4th of July - Tour D'Amico

On the 4th of July, I rode in the Tour D'Amico. It was a bike ride from Eden Prairie to Excelsior to Wayzata to Minnetonka/Hopkins and back to Eden Prairie --- visiting D'Amico restaurants along the way.

Riding through Orono and the big fancy houses on Lake Minnetonka.

First stop at D'Amico's in Wayzata. Got here in just under 2 hours and had already ridden 25 miles!! We had lemonade and cookies and oranges.

Forgot my helmet and my water bottle!! Good thing it wasn't too hot and nobody was driving on the road trying to run me over. Thought about detouring off the course to stop at my house to pick up my missing stuff. Rode within 1 mile of my house!! But by then, I was at mile 35 (or so) and figured I was almost done & no one had screamed at me for not wearing a helmet so it really didn't matter!! (Everyone was jealous of my fancy bike gear . . . )

Back in Eden Prairie after riding 45 miles in just over 3 hours!! It's time to eat lunch!!

Pasta and fruit salad.

And sandwiches and chips . . .
Yummy lemon bars and brownies!! That's why we ride!!

Why do people like to live in Seattle?

Given my recent trip to Seattle to climb Mt. Rainier, it reminded me of a letter I got from a friend about Seattle. Some of you may not find it as funny as I do - maybe you have to have lived there to see the humor. Every time I read it, I laugh so hard it makes me cry . . .

August 23rd
Just moved to Seattle. Lovely weather - about 75 degrees - no clouds - beautiful trees and mountains especially, Mt. Rainier. Puget Sound . . . how cool is that? I wonder how everything stays so green even in the summer?? People here are sure lucky to have such a beautiful outdoors to play in. Only 50 miles to the mountains and 70 to the sea. I love it here.

August 25th
Drove out to the mountains yesterday. It took 2.5 hours just to get to the top of the pass. I wonder why traffic was so heavy? It was barely moving. When I got to the other side it was even slower because of road construction. Sure was pretty though. Another beautiful day, even though I spent the better part of it in the car. Next time I’ll make sure to leave earlier so I can miss the traffic. Also remember not to stop in North Bend for gas - it took like an hour??

August 26th
What happened to the nice weather? Gosh it’s cold! Only about 54 degrees - yesterday it was 84. These clouds are very low and grey - it sure looks like its going to rain. I was going to wash the car and mow the lawn but I better not if it’s going to rain.

August 27th
Weather is the same as yesterday. Very grey and depressing but it’s not raining so I’ll wash the car and mow the lawn today. The weather man says it’s going to be sunny tomorrow. I think I’ll play some golf.

August 28th
Pouring down rain. Cold. Kind of pissed off because I spent 4.5 hours washing and waxing my black car because the weather man said it was going to be sunny today. Not to mention I shelled out $150 to play this fancy golf course and it poured down rain the whole time. Boy the weather man kind of missed that one. I’ll bet he feels dumb.

September 28th
Geez except for those few days at the beginning of September it’s rained almost every day. Must be the rainy season in Seattle. Oh well it keeps the reservoirs full and the trees green. Looking forward to those crisp clear fall days and football season!!

October 31st
Halloween. Cold as hell and raining. Poor kids, that’s not much fun trick or treating in that weather. All their little costumes getting ruined. The weather man said it was going to be clear and crisp for the trick or treaters?? This guy seems to be wrong a lot in his forecasts. He’s probably not a weather man at all. His Dad must be some big wig and got him the job. I’m going to watch another station with a real weatherman.

November 1st
At home with my knee elevated. Doctors orders. Pulled ligaments really bad chasing down some little bastards that smashed my pumpkins. Boy a wooden deck with Thompson’s water sealer on it is slicker than snot when it’s wet. Still raining. My knee is killing me. I can still hear those kids laughing.

