

October brought a great season of rock climbing in Yosemite Valley, CA...great routes, great weather, and great folks to hang out with. We were fortunate to be able to spend almost three weeks in the Valley. The following are a few pictures of some different climbs. Highlights from the trip include Royal Arches, Serenity Crack, the East Buttress of El Cap, and the Nose of El Cap, and other great adventures. Here is a photo of our first day relaxing in El Cap Meadow checking out some climbing parties on El Capitan.

Here I am getting the rack together in the van.

Sunset on Half Dome...view from Dinner Ledge on Washington Column.

Here is Tyler on the East Buttress of El Cap.

I am mid-pitch on another section of the East Buttress of El Cap.

Tyler leading on the Great Roof of the Nose of El Cap.

Me cleaning on the Great Roof.

Me leading the Pancake Flake of the Nose.

A shot Tyler took looking down the Nose at the anchor after the Great Roof.

Tyler about to head into the Changing Corners pitch on the Nose.

View from the top of El Capitan, looking towards Royal Arches, Washington Column, and Half Dome.

Great trip...left with a lot of excitement for a return and more projects. Now back in Ashford with a few ski days under the belt and psyched for the predicted snow storm for the next couple days!

- Laura, Whittaker Mountaineering

Summer Ski on Mount Rainier June 30th-July 1st, 2009

It was predicted to be a warm couple days that I had off of work and Tyler Jones (RMI guide) had just returned to Ashford from a couple of months in Alaska, so we decided to ski Mt. Rainier. The night before our ski we headed up Copper Creek Road to check out our intended descent via the Tahoma Glacier from Glacier View. Spotting scope in tow, we planned our route and how to avoid the end-of-June crevasses. We got up early the next morning to drop a car off at the parking area on the Westside Road where we would finish up the following afternoon. We drove the other vehicle up to the Paradise parking area to start the climb. Our ascent route consisted of dropping onto the Nisqually Glacier, crossing over to the Wilson Glacier, and heading up the Fuhrer Finger. The Fuhrer Finger was fairly thin and sun-cupped at the time. There was also a fair bit of rockfall to dodge. We left skis on until arriving at the Finger and proceeded to boot pack the remainder of the way to our camp.

We camped near the top of the Finger on the Nisqually Tower. We had some delicious cold pizza, snacks, and water before an afternoon nap to get out of the sun.

The views were great looking 200ft down onto the Nisqually Glacier and watching the sunset over Mt. Adams with the moon on the rise. We got up at a relaxed 7:00 am, made a quick breakfast and headed towards the Wapowety Cleaver. Again a warm day with low winds, we came up to the east summit in a baselayer. We had topped out in the late morning, leaving us a couple hours to hang out on the summit while we waited for the snow conditions to become ripe for the skiing.

We set up the tent on top for a bit and dried out our boots. At two o’clock we clicked into our skis and prepped for the descent. We faced north towards Liberty Cap, then headed skier’s left towards the top of the Sickle feature of the upper Tahoma Glacier.

The skiing conditions were phenomenal…super smooth for the entirety of the descent save some crunchy wind-blown snow for the first 300ft off of the summit. We cruised down the lower Tahoma Glacier, floating around or over crevasses reaching the end of the snow at 4,800ft. Here we swapped our ski boots out for approach shoes and started hiking down the loose rocks of the Tahoma Creek bed.

The descent on foot was scenic, but involved some interesting 5.6 mud moves as well as some low friction volcanic dusty slab. We linked up with the Wonderland Trail where it crosses Tahoma Creek to take us out towards Westside Road and eventually my car. After retrieving the other car up at Paradise, it was back to Ashford for dinner. - Laura, Whittaker Mountaineering

RMI Guide and Owner of Whittaker Mountaineering Peter Whittaker shares gear tips with Backpacker Magazine

Excerpt from Backpacker Magazine, November 2009

• Follow the four-second rule. “There are zillions of zippers out there. Here’s how you choose: If it takes you longer than four seconds to get your jacket zipped, it’s not going to work on the mountain. Try another zipper – or if you’re a consumer in the store, try another jacket.”

