[pct-l] Hood and Rainier on a Thru-hike

[bighummel at aol.com]

Jeff Zimmerman, Paul Hacker and I climbed Mt Rainier in '77; the lowest snow year on record. It was melted back down to the core glacial ice and made for a great climb, considering the great shape we were in having walked about 2,000 miles to get there! I climbed middle Sister also, an easy scramble up.  In 2009, after meeting with the NGS film crew, Jeff Zimmerman joined Paul and I for a Mt Shasta attempt in September, against local recommendations.  We went up the northern-most ridge, camped at about 10,500 and Jeff and I left the next morning for a summit attempt.  A very high velocity wind, cold as hell was freezing us and shifting our weight off balance at 11,500.  We found the glacier that we had to cross melted back to core, hard glacial ice, so hard that a full swing of my long wooden ice axe just bounced off with a minor impact point.  We decided to back off and climb under better conditions another year.  
Now, that area has seen a LOT of snow this year and this may help the climbing conditions further into summer.  JoAnn, pipe in here on your conditions, if you please.
I highly recommend a PNW volcano summit attempt on your thru-hike, IF you have previous climbing experience and can either borrow, rent or have technical gear sent in.  You'll find that your conditioning is the least of your concerns.
Greg Hummel


I will follow you if you follow me
All the days and nights that we know will be
I will stay with you if you stay with me
Just one single tear in each passing year
                            - Genesis