November 28th
Does it rain every freaking day here?!! It sure seems like it. You wanna know cold? Try 40 degrees with rain being blown into you at 15 miles per hour. Brrrr!!! People always talk about the beautiful mountains here. Well I haven’t seen them in at least a month. And why are people so afraid of driving in the rain??!!! Let’s go!!! The forecast calls for some sun though so I’ll get some yard work done this weekend.

November 30th
Rained all weekend but now it’s sunny . . . .Alright!!! . . . .Finally!!! Sure feels good to feel the sun on your face again. Now I remember why I like this place so much. It’s almost December and it’s 54 degrees and sunny. I think I’ll wash the car. Weatherman says this high pressure system should stay with us for awhile and push this system well to the north of us.

December 1st
Fu_ing raining again. I just washed the Fu_ing car!! What is the deal with these weathermen? They’re wrong every Fu_ing time!!! They are blaming offshore flow for kicking this system a little south and into our region. Whatever . . . Pardon my French but the Rain!!!

December 25th
Ho! Ho! Ho! It’s Fu_ing raining again. Merry Fu_ing Christmas.


February 1st
Ha Ha!!! It’s day 62 of constant rain. I threw my milkshake at some son-of-a-bitch on the freeway this morning. Cut me off will you? Doubt it!! Too bad it’s raining because it cleaned the milkshake off his car. Oh well he got the message. Can’t let people mess with you on the road. You better take your openings when you can or they will walk all over you. Why do people drive so slow in the rain?!!! What are they afraid of? It rains here every day!!!! How are you supposed to enjoy the beautiful outdoors?

February 3rd
Man it’s beautiful outside. It’s like 60 degrees and sunny. Sweet weather for February. I’m just going to enjoy it. I’m not going to jinx it either by washing my car. No sir!! Boy it’s pretty here. The snow covered mountains, crystal blue water, big green trees. Think I’ll head up to the mountains.

February 4th
That was by far the worst traffic I have encountered on the pass yet. Every Idiot and grandmother was on the road yesterday. “Hey look it’s sunny let’s all get in the car . . . .“

February 8th
Geez it’s still sunny. It feels like spring. Birds are chirping, flowers are blooming. It sure is a nice place to live. I guess it doesn’t rain that much. Gosh it’s a beautiful day. I think I’ll wash the car.

February 9th
I KNEW IF I WASHED THE CAR IT WOULD START RAINING!!!!!!! F____!!! I hate it here.

March 1st
We are having a wicked storm. 50mph winds. Trees down. Power’s out. Cable is out. (Why does the cable always go out when the wind blows if the cable is in the ground?) What is this day 21 of 22 of straight rain? How high are those clouds off the ground? 50ft?!

April 1st
I guess this is the only state where no one knows the “fast lane” rule. Weather man says rain for at least the next two weeks and he said it with a big goofy smile. That’s not funny. Not funny at all.

April 12th
84 DEGREES!!! Wow, it’s beautiful here. It was a nasty winter but spring is finally here!!! If we have spring and summer like this I guess I can take a little rain in the winter. What a place!

April 30th
Eleventh straight day of rain. Cold too, about 50 degrees. I thought spring was here. That’s what you get for thinking. I would like to meet up with this weather clown someday. “I like the rain” he says. Smack!!

May 20th
Big surprise!! Still raining!! How many ways do these idiot weather men have for describing rain. Showers, partial showers, slight showers, increasing showers, decreasing showers, heavy showers, light showers, partial showers with areas of heavy downfall, mild showers . . . yadda, yadda, yadda.

June 21
The first day of summer!!! Raining!!! 54 degrees. My car is starting to smell like mildew, it’s been wet for the last 6 months. I think I’m starting to get webbed feet. The commute was only 15 hours today . . . .Joy! Oh well I have the big fourth of July picnic to look forward to some cold beers in the hot sun. Can’t wait.

July 4th
Not having too much fun. I forgot my coat and am freezing my ass off. I don’t know exactly what we are experiencing here. I think it’s just plain old showers, but maybe it’s partial showers with periods of rain. No problem keeping the beer cold though. I have a project for next weekend: cleaning the beans and potato salad out of my car. I had to eat in my car because all the chairs were taken and I had to get out of the rain. I hate it here.