• Strip away the doodads. “Most new, whiz-bang features just get in the way. You don’t need a pocket on your forearm when you have a Napoleon pocket. And I have no idea why glove designers insist on putting that webbing loop on the back of the middle finger. I’ve heard it’s so you can hang them to dry, but tell me–who does that at 17,000 feet?”

• Kill the pit zips. “If you’re using pit zips on a big mountain, then you shouldn’t be wearing a jacket anyway. As mountain guides, when we look back and see clients fiddling with pit zips, we see people not paying attention to the climb and compromising safety. Too hot? Pull up your sleeves or unzip your shirt to get some ventilation.”

• Don’t be afraid to scrap a bad idea. “On Everest, we watched our prototype tent flapping in the wind, and Ed Viesturs and I dived into a competitor’s tent instead. We killed that design and are spending another year in development rather than putting out a subpar product.”

NFL Films Presents NFL/United Way Mount Rainier Climb

We just got word that last summers NFL Climb will be broadcasted on ESPN2 during the following times:
11/24 2:00 am EST ESPN2
11/25 2:30 pm EST ESPN2

11/28 9:00 am and 10:30 AM EST on the NFL Network.

A lot of good Rainier footage, with some great people.

A warm November Day at Paradise

November 4, 2009

A Warm November Day at Paradise

In early November at the 5400 foot elevation of Paradise in Mount Rainier National Park, it’s most unusual to be taking coats off before hiking up the trails closer to the mountain. But that is exactly what we did on November 4, 2009 even with patches of snow on the slopes left over from snowfall the prior weekend. I giggled as my hiking partners started out with their hats and gloves knowing that just climbing upward always makes me warm. As they shed their hats, gloves and fleeces soon after we began to climb, we talked about how warm it was and how it felt like a summer day. November weather in the mountains brings lots of clouds, rain, wind and also some sun that will appear briefly but disappears as fast as it came. Therefore, when the first week of November turned out sunny, we rushed to the mountain for a final autumn hike before the cooler weather came and snow made us wear snowshoes.


The national park is now in its winter mode with the Stevens Canyon Road closed along with the one way Valley Exit Road down through Paradise Valley. The Paradise Visitor Center is open throughout the snow months but only on the weekends and holidays. On this warm November day during the work week, the parking lot had a couple dozen cars so we had the Paradise trails pretty much to ourselves.

The mountain light at Paradise gives Mount Rainier a different face every day. When the clouds bump up against the mountain or pass over the summit they often add an interesting decorative element showcased from the wide open views at Paradise. On this day new snow lightly covered the summer bare rocky areas laying the first white layer that would build to a deep winter robe covering the mountain. Golden meadow grasses from the fall season lay flat over the terrain or smashed under remaining snow with bits of red bushes contrasting brightly with the patches of white. Despite all these unique sights, it was the warmth of the day that both surprised and delighted us as we walked upward on the snowy slushy Deadhorse Creek trail.

After rounding a corner we came upon a bird that was feeding right by the trail. At first we thought it was a grouse because of its size, but after standing next to it and snapping pictures we decided this was a Ptmarigan whose feathers were changing to their winter white making it practically invisible as it stands on the snowy slopes during winter. As we hiked higher and closer to Mount Rainier on this warm November day, the magic of our close proximity stopped us in our tracks to stare at this magnificent majestic sight. Hiking at Paradise is definitely being in PARADISE!

Written by:
Sally Johnson
www.mtrainierphotos.com

NOTE: After this warm first week in November storms brewed, temperatures dropped and the snow fell. Paradise presently has approximately 40 inches of snow and winter has officially come to Mount Rainier National Park. Get out the snowshoes, X-skis, snowboards or downhill skis. Be ready to hike upward for peaceful snowy fun!


Winter Snowshoe & Ski book can be purchased here.
WhittakerMountaineering.com

Gifford Pinchot update

Gifford Pinchot forest ready for summer visitors By ALLEN THOMAS Columbian staff writer Winter has relinquished its grip on all but the highest elevations in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, opening up hiking, camping and fishing choices as summer hits full stride between the Fourth of July and Labor Day.

The snow level is roughly at 4,500 feet elevation, although that varies significantly in different portions of the 1.3-million-acre Gifford Pinchot.

Hikers will find snow in much of Indian Heaven Wilderness and most of the best places in the Mount Adams and Goat Rocks wildernesses.

