The Genesis

It does somehow feel like I am doing this backwards -- My first summit of a prominent Cascade volcano was a rescue. I suppose growing up in the mountains, skiing, climbing, camping, hiking, backpacking lead me to be very comfortable in the environment, and training in technical rope rescue techniques made me an asset rather than a liability. But it was odd escorting people down a mountain that I had always only enjoyed from the tree line below, when they had already made the summit two years prior. Legendary American alpinist Paul Pedzoldt said "It's just camping" when talking about his climbing in the Himalayas and Karakorum ranges in an interview. His point was that technical climbing skills were by far second to being able to not only survive, but also be at home in the wilderness and the mountains. Perhaps that explains my ability to adapt to alpine climbing, and contribute to a team of more experienced alpinists.

This rescue was the beginning of my obsession. South Sister is the third highest peak in Oregon, and the South Spur / Climbers Route is a non technical, steep scree route most of the summer. We left the trail head as the sun was setting, and we knew there was a distinct possibility of a technical rescue on the glaciers above. Our subjects were just below the summit, and we suspected them to be stuck somewhere near Hodge's crest. Due to snow staying late, what is usually a steep trail ended up being snow fields. We had to find our own way in the dark through scree and snow, kick stepping all night. In the end we had over 6000 feet of gain, and we escorted them from the summit down at sunrise.

Team One spent the night with them, giving the subjects warm clothes and creating a shelter. They roped them past the glacier, and from there team two (us) escorted them down. It was a rather simple mission all said and done, and did not require all the technical gear I carried (the young grunt gets the rope / gear). What did happen was transform what I thought about tackling summits.

We climbed the Southwest Ridge alongside Lewis Glacier (where we had an hour bivy at the base to melt additional water) , which leads to the summit itself as the moon was setting and the sun was rising. At the summit, awaiting the arrival of Team One with the three subjects, we were able to watch the sun rise. It was cold, but the air was absolutely still. The mountain cast its shadow on the terrain some 6000 feet below. The mountain lakes were strewn about, and we could see little headlamp dots rising to the summit. It was amazing. It was the genesis.

Now I feel I am at the bottom of a mountain, looking upwards, and feeling overwhelmed and also enthralled; I am a fledgling mountaineer, with the training and knowledge I need to start, but not the experience to rely on yet. It makes even the most simple summits an exhilarating. Exposure still can make me dizzy, and a multi-pitch scramble can still scare me. Perhaps that will never change entirely, and perhaps it shouldn't. I know some level of fear creates a focus, and without it, one can get careless. However I am in a hurry to get past my amateur status, and start to gain the experience that will make me a wise mountain guru. I suppose the first step to gaining that status is patience.

Photo One: After a night of climbing, reaching the flats below Moraine Lake. The support teams brought us breakfast and switched out our heavy packs for their lighter ones. They are my heroes. Summit in the background.

Photo Two: Greeting the husband and father of the subjects. He didn't get any sleep that night either. The whole family was very kind, very grateful. Nice bunch of people.

Photo Three: Me still managing a smile after an impromptu night of no sleep and lots of climbing.