July 28th
Cloudy and cool. But it’s not raining. Thank God it’s not hot!! Who would want it hot in the summer?? I figured out what people do here for fun. “Hey honey get the kids . . .let’s get in the car and sit in traffic!!!”

August 14th
Exchanged gunfire on the road today. He appeared prepared for gunfire but wasn’t ready for the ramming. The 750 lb iron bar attached to the front of my Porsche. Looks a little weird but it works!! A little tap on these wet roads and he was in the ditch.

August 24th
Got out of jail this morning. Had to get a ride home as my license has been taken away. What’s this? . . . .sunshine? . . . 80 degrees? Guess summer is here? What a beautiful day. It’s so pretty with the mountains and the water and the trees . . .

Today is Friday - Yippee!!!

It's a beautiful day in Mpls. Sorry I don't have any pictures to share.

The birds are chirping and the kids next door are still screaming!!!

June 13/14, 2008 - Seattle Visit

Trivial Pursuit anyone??? Rodin . . . pensive . . . hmmm . . . what does that mean? Thoughtful? What could it be? Is it . . . "The Thinker"??

Fancy barbeque in Dan & Heidi's backyard because the sun is shining in Seattle!!! We had salmon, shrimp, asparagus, corn, bread, & potato salad. Yum Yum!
Someone is trying to eat me!
Why is Boo staring at me? What is he thinking?

Dan & Heidi overjoyed by the stories from the Underground guide. She was so funny wasn't she!!??!?!! Next time I'm in town, I'm hanging out by the Totem Pole in Pioneer Square in the hopes that I can go on another tour with her. Pictures from the Seattle Underground Tour.

Pictures from the Seattle Underground Tour.

Lexie, Heidi and Dan in Pike Place Market in sunny Seattle - Saturday June 14th. I'm packing my bags and moving back to wonderful Seattle.
A visit to Snoqualmie Falls just west of Seattle on Friday afternoon, June 13th. Walked down to the bottom of the falls. It felt great on the calves and thighs a day after hiking down from Camp Schurman on Mt. Rainier.

Looking down from the lookout at Snowqualie Falls.

Heidi posing for the camera . . . a very nice photo! Lexie at the Falls . . .

From the Newspaper ---'He was a hero': Hiker sacrificed himself to save wife, friend in Mount Rainier blizzard