Roger Peterson, a Pinchot spokesman in Vancouver, said recreationists need to remember to leave their fireworks at home this weekend.

Possessing fireworks or other pyrotechnic devices are prohibited on national forest lands, he noted.

"Fireworks can start wildfires,'' Peterson said.

Forest officials also are urging visitors to the blast zone area north of Mount St. Helens to consider not bringing their pets.

"When summer temperatures reach into the 80s and 90s, the exposed landscape around Mount St. Helens is a very harsh environment,'' Peterson said.

Road No. 99 to the popular Windy Ridge viewpoint on the east side of Spirit Lake will open Friday, Peterson said.

Road No. 25 connecting the upper Lewis River area and the Cowlitz Valley is open. A one-lane bridge at Benham Creek near Randle will route motorists past a slide that occurred during the winter.

Road No. 23 connecting Randle and Trout Lake is open. The washout at Baby Shoe Pass was repaired last year.

Road No. 2329 in the High Lakes area is open from the south as far as Divide Camp No. 112 trailhead, but not to Killen Creek.

Road No. 83 to Lava Canyon Recreation Area is open, but road No. 81 is closed between Kalama Horse Camp and road No. 830 leading to Climber's Bivouac. Access to Climber's Bivouac is open from the east via roads Nos.
83 and 81.

Lava Canyon trail No. 184 will be closed while the bridge washed out in flooding during early November of 2006 is replaced, Peterson said. Ape Canyon trail No. 234 will remain open.

Road No. 54 remains closed by landslides six miles east of Chelatchie Prairie.

In the north end of the forest, road No. 2160 is open to Walupt Lake and the campground is open.

Takhlakh Lake campground is accessible, but the water system is not yet working. There are no fees being charged until the services are ready.

On Tuesday, the state Department of Fish and Wildlife stocked 200 rainbow trout averaging 3 pounds in Takhlakh.

Almost 500 trout were stocked last week in both Forlorn Lake No. 1 and No.
2.

Major campgrounds open for the weekend include Beaver, Panther Creek, Paradise Creek, Lower Falls, Forlorn Lakes, Moss Creek, Oklahoma, Peterson Prairie, Goose Lake, Trout Lake Creek, Walupt Lake, Tower Rock, Sunset Falls, Olallie, North Fork, Iron Creek, La Wis Wis, Big Creek and Adams Fork.

Lantern rentals are available at Ape Cave daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.



**********************************************************
Roger M. Peterson
Public Affairs Office
Gifford Pinchot National Forest
US Forest Service
10600 NE 51st Circle
Vancouver, WA 98682
Phone: 360.891.5007 FAX: 360.891.5010
rmpeterson@fs.fed.us
http://www.fs.fed.us/gpnf/
SERVING PEOPLE and Caring for the Land

Congrats to Dave Hahn

Mount Rainier Climbing Ranger and Climbing Guide Recognized for 2002 Rescue

A Mount Rainier National Park climbing ranger and a renowned Mount Rainier
climbing guide will be receiving a Valor Award and a Citizen’s Award for
Bravery from the U.S. Department of the Interior at an awards ceremony in
Washington D.C. on May 6. National Park Service Climbing Ranger Chris
Olson and Climbing Guide Dave Hahn, who currently works with Rainier
Mountaineering Inc., of Ashford, Washington, will be receiving their awards
from Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar for the rescue of a badly
injured climber on Mount Rainier on June 25, 2002.

Chief Ranger Chuck Young, who will be representing Mount Rainier National
Park at the annual ceremony, commented, “The efforts these two individuals
took to complete the rescue of the critically injured climber during the
2002 climbing season was nothing short of extraordinary.” Young explained
that, “ . . .even after surviving the crash of the helicopter that was
flying the rescuers up the mountain and helping with the rescue of the
injured pilot, they continued on with their mission to successfully
complete the rescue at an extremely hazardous area of the mountain”.

On June 25, 2002, a climber ascending Liberty Ridge on the north side of
Mount Rainier was severely injured when struck in the head by a very large
falling rock. His partners requested a rescue for the unconscious man via
a personal cell phone. Accessing, stabilizing, treating and rescuing the
patient on Liberty Ridge is quite hazardous and involved continued exposure
to the same rock fall hazards. Because of their climbing and rescue
abilities, Chris Olson and David Hahn were selected for the mission.

