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I did it! I climbed Rainier! (sort of)
Here's a copy of my post to a climbing site:
ADBB notes:
If you want to lose weight....try hiking with elevation. I lose a pound every time I go on one. I'm now back to 1lb away from my lowest weight since starting Atkins...my pants are getting really loose again. No way am I buying new clothes again.
Here is my first "trip report"
This was my first time out to Rainier. It was a cloudy day so I didn't even get a glimpse of the mountain until I was about a mile away from Paradise. The clouds parted and I saw the mountain for the first time up close. It looked huge and straight-up. My first thought was "there's no f-ing way I can climb that."
It was about 50 degrees and breezy at Paradise. I had followed an RMI caravan up most of the Mountain. The people getting off the bus seemed really fit like Guard reservists or something.
I really liked the climb up to the snow field. It was very scenic. Even if I had turned around at Pebble Beach it would have been worth the trip.
However once I got onto the snowfield, the clouds rolled in and I couldn't see anything. I barely could see the next flag up the hill. Between the fog, the spots in my eyes from the altitude, the glare, and the vapor on my stupid shades sometimes I couldn't even see my feet.
At about 9000 feet I was getting really tired and really slow. I met a guy named Gary who had an altimeter. Apparently he is a guide out of some Seattle climbing organization. I figured that if I had made it that far, I was going to go all the way. I caught up to him again at 9500 feet. As I was talking to him, the clouds parted and I got my first peek at Camp Muir.
I slogged up the rest of the way and made it! It took me 5 hours and pretty much got passed by all the other groups on the hill but I did it.
I hung out there for a little bit but there wasn't many people there. Maybe they were inside somewhere? I didn't go into any of the buildings.
I felt really great! I didn't think the altitude affected me too badly. I wasn't out of breath or anything.
Coming down was fun in the powder. I didn't get lost or anything. Once I got to the trails I kept getting lost.
I guess you need to read the trail signs going down too. I wound up on the Alta Vista trail but it went down to the parking lot eventually.
Anyways thanks for all your helpful suggestions. This was definitely by far the toughest climb I've done so far. I feel a lot more confident about my summit although I know I have a lot more work to do. I didn't carry as much weight as I will during my summit climb.
So here are my "lessons learned" from this trip.
A) I can do it!
B) I need to eat more before/during the ascent. I just didn't have a lot of energy...could have been altitude related.
C) I need to do more leg work.
D) Sunscreen...I'm going to have to get a really strong one because the one I used didn't do ****
E) Lip sunscreen see D)
F) Glacier glasses. If it wasn't cloudy I'd be blind.
This was my first time out to Rainier. It was a cloudy day so I didn't even get a glimpse of the mountain until I was about a mile away from Paradise. The clouds parted and I saw the mountain for the first time up close. It looked huge and straight-up. My first thought was "there's no f-ing way I can climb that."
It was about 50 degrees and breezy at Paradise. I had followed an RMI caravan up most of the Mountain. The people getting off the bus seemed really fit like Guard reservists or something.
I really liked the climb up to the snow field. It was very scenic. Even if I had turned around at Pebble Beach it would have been worth the trip.
However once I got onto the snowfield, the clouds rolled in and I couldn't see anything. I barely could see the next flag up the hill. Between the fog, the spots in my eyes from the altitude, the glare, and the vapor on my stupid shades sometimes I couldn't even see my feet.
At about 9000 feet I was getting really tired and really slow. I met a guy named Gary who had an altimeter. Apparently he is a guide out of some Seattle climbing organization. I figured that if I had made it that far, I was going to go all the way. I caught up to him again at 9500 feet. As I was talking to him, the clouds parted and I got my first peek at Camp Muir.
I slogged up the rest of the way and made it! It took me 5 hours and pretty much got passed by all the other groups on the hill but I did it.
I hung out there for a little bit but there wasn't many people there. Maybe they were inside somewhere? I didn't go into any of the buildings.
I felt really great! I didn't think the altitude affected me too badly. I wasn't out of breath or anything.
Coming down was fun in the powder. I didn't get lost or anything. Once I got to the trails I kept getting lost.
I guess you need to read the trail signs going down too. I wound up on the Alta Vista trail but it went down to the parking lot eventually.Anyways thanks for all your helpful suggestions. This was definitely by far the toughest climb I've done so far. I feel a lot more confident about my summit although I know I have a lot more work to do. I didn't carry as much weight as I will during my summit climb.
So here are my "lessons learned" from this trip.
A) I can do it!
B) I need to eat more before/during the ascent. I just didn't have a lot of energy...could have been altitude related.
C) I need to do more leg work.
D) Sunscreen...I'm going to have to get a really strong one because the one I used didn't do ****
E) Lip sunscreen see D)
F) Glacier glasses. If it wasn't cloudy I'd be blind.
ADBB notes:
If you want to lose weight....try hiking with elevation. I lose a pound every time I go on one. I'm now back to 1lb away from my lowest weight since starting Atkins...my pants are getting really loose again. No way am I buying new clothes again.
That is one heck of a monster to climb! And no getting lost next time, didn't a couple of climbers die recently on Rainier?
but it doesn't help 
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