By DONNA GORDON BLANKINSHIP , Associated Press / June 13, 2008

SEATTLE - A hiker who lost his life on Mount Rainier lay down in the snow and used his body's warmth to protect his wife and a friend from the 70-mph winds of a freak June blizzard, national park officials said. When it became obvious the trio could not find their way back to base camp in whiteout conditions, they dug a snow trench with their hands. Eduard Burceag, 31, lay down in the snow while his wife and friend lay on top of him. Later, when they begged him to switch places, Burceag refused, saying he was OK. "In doing so, he probably saved their lives," park spokesman Kevin Bacher said Thursday. Mariana Burceag, also 31, survived the storm, as did the couple's friend, Daniel Vlad, 34. Eduard Burceag was just one of the heroes. When the call came at 3:30 a.m. Tuesday to the Camp Muir base camp, saying three hikers were missing in a blizzard, the National Park Service ranger in charge of rescue operations had little hope they would survive the night. Kevin Hammonds, 28, described the storm as the worst he had ever seen during his years of hiking and mountain climbing: wind blowing hard enough to knock you off your feet and zero visibility, making it impossible to see your hand in front of your face. "The fact that any of them made it is noteworthy," Hammonds said Thursday. His lack of optimism didn't stop Hammonds and a fellow ranger, Joe Franklin, from preparing a search party to head out at first light.
Around 5:30 a.m., Franklin was checking the horizon for any clues to the location of the missing hikers, all natives of Romania who were living in Bellevue, a Seattle suburb.
He saw what looked like a boulder in an unusual spot on the snowfield, then took a closer look with binoculars and realized the shape was moving. Hammonds grabbed two mountain guides who had stayed the night at Camp Muir, about 10,000 feet up the 14,410-foot mountain, and headed out toward Vlad. Walking through knee-deep, blowing snow, it took about 10 minutes to meet him halfway. Bacher called Vlad a hero, for his determination to get help. "It wasn't that he had the physical stamina to do it, but he had the mental will," Bacher said. One guide helped Vlad back to Camp Muir after directing Hammonds and Eben Reckord of International Mountain Guides toward the Burceags. "We were able to, more or less, find them right away because he had given us such a good description," Hammonds said. "They would have actually been hard for us to find without his guidance. Where they were definitely was not in eyeshot of camp." Mariana Burceag was conscious but not coherent, said Hammonds, a trained emergency medical technician. Eduard Burceag was unconscious; they couldn't find a pulse. "The two of us had to make a decision that she needed our immediate attention," Hammonds said. "It was obvious to us, that ... if left there much longer, she would probably be in the same shape he was." Hammonds' training told him they had to focus on the person most likely to survive. They put a second down jacket on Mariana Burceag, placed her in a sleeping bag and onto a sleeping pad, covered her with a small tent and started to drag the whole package toward Camp Muir. They got about 100 feet closer to the camp before Hammonds and Reckord realized they needed more help. Four more guides answered their call with oxygen, another sleeping bag and a sled. It took another hour for six people to get Mariana Burceag to shelter. Then the rescuers went back for Eduard Burceag. Perhaps another hour passed before they got him to shelter; attempts to revive him were unsuccessful.
Hammonds said the three were experienced hikers — both Eduard Burceag and Vlad had summited Rainier in the past — and were dressed properly for a spring hike in warm winter jackets, wool hats and gloves, and sturdy boots. Thick clouds prevented a helicopter evacuation that day. An Army chopper rescued Mariana Burceag and Vlad from the peak Wednesday morning. They were treated for frostbite at a Seattle hospital and released. Eduard Burceag's body was brought down the mountain on a sled Wednesday afternoon.
The Pierce County medical examiner's office confirmed Thursday night that he died of hypothermia. Reached by telephone in Romania, Eduard Burceag's brother, Cristian, told The Seattle Times his older brother moved to the United States eight years ago and fell in love with Seattle, its mountains, its opportunities. Cristian Burceag said his mother was visiting his brother and was watching their two young sons while Eduard and Mariana hiked to Camp Muir. He said he was not surprised his brother died shielding his wife from the blizzard.
"He was a hero for us," the younger Burceag said. "I'm sure he would do that. He knew very well that his children needed a lot of their mother and that was the main thing in his life."

From the Newspaper --- Helicopter rescues hikers from Washington's Mount Rainier; 1 killed in freak blizzard