While being inserted by contract helicopter on the glacier at the base of
Liberty Ridge, the ship crashed and was completely destroyed. Remarkably,
Olson, Hahn and the pilot were not seriously injured, though Olson was
struck by the engine and doused in oil. Though stressed and shaken, Olson
and Hahn regained their composure and assisted in evacuating the pilot via
a U.S. Army Chinook Helicopter. Afterward, the two refocused their
attention to the injured climber and ascended to the accident site to help
complete the rescue. The rescue involved patient stabilization and a long
technical rope rescue through the hazardous terrain back to the helicopter
crash site for hoist extraction. This dramatic and complex rescue took
place in a very challenging and dangerous location. It was Olson’s and
Hahn’s skill, tenacity, and extraordinary personal efforts that allowed the
successful rescue of this climber.

The Valor Award is presented to Department of the Interior employees who
have demonstrated unusual courage involving a high degree of personal risk
in the face of danger.

The Citizen's Award for Bravery is granted to private citizens for heroic
acts or unusual bravery in the face of danger. Recipients have risked their
lives to save the life of a Departmental employee or the life of another
person on property owned by or entrusted to the Department of the Interior.

--NPS--

Whittaker Mountaineering introduces First Ascent

We are pleased to announce the First Ascent line available now at Whittaker Mountaineering

Snow adventure at Mt Rainier

X-Country Skiing & Snowshoeing
Mt. Rainier National Park

Paradise at 5400 feet elevation is the ultimate winter experience in Mt. Rainier National Park. But, weather sometimes changes this wonderful area into a cold, windy and can’t see a foot in front of you place. So, here are some outstanding alternatives inside the park.

Cougar Rock Campground
Location: 2 miles past Longmire on the left side of the road.
There are six flat campground loop roads covered in deep untracked snow in amongst tall old growth trees. This is a perfect place for X-skiing! Since I don’t have skis, I explore the campground on snowshoes wishing I was able to glide quickly along my way.

Barn Flats Meadow
Location: Below Paradise
Three entrances to Barn Flats Meadow:
1. From the Nisqually Road on the right side about a mile past Narada Falls but before reaching Paradise.
(This is the best way for X-Country Skiers because it is a flat trail into the meadow)
2. Upon entering Paradise on the right side of the road a clearing has been plowed for a trail down into Barn Flats.
3. From the back far side of the Paradise Parking Lot. Another clearing has been plowed that allows people to go down into Barn Flats or access the snow covered Valley Road down into Paradise Valley.

These are two great places for winter fun in the snow! Mt. Rainier National Park offers a variety of places to snowshoe and ski. For more detailed information about what the town of Ashford and Mt. Rainier National Park offers, Whittaker Mountaineering Store sells the only Winter Snowshoe & Ski Information Guide with MAPS.


Sally Johnson
www.mtrainierphotos.com

Jim and Lou Whittaker turn 80

Legendary climbers Lou and Jim Whittaker turn 80
Walking hill in Arbor Heights led to their passion, they say

By DAVID ANDRIESEN
P-I REPORTER

The hill that started it all is in the Arbor Heights neighborhood in West Seattle.

Each day, young twins Lou and Jim Whittaker made their way down that hill between their home and Fauntleroy School, where they went to grade school, or Lincoln Park, where they paddled around Puget Sound in canoes and rafts they cobbled together. Each trip home meant a hike up the hill.

"We were up and down that hill all the time, so maybe that's where it all began," Jim Whittaker said. "That's how we came to be in such good shape."

Had they grown up in the flatlands, maybe the Whittakers would have become something other than famous mountaineers. But climbing up and down hills became the focus of their lives, and they wouldn't have it any other way.

"It's been a good life," Jim Whittaker said. "We've been lucky, and we've had a lot of fun. It's been a great adventure."

Tuesday night at the Space Needle, nearly 300 people -- including friends and family, fellow climbers and the doctors who have replaced all four of their knees -- turned out to celebrate the 80th birthday of Seattle's most famous outdoorsmen.