By DONNA GORDON BLANKINSHIP , Associated Press / June 11, 2008

LONGMIRE, Wash. - A helicopter rescued two hikers from high on Mount Rainier Wednesday after they were caught in a freak June blizzard that caused a third hiker's death.
An Army Chinook helicopter rescued Mariana Burceag, 31, and Daniel Vlad, 34, at about 6:15 a.m. from Camp Muir, a staging area for climbers about 10,000 feet up the 14,410-foot volcano, authorities said. Burceag's husband, Eduard Burceag, 31, died of exposure on the mountain, park spokeswoman Monica Magari said. A helicopter from Fort Lewis flew the survivors off the mountain Wednesday morning and they were taken by ground transportation from Madigan Hospital at the Army base near Tacoma to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, where they were treated for frostbite and released Wednesday afternoon.
"They're going to be OK," said Harborview spokeswoman Susan Gregg-Hanson. "They want to remain private ... just want to get through this the best they can," she said. Eduard Burceag's body was being brought down the mountain by sled late Wednesday, Magari said.
Originally from Romania but living in the suburban Bellevue area, the three had been out for a day hike Monday to Camp Muir when they were caught in the storm that dumped 2 feet of snow. All three were experienced climbers and two had reached the top of Mount Rainier before, national park spokesman Kevin Bacher said. After a winter of heavy snowfall that forced repeated closure of mountain passes, unseasonably cold conditions have continued long into spring in Washington's Cascade Range. Paradise, the jumping-off point for the trail to Camp Muir, received 2 feet of fresh snow over Monday night, with 5-foot drifts and 70 mph winds at Camp Muir, Bacher said. "Nobody expects a blizzard in June," he said. Rangers received a call at 3:30 a.m. Tuesday that three hikers had been trapped in the sudden blizzard on the Muir snowfield as they were descending. The three apparently built a snow shelter at about 9,500 feet. The weather prevented an immediate rescue attempt after their call, Bacher said. The other male hiker left the married couple and battled through heavy snow to reach Camp Muir at 7:15 a.m. Tuesday and was able to direct rescuers to the other hikers near Anvil Rock, a large outcropping at the edge of the Muir snowfield. The others were brought to a shelter at Camp Muir about an hour later, but the woman's husband was unconscious and later died, Bacher said. He suffered from hypothermia and frostbite. Bacher said day hikers are not required to check in with park officials, and these hikers didn't. But he said it's a good idea any time of year to inquire about conditions on the mountain, where weather can turn deadly quickly. "Be prepared for worse conditions than you expect," he said. "Be prepared to spend the night out." The death was the first reported on the mountain this year. In December, a 22-year-old Lynnwood man, Kirk Reiser, was killed when he was swept up in a snowslide while on a day hike on snowshoes. Bacher said 48 people spent Tuesday night at Camp Muir. Some had planned to sleep there and others had to because of the weather.

June 12, 2008 - Day 6 - Climb down the Mtn

Day 6 - we wake up to the most beautiful day of the trip. Too bad we don't have time to go for the summit. The view to the northwest from Camp Schurman.

Another view.

Five of the eight climbers in our group left around 1:30am to try for the summit. They are going to be allowed 8 hours roundtrip (typically you need 12 - 13 hours). One of the guys comes back around 5am - he couldn't keep up. At around 7:30am, I am up and looking around with one of the other guys that didn't go up. We look up the mountain (you still can't see the very top from where we were) and can see tiny little figures moving down the mountain. There looks to be three or four rope teams coming down.

Big crevasse on the rightside of the picture.

As they get closer we figure it must be the four guys from our group (two rope teams with two of our guides).

Another view of climbers coming down the mountain. Looks like three or four rope teams.

Another view of the big crevasse. Look at the size of the people compared to the crevasse!!!

As they get closer, we can tell it's our lead guide Joel with Dave and Anders. Behind them is Kate, Tim, and Robert. They are 3 hours early! What happened?

A close-up of the group. Turns out they had to turn around at 12,000'. Apparently the weather was pretty bad and it was very difficult to find a route up the mountain with all the crevasses. Dave tells us he was "holding on for dear life" --- and he's probably the most fit of the group! Anders is "wiped out". Dave also tells us "it's a whole different world up there". I figured it would be pretty difficult and I'm glad I didn't try it. My boots are too loose (& heavy --- I want the boots the guides have ---- their boots weigh 2 lbs 3 oz and mine weigh 5 lbs 13 oz!) and I'd be afraid of a mis-step. We talk to some of the climbers from another group that is coming down. They didn't make it to the top either. Later I find out that no one has "summitted" yet this year from the side (Emmons) we were on!! (Geez . . . I wish I had known this side was going to be so more difficult than the other side of the mountain. )

After both groups get down, we have breakfast and pack up. We're heading down around 9:30am. Below the guides are taking there time (!) packing up to go down the mountain. They expect it will take 4 - 5 hours from Camp Schurman to the White River Campground parking lot . . . and then we have a 3 - 4 hour drive back to Ashford. We are all talking about what we are going to eat once we get back to civilization. (I can't wait for a diet pepsi and salty potato chips.) We also talk about what we aren't going to be eating for awhile when we get back! We all had way too many Snickers bars!!

We finally head down from Camp Schurman. It's unbelievable how much quicker it is to go down vs. up --- which shouldn't be surprising, but it's still steep going down too! There is the one stretch that we have to go up, before we go down. It's very steep and we have to cut our steps into the side of the mountain as we lean to our left. One mis-step and I feel like I may slide down the side on my right. I take one look to my right --- it's steep and drops off quickly. Unfortunately it's too hard to stop and take a picture, so you'll have to believe me when I say it was "scary steep". After the short uphill, we round the corner and we're back on the InterGlacier which took us up 2 1/2 hours to climb up yesterday. Today, it takes us about 20 - 30 minutes to get down. We start by hiking, but it's so steep it's hard to keep our rope (which we're hooked to) out of our feet. We are the third rope team and I notice that the other groups are now "sliding" down the mountain. Our guide turns to me and says "are you up for it" and of course I say "sure". She tells us to use our ice axe to slow us down if we need to. Basically we sit down and get ready for a huge long slide down the mountain. It's called "glissading". Since I don't have a picture, I've found one & included it below. It was so much fun and we flew down the mountain. Saves on the thigh muscles!! We finish our "slide" back to our campsite in Glacier Basin. This is where we had spent two nights. Today the weather is much warmer than it had been the day before and the snow is now "mashed potatoes". It's difficult to walk in. Our walls from our campsite have melted. We stop to take our first rest of the day outside the walls. We all strip down to t-shirts (roll up our long sleeves if that's all we have) --- it's HOT!

We rest for 20 minutes or more enjoying the warm weather and knowing we only have another 3 1/2 or 4 miles to go --- downhill. Of course I'm remembering all the creeks and big trees and bolders I know we will have to climb over. I offer my food to the others . . . anything to lighten my pack. Luckily Joel wants my Pop Tarts - they're heavy!! I pose for a picture next to our melted wall.

The group is resting and soaking up the sun. I think the temperature was 72 degrees!!

A view back down toward the forest --- where we're headed.

More resting . . .

Packed up and ready to finish off the "hike".

We finally get going and head down the glacier to the forest. We're moving fast but it's farther than I remember. The melted snow causes several in our group to fall through the snow, when we cross over the creeks and bridges.

Lots of the snow has melted since we came through 3 days ago. We pass people headed up - some of who are carrying their skis!!

We stop two more times on the way down. It's a lot of pressure on the thighs and ankles going downhill. Lots of rocks to step over, but somehow not quite as many streams. We make it back to the White River Campground's parking lot around 2:30pm. We all smell pretty bad! We've been wearing the same clothes for 4 days!! AAGGHH!! Luckily, Joel had mentioned that we might want to throw an extra pair of shoes in the van for the ride back to Ashford. I threw in a shirt, pants, and shoes. It felt great to change. We are told that under no circumstance was anyone to take off their climbing boots in the van because of the stink!!! Before we pack into the van for the 3+ hour drive back to Ashford, we pose for a picture. Read flags down someone to take a group picture(s). From Left to Right: Pete, Anders, Ken, Kate (guide), Dave, Jeff (guide), Read, Tim, Lexie, Robert, Katie (guide), Joel (lead guide). We stop at a little shop on the way back to Ashford. I get a diet pepsi that just "burns" as it goes down. It tastes so good and so does the salty potato chips. Once we get back to Whittakers in Ashford, we sort out our gear and return our rental stuff and "group gear". We clean up a bit and meet for a group celebration dinner of pizza and beer. Joel congratulates each of us for completing the climb & gives us a certificate. He stresses that it's not about "summitting" it's about "climbing the mountain" and all the experiences that go with it. You never know what the mountain will do & you can't control it. Although we didn't have a real chance of summitting, I thought it was a great experience. I learned a ton about what clothes and gear is needed and "if" I ever try it again, I will be so much better prepared. Also, the fact that we had to deal with the difficult weather, torn tents & broken poles, I probably learned so much more about "respecting" the mountain. After we finish eating, the guides ask "who is going to try the climb again sometime?". Everyone except me says "yes, they'll be back next year". I just don't know if I would ever be able to carry so much weight on my back & I think I need different boots to keep my feet from sliding around.