The 605-foot landmark must look like little more than a speed bump to the Whittakers, who have spent much of their lives at heights, both literal and figurative, most of us will never see.

Jim Whittaker will forever be known as the first American to reach the summit of the world's highest peak, Mount Everest, in 1963. Lou is the king of Mount Rainier, having reached that peak a record 250 times and for 40 years running a guide service that has gotten thousands to the top.

It started with treks around West Seattle, and then hiking with the Boy Scouts.

At 16, they made their first major climb, up Mount Olympus. They climbed down to find Seattle in the midst of a celebration -- World War II had ended that day.

The Whittakers earned degrees at Seattle University and were drafted into the Army in 1952 during the Korean War. They served with the mountain troops and taught special forces soldiers and green berets to ski and mountaineer.

When they returned home, Jim went to work for a little company called Recreational Equipment Inc., and went on to serve as CEO of the company, now an industry giant. Lou started his own equipment store, Whittaker's Chalet, in Tacoma.

"People who came in kept asking, 'Do you know anyone who can take us up the mountain, up to Rainier?' " Lou said. "So I figured you could make a living with a guide service."

In 1968, Lou founded Rainier Mountaineering, which employs 50 guides and annually receives half the passes issued by the park service to summit Rainier.

He splits time between Sun Valley, Idaho, and Ashford, where he runs a small hotel. He spent the day before his 80th birthday pouring concrete for an addition to the hotel.

"Every day is a gift," said Lou, who led the first U.S. team to climb the north face of Everest. "Every damn day."

Jim Whittaker earned his place in history on May 1, 1963, when, his oxygen having run out, he reached the 29,028-foot summit of Everest with the help of sherpa Nawang Gombu. He planted a U.S. flag at the top.

Whittaker was given a parade in Seattle and was awarded the Hubbard Medal by President John Kennedy.

Two years later, Kennedy's brother, Sen. Robert Kennedy, visited the Northwest and expressed interest in climbing Mount Kennedy, an unconquered peak in Canada that had been named after his late brother.

"I said, 'Has he ever climbed before?' No. 'Does he know this peak has never been climbed before?' Yes, but he still wants to go," Jim said.

"We stopped 50 feet below the summit and he walked up and became the first human being to stand there.

"That was a wonderful experience. It was one of those times when the tears freeze on the front of your parka. He was in better shape than some of the guys I had on Everest. I couldn't believe it."

Jim Whittaker and Kennedy became close friends and visited each other often, going on climbing, skiing and rafting trips.

Jim was head of Kennedy's campaign in Washington in 1968 when Kennedy was assassinated; he was one of the pallbearers at Kennedy's funeral.

"I'm telling you, he would have changed the planet," Whittaker said of Kennedy. "That was a very tough time."

In 1978, Jim Whittaker promised himself that if his team was successful in becoming the first group of Americans to reach the peak of K2, the world's second-highest peak, he would buy a sailboat.

They did complete the climb, considered even tougher than Everest, and Whittaker's second sporting passion began.

In 1996, he and his wife, Diane Roberts, took their two sons, ages 11 and 13, out of school and set out in a 53-foot sailboat called the Impossible. They stayed on the boat for four years, traveling 20,000 miles and spending extended time in Fiji and Australia.

"The plan was to 'go south until the butter melts,' and then turn west," he said. "We were going to go around the world, but it was so damned nice in the South Pacific.

"People said, 'Aren't you afraid of pirates?' I said, 'Have you been in a middle school these days? This is safer.' "

Although he'll always be known for his Everest achievement, Jim Whittaker said that he's equally proud of the "Peace Climb" he led in 1990.

He assembled a team of 20 men and women from the U.S., China and the Soviet Union to climb Everest and haul two tons of garbage off the mountain. From the base camp, they called the leaders of all three nations before going to the top.

"We stood up there, arms linked together, showing what can be done through friendship and cooperation," Whittaker said.

"We were representing the countries that had the ability to destroy the world, but showing what we could do together."

The Whittaker twins continue to hike, ski and climb, and have no plans to slow down -- after all, both their parents lived into their 90s.

"People ask me the secret of my longevity, and I think a lot of it is just the nature of the Northwest," Lou said. "There's so much to do here. If you can go out and do a little hiking, just take your kids and put in three or four miles a week, you'll be better off."