After the pizza and beer is gone, we all say our goodbyes. I buy a couple souvenirs, make a telephone call to my parents to tell them I am "down from the mountain". 10 minutes later Heidi and Dan show up --- perfect timing! We head back to Seattle and they graciously listen to all my stories. Dan is interested in climbing Mt. Rainier next year! By the time I am back in Seattle, I am almost convinced that "maybe I can make it to the top" if I try the easier route, on the other side of the mountain, from Camp Muir --- and maybe I will try to climb again next year. We'll see . . . it depends on what other adventures I discover are out there for me to try . . .

June 11, 2008 - Day 5 - Climb to Camp Schurman

Day 5 - we wake up to blue skies! We are happy to see that the weather has cleared, but I wonder "what does this mean?" I'm nervous about hiking higher and wonder how we will move camp and set up again with our broken tents. Where are those spring flowers I've been looking for on the top of Mt. Rainier?
Our tents being protected by our "great snow walls". Posing for a picture with Glacier Basin behind me. We're waiting to see what we'll be doing today. Will we go up to Camp Schurman? Will we camp there or just hike up for a visit?

Everyone waves to the camera . . .Dave, Pete, Tim, and Robert.

Another picture of our "walled tents".

Robert peeking out of his tent, while Tim reviews his pack.

Everyone walking around, preparing for the morning . . . still not sure what we'll be doing.

The wind continues to whip around the top of the mountain.

We have breakfast and ask what the plans are. Joel is still waiting to hear what the weather forecast is. He tells us that we can stay where we are, climb to Camp Schurman and come back down to our tents, or pack up and move to Camp Schurman. If we decide to move our camp, then we have to be prepared to work for several hours to build walls around our tents up at Camp Schurman. This means that the climb will be at least 4 hours and then we'll have to drop our packs and immediately begin work on the snow walls - no time for resting. He asks us to each tell them what we want to do. Pete doesn't want to move camp, the rest of us agree to move camp, but I tell them I'm not capable of trying to summit in a shortened period of time. He said we'd have 8 or 9 hours instead of the typical 12 - 13 hours, plus another 4 hours to get all the way down the mountain. I had a clear memory of how hard the hike was the first day and knew it wouldn't be easy going back down over all the rocks and trees. Most everyone else wants to attempt the summit.

We leave the cook tent and an hour later, we are told to "pack up, we're moving to Camp Schurman"! The guides stop to talk to another RMI group going up the mountain on Liberty Ridge.

This is what a group typically looks like as they're climbing up the mountain.

About an hour after packing up, we hook up onto rope lines. Each guide has two climbers. I get on Kate's rope with Read. We climb up the Inter Glacier. It is steep and exhausting. Both Read and I are overdressed. We are sweating alot - too much. My sunglasses keep falling down my face and my helmet is sliding all around on my head! It's so much harder than the first day. The slope is 35 degrees. (If you're a skier, think black diamond steepness!) The weather is good, but the wind whips up at time and at one point the visibility goes way down. One moment I can see the rope line ahead of us, then I don't see them and then I can't even see Kate in front of me, who is 20' ahead of me on the rope line. Pretty quickly the sky clears up again. We stop twice on the way up the steep slope. It is hard to stop because there isn't anywhere flat. When we do stop, we throw our packs down and have to secure everything or it will slide down the mountain or blow away. At our second stop, it is so cold, my hands are trembling so much I can't zip my parka. I barely have enough energy to get my water out and I eat very little. I'm exhausted!!! This is a picture of Kate and me.

Pictures from the top of Inter Glacier right before we cross over to the Emmons Glacier. Joel looking out across the glacier.

Jeff with little Tahoma behind him.

Ken and Kate during a rest on the side of the mountain.

Read and Dave at the rest stop on the side of the mountain.

After crossing over the flanks of Steamboat Prow, we climb up some more. It's real windy now and Read needs to stop and change his gloves. Kate tells me to move my arms to keep warm. All I have on is my capilene top! We get moving again and have to go down a steep side of a mountain before continuing up. The snow is deep. Kate yells to me to plant my ice axe and then step firmly with my boots, but to keep the snow out of my crampons. Each step down is so far down and it's so steep and the snow is deep, I feel that with one mis-step I'll go flipping head of heels down the mountain. I'm sweating and my helmet is falling off my head. The rope is slack and getting tangled in my feet. After 30 minutes or so, we're back down on flatter ground and making our last approach up to Camp Schurman. I see a stone building around the corner and know we're close. 30 minutes longer and we come across the last little hill and I see tents being set up. I'm relieved. I made it.

Kate is working on cutting out snow blocks for the wall.

I take a short rest at the top - it's 2:30pm. I'm freezing and put on all the layers I have. I know there's a lot of work left to do, before we get to rest for the night. (Somehow I managed to cut my nose on the hike up.) Views of the mountain at Camp Schurman.

After a couple hours of work on the walls, I take a short break to walk over to the Ranger's Station and get my picture taken. (sure wish I knew I had blood on my nose)

Looking down from the Ranger's station. That's a huge crevasse on the bottom right of the picture.

Looking back out over Emmons Glacier.

One of the rangers resting at Camp Schurman, 9440'.

A view from the Ranger's building of the wall we built for our tents, cook tent, and guides' tents.

After several "back breaking" (as if my back wasn't already killing me!) hours of cutting and carrying and placing the snow blocks for our wall, it was time to put up the tents. I could hardly stand up. I had to keep bending over to relieve the pressure in my lower back. (This was the first time I was thinking "I guess sitting at my desk at the office wouldn't be such a bad thing".) Most everyone is standing around, watching poor Katy do most of the work to get our tents up for the night. By the time we get to my tent, there isn't enough room in the walled area and we have to chip away at the wall to make more room. It is a very tight fit. After 4 hours or so (around 6:30pm), we have all the tents up. I finally am allowed to lay down and take some pressure off my back. We have our boiling water for dinner around 7:30pm. (I have no appetite. I give half of my dinner to Ken . . . )

At dinner, Joel talks to us about the plans for a summit try. Those interested will be woken up at 12:30am for breakfast and then be ready to go at 1am. They will have to be back down by 10am so that we can leave Camp Schurman for the hike all the way down the mountain, by 11am. If there is any difficulty on the way up, they will turn around and come back to camp. Five are planning on giving it a try - everyone except Pete, Read, and me.

Around 9pm, I borrow Kate's phone to try to get a hold of my sister Mary so that she can contact Heidi and Dan. We don't expect to get back to Ashford until around 7 or 8pm and I don't want them waiting there for me for hours. Of course I never expected to be able to get phone reception on the top of Mt. Rainier so I didn't bring my phone.

I can't get reception in my tent, so I walk to the Ranger's hut to ask them if they know where might be a good spot to get reception. They show me, but it still doesn't work. Since I am out and the sun is setting, I am able to take these beautiful pictures of the mountains. This is exactly why I like to climb mountains - it's incredible up here!!

Various sunset pictures from Camp Schurman . . . beautiful!!! I climb back into my tent and give the phone one more try and luckily it works. I talk to Mary and ask her to contact Heidi and Dan and tell them to meet me no earlier than 8pm. It's weird to think you can talk to someone in Denver from almost 10,000' up Mt. Rainier. She tells me about teh call from RMI to tell her our group was safe. She tells me that Tina looked up where the accident was on the mountain and could see that it was on the other side of mountain from where were had planned to be. Mary asks "you're calling from where??". I tell her "I'm at Camp Schurman --- 9440' up Mt. Rainier!".

Tents from another group . . . no wall. They were lucky the winds weren't too bad that night!!