Jim Whittaker fears that the younger generations are losing touch with nature, and is part of a group near his home in Port Townsend that wants to make sure every child gets to experience time on the water. The group's motto: "No child left inside."

"We've been programmed for thousands of years to walk the forests and be in nature," Jim Whittaker said. "It's only the last couple hundred years that we've gotten caught up in this technology and living inside of walls and going down trails in vehicles."

That's never been the Whittaker twins' style. And after 80 years, it doesn't look like that's ever going to change.
P-I reporter David Andriesen can be reached at 206-448-8061 or davidandriesen@seattlepi.com.

Sunny days in the mountains!

Here at Whittaker Mountaineering we've been enjoying a warm and sunny holiday weekend thanks to a strong inversion that has occurred throughout the Southern Cascades. For those not familiar with this weather phenomenon, it basically causes temperatures at lower elevations to become cooler than temperatures at higher elevations. While everyone in the Seattle/Tacoma area is experiencing highs in the 40's and dense fog, it is almost 60 here at the shop with clear blue skies above. Head up the road to Paradise at 5420 ft and you will find temps in the mid 60s and intense sun. That's a typical summer day!

Word of this inversion and a clear road to Paradise have brought in people from all over that have been just itching to play in the snow. It might not be fresh powder at this point, but there's plenty of it! Check out what NPS Climbing Ranger Stefan Lofgren had to say about the incredible conditions:

Grab Your Ice Axe and Head for the Hills!
All right folks, this is it! You can ski 7,500 feet of vertical this weekend at Paradise!

Rarely during the winter does the weather turn so nice for so long! I made a run from just above Ingraham Flats (11,500') to Longmire (2,700'), and that's almost 9,000 feet in one run. As you'll read later in this post, I wouldn't particularly recommend skiing the lower 1,500 feet, but 7,500' isn't too bad, is it? With this intense temperature inversion in effect, it may be warmer at 5,500' than at 2,700'. In fact, at Camp Muir on Thursday morning, the temperature was 46 degrees! I could almost smell this coming weekend's barbeques in the Paradise lot, the sun tan oil, and the kids having a great time in the newly groomed snowplay area.

Wow! Hopefully some of you got out to enjoy the goods that Paradise had to offer. And if not, well there's still plenty of time left. Now I can't guarantee another inversion like this one, but I can tell you that the MTTA trails are in great shape for those of you that are looking to get out and enjoy some cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. Want to get the family out to do some snow tubing? The kids (or the kid in you) will love the snowplay area at Paradise where you can tube and sled to your heart's content. Not equipped for these kinds of activities? We can set you up with rental skis, boards, tubes, snowshoes, clothing, tire chains - just about everything you need to get outside and enjoy the winter weather. Check out our rental page for more info. Now quit reading about this stuff and go do it!

A White Christmas at Whittaker Mountaineering

Winter arrived one week ago Friday when we were closing up the shop, and the day's heavy rain turned to fat white flakes. That night I went to a friend's house a half an hour away. When I left at 6:30, Ashford was it's normal, gray, rainsoaked self. When I returned three hours later it had completely transformed into a winter mountain wonderland. In the past week we have had easily a few feet of accumulation here in Ashford, with Paradise reporting accumulations of 54 inches currently, and Camp Muir reporting depths of 98 inches.

The snow is stunningly beautiful, creating idyllic mountain scenes everywhere you turn. It is creating the perfect backdrop to everyone's holiday celebrations. The Snowplay Area opened at Paradise and people are coming to rent snow tubes and snowshoes to play in the beautiful thick powder that has blanketed Mt. Rainier. This afternoon we are preparing for yet another storm. This one bringing up to a foot or two of more snow and high winds, which means possible power losses in the area. People are rolling out the generators and stopping in for last minute foul weather gear. It is a trade off though for living so close to beautiful trails to XC Ski, snowshoe, and sled.

Here are some photos from around Basecamp and the Park showing off the bounty of snow from this weeks storms. Stay warm! ~Whittaker Mountaineering

Basecamp!

Whittaker Mountaineering


Picnic Tables!


The Mountain Haus


Snowshoeing Eagle Peak in the Park


The Sun Came out for a Day!

Frozen Nisqually River

Mount Rainier Volunteers and SCA

This info comes from Kevin at rainiervolunteers.blogspot.com. A lot of great work these folks do. Thanks Kevin.

Student Conservation Association's Mount Rainier Recovery Initiative reaches successful conclusion
The Student Conservation Association released the following press release last week, which I've delayed reporting here in light of the recent renewed flooding in the park. We're now repairing the road damage at Kautz Creek, and still waiting on reports from the backcountry, so here's the press release, along with some well-deserved kudos to SCA:An effort valued over $3 million, 3,254 volunteers contributed 154,168 hours to Mount Rainier National ParkSEATTLE, WA -- November 12 , 2008 – The Student Conservation Association’s (SCA) Mount Rainier Recovery Initiative has completed the second and final season of the award-winning program. SCA worked in collaboration with the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA), Washington Trails Association (WTA) and Washington’s National Park Fund to form the Washington Parks and Forest Coalition. With financial support from REI, Boeing and hundreds of donors, SCA fielded an innovative new program at Mount Rainier to help with the recovery efforts following the devastating floods of 2006.SCA played a pivotal role in the success and momentum of the Mount Rainier Recovery Initiative. Over the course of two years, 3,254 volunteers from around the country contributed a total of 154,168 hours to Mount Rainier National Park – an effort valued over $3 million, according to Park officials. Volunteers worked on rebuilding the Wonderland Trail, restoring habitats, campgrounds and historic structures, carrying supplies to backcountry project locations, patrolling trails and assisting park visitors. SCA also offered wilderness and project management training sessions to park staff and volunteers."I consider Mount Rainier like a second home. I decided that it was time for me to give back some of myself to the park which has given me so much joy, peace, and serenity over the years," said SCA volunteer Jean Millan.The Mount Rainier Recovery Initiative received many accolades, among them the Cooperative Conservation Award, the George B. Hartzog Jr. Award for Outstanding Volunteer Service and the Take Pride in America award, a national award from the Department of the Interior for federal land managers, which was received by Mount Rainier National Park Superintendent Dave Uberuaga."Congratulations to SCA for its long legacy of public land conservation," said Congressman Norm Dicks. "We commend them for their outstanding support in the recovery of Mount Rainier National Park."For more information about the volunteer program at Mount Rainier National Park, visit www.nps.gov/mora or rainiervolunteers.blogspot.com.
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About SCAThe Student Conservation Association (SCA) is a nationwide conservation force of college and high school volunteers who protect and restore America’s parks, forests, and other public lands. For more than 50 years, SCA’s active, hands-on approach to conservation has helped to develop a new generation of conservation leaders, inspire lifelong stewardship, and save our planet. For more information, visit www.thesca.org.From The News Tribune:Volunteer brigade makes a difference at Mount RainierNearly 1,840 volunteers gave 70,130 hours of their time at Mount Rainier National Park this last fiscal year, which ended Sept. 30. That translates into $1.37 million worth of work, representing more than 10 percent of the park’s annual operating budget.... it is surprising, and pleasantly so, that the number of people who volunteered at the park went up 6.5 percent.... It’s great so many people turned out to help with flood recovery and other projects. There wasn’t nearly as much press coverage of the park’s need to drum up support, yet people still showed up.From the Seattle Times:Green Ethics: Values, hard workHarnessing enthusiasm and channeling talent is an extraordinary skill of the Student Conservation Association, which was honored this past spring by the Department of the Interior for its epic storm-recovery work at Mount Rainier National Park.... A drum roll would be appropriate because the park enjoyed the hands-on labor of 3,254 volunteers contributing 154,168 hours of heavy lifting and hard work repairing storm damage. Park management values the donated labor at more than $3 million.

Fall on Rainier

BEAR DAY at PARADISE!

by sally Nov.10.2008 12:10:33 am

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Taken on October 29th from Chinook Pass………


Here are some of my favorite fall photos from previous years.


Mouse over photos for information………….

Before you go any further…. let me remind you of the following information………



This photo from a previous year is where my bear adventure took place at Paradise. This is the lower paved trail into Edith Creek Basin area where there is a place to view Mrytle Falls.

Fall has come to the mountain! It’s beautiful presently! The mornings are cool, crisp and dewy! The daylight time is shorter with some downright cold evening weather. The “Caution - Roads are Icy” sign sits prominently at the national park entrance and also at Longmire to note that winter is just around the corner.

The weather has been unpredictable which is not uncommon during the month of October. There have been glorious sunny October days but unlike the month of September the sunny days stay only a day or two at a time. It has rained in the city and snowed at the mountain and yet the next day may bring warmth from the sun to melt ice or snow or dry the dew on the leaves.

The autumn colors are appearing everywhere around Mt. Rainier. The vine maples always make the biggest color statement but they were still not at their peak on Tuesday, October 14th when I visited. Paradise showed a fair amount of red low lying bushes and lots of foliage with yellow hues. But the greenish yellow told the tale that with more cold frosty mornings shades of orange and deep reds would soon appear on the slopes of the Paradise hills.



This year has been difficult for the mountain black bears! The huckleberries and blueberries didn’t ripen until mid September! The bears should have been eating berries starting in August to fatten themselves for their long winter hibernation. On this Tuesday in October, I didn’t see blueberries or huckleberries on the slopes above the Paradise Inn but instead some red berries I think are called elderberries. However, on an earlier September 26th visit to Paradise while hiking up the Deadhorse Creek Trail, I had feasted on both blueberries and huckleberries that were ripe and ready. Perhaps the cold chill made the berries drop off the bushes leaving just the red berries now for the bears. Presently, the bears are in an altered state of urgency honed into eating everything they can before their long winter nap. Thus stories of daily bear sightings are flooding in from everyone visiting Paradise as the bears eat the red elderberries voraciously. The bear reports are mostly noting the bears around Paradise are young yearling bears. A yearling bear is one that has been abandoned by the mother bear to begin their solitary bear life. The young bears seem not to be afraid of people unlike the older wiser bears. These young bears are “hanging out” around the paved lower trails and around the closed Paradise Inn populated by people most of the time. Therefore a trip to Paradise right now not only excites the senses for the beauty of the fall colors but also excites the sense of adventure of seeing a bear in the wild.

My short trip to Paradise on Tuesday, October 14th also became an adventure all about bears! The mountain was hidden behind a thin veil of clouds but the crisp fall air with its special scent from the dying foliage making autumn colors was plenty to make this trip well worth the drive. But the bear experience that unfolded at the beginning of the trail behind the Paradise Inn pushed the limits of excitement beyond my wildest dreams.

I was walking up the paved trail section behind the Paradise Inn toward Myrtle Falls and Edith Creek. Suddenly, around a curve in the paved path a bear came walking toward me.
I stood frozen with fear not knowing what to do. Scream? Run backward? Yikes, what was the right thing to do?? I didn’t have time to think because the bear kept walking toward me so I stopped moved to the side of the paved path and placed my tripod with camera attached down on the pavement and began snapping photos. What else could I do?

The bear kept walking toward me and when the bear was right beside me it stepped down off the pavement and veered down a bit away from me. But as soon as the bear was past me it walked back up onto the edge of the paved path with an obvious destination in mind. Unbelievable! I think my heart stopped for awhile as the bear past by me. I couldn’t remember the actual passing because of my extreme fright! After the bear walked past I realized its focus was on getting to a good elderberry patch. This young bear was totally unfazed by humans. I had read about this bear on Mike Gauthier’s Climbing Blog that is accessible on the right side of this blog page. This particular bear was brown with golden blonde hair sticking up in spiky points on its back neck that was an unusual sight! After seeing the photos on this blog, check out the latest posting on Mike’s blog to see another bear photo taken at Paradise.

My bear story should end here but it doesn’t! As I began leaving the parking area at Paradise while I was looking toward the Tatoosh Range, a small bear that was black darted out from behind the Paradise Inn in front of my car running to the opposite side of the road… I suspect to get more elderberries. I had to slam on my brakes since I was momentarily looking away from the Paradise Inn side of the road in order to not hit the bear with my car. Holy Cow! Or should I say……Holy Bear? What a bear day at Paradise!

I will let my series of BEAR PHOTOS show my story!
ENJOY!
Sally Johnson
Sally’s Photos
www.mtrainierphotos.com