The following is my journal from the 30day NOLS mountaineering expedition I took in 2005.

Day 1 7/27/05

Met at the Cottontree Inn at 7am in Mt. Vernon, then went to NOLS headquarters for breakfast. Got issued gear (had to get new sunglasses). After that we had lunch, then packed food for the course. I was very impressed, everything was measured to the exact  ounce for each day. Then we drove to the Snoqualmie Wilderness where we plan to summit Dome Peak. Looking forward to everything.

Day 2 7/28/05

Hiked 4-5 miles uphill today with 65lb pack. Hiking in plastic boots is quite an experience, you have to walk like a cowboy to keep from wearing your feet down. At the end we had to do a mile through the trees to camp, and that tore me up. I am really tired.




Day 3 7/29/05

Took on weight today (crampons, and 2 blocks of cheese) because John [name has been changed] kept puking and didn’t have the strength to continue [later we determined it had been bad dehydration and heat stroke]. I was assigned leader for the lagging group, so that was pretty cool I’m pretty proud of that this early on in the trip. Seems like I’ve put a good impression on the leaders. We hiked 1.5 miles approx. and gained 2000’ all off trail. It was extremely tough because of that. Going over the scree, and loose boulder fields was really intense. We had to follow a creek for a lot of the ascent because the trees and brush were too thick. Walter [name changed] almost passed out a few times, and most everyone (including myself) had to treat “hot spots” (places where feet hurt) at some point. If John is feeling better tomorrow, then we will hike to the nearby glacier under Monte Cristo which is the mountain we plan to climb after we learn basic skills on the glacier. There are a lot of crevasses on the glacier. You can see Glacier Peak from here too, and it’s enormous.  We plan to climb it at some point, but to he honest, I’m not to excited about it like I thought I would be.  At only 5200′, my heart is going pretty fast, and to be honest, it sort of worries me as to how I’m going to hold up at 10,000′+ Glacier Peak.  Wish me luck!

Day 4 7/30/05

Today John was feeling better so we moved camp ~1/4 mile west to the Pride Glacier (just below Monte Cristo Peak).    We learned how to travel, and then went onto the Pride Glacier.  Having crampons to bite into the ice was a really cool feeling.  The ice axe was fun to use also, it is the mountaineers most versatile tool basically.  Going on the glacier was really fun.  Bobby [name changed] had to place a lot of protection so we wouldn’t fall into the crevasses.  There are things called moulins that are under glacier rivers and water pockets, so falling into those would be harder to survive [than a crevasse] because you would either drown or freeze. 

Day 5 7/31/05

Today we crossed the pride Glacier again, only we got out of the dry glacier, and onto the wet section (can’t see crevasses etc… because there is snow instead of ice).  Once we got there we practiced self belay and self arrest.  We also learned how to travel on snow, because a lot of times on snow you don’t need crampons.  Albert [name changed] had a minor case of snow blindness today.  That goes to show how sunny it’s been.  It’s been about 70-80deg since we got here.  I had to put on a ton of zinc sunscreen on my face.  Albert had sunglasses on, but there were areas around his eyes that let the sun in.  Every-one else who had to put tape around those areas to block all the sun.  By now, it looks like everyone has taped their glasses to their faces.  I didn’t have a problem with them.  Tonight we baked pizza, and it was good.   I am really happy with the members of the expedition team.  We all work well together, and are grownup and responsible.  Tomorrow the plan is to go ice climbing.  Bobby was talking about how the glaciers on Glacier Peak are big enough that we could be sent to the “blue room.”  This is where we are lowered into the crevasse low enough so that the ice looks blue, and we have to ice climb our way out.

The stars are simply amazing tonight, so some of us are sleeping out under the stars.  The milky way is as clear as day…beautiful!!!

Day 6 8/1/05

Today we went ice climbing.  There is a section of the Pride Glacier that has melted away from the rocks at about 30′ tall that we climbed up.    It was incredibly fun to do.  Placing bomber axe placements wasn’t to difficult, but trying to kick the crampons in was because the ice was full of air and really crumbly.

Last night we were sleeping out under the stars, but at about 5am I woke up to sprinkling rain, went to the tent, and it rained harder.  It continued to rain the majority of the day, and stopped only in the afternoon.  Anyway, back to the ice climbing.  There are three main types of pro they taught us.  In order of increasing strength is the ice screw, v-thread, and bollard.  You need to thread the webbing through the “V” perpendicular to the direction of force that is to be applied.  Last night we made pizza, tonight we made lentils and rice with a lot of spices.  It was pretty good.  We also made ginger bread cookies which were also really good.  Tomorrow we have to be geared up, packed, and at Danny [name changed] and Bobby’s camp [instructors] at 6:30am to attempt to summit Monte Cristo Peak, so I’m going to get some sleep.

Day 7 8/2/05

Today we attempted to summit Monte Cristo peak, but weren’t able to.  We got within a few hundred feet vertically from the summit (I’m guessing) but weren’t able to cross over into the saddle below the peak safely, so we learned how to build snow anchors and went down.  It was a really tough push to climb it, and the descent was rather rough as well.  I was pretty disappointed we weren’t able to summit it, but it was still fun.  I helped Jimmy[name changed] make bread cheese calzone pockets, and peanut butter chocolate cookies for lunch tomorrow…looking forward to that.  Jimmy usually snores but last night he was making a really weird constant noise that kept me up.  I think I might try to sleep under the stars again to avoid that.  Tomorrow we are going to hike out the way we came in, then onto a trail to get re-rationed.  My guess is that my pack will weigh ~75lbs after that.  I’m going to get some sleep, have to be up early for that.

Day 8 8/3/05

Not much to say about today.  We hiked from the Pride Glacier to the Curry Gap trail head.  That was about 1000′ up and 2000′ down, then 2 miles, so I’m extremely tired.  Tomorrow we get re-rationed, and increased double the for food 11 days instead of just 7, then we get driven to the trail head that leads to Glacier Peak.  From there we have to hike 5 miles to camp.  I volunteered to lead half the group tomorrow.  Extremely tired…time for sleep.

Day 9 8/4/05

Today we hiked about 4 miles.  We got re-supplied, Allie [name changed] drove her van and brought us our rations.  She also brought us sandwich materials for lunch, so that was cool  We got a little ride from the trail head we left, to the trail head for the Glacier Peak Wilderness.  I volunteered to be the leader today, so I took half the group, and hiked to the Red Creek camp ground.  Daniel [name changed] and I read the map today to get a better idea of what to expect to get to the campground, and it was totally different from what the actual features were, so I was totally thrown off (Daniel was also surprised).  Tomorrow, we hike about 6 miles, and gain 4000′, all with a pack that is 75-80lbs (because of the re-ration).  The average pack weight is supposedly 45% [of your body weight], but I’m going on 60% so it’s extremely tough.  We have to be up at 5am tomorrow to get hiking before the sun comes up…bedtime.

Day 10 8/5/05

Today was tough.  We hiked 6 miles gaining a final altitude of 4000′ all with an 80lb pack.  We had to go off trail for a part of it too.  I took Walter’s heavy ice axe today because he couldn’t handle the heat and weight very well.  When we went off trail, we had to use helmets, and ice axes to steady ourselves, and arrest if we fell just like if we were in snow.  I had to shuttle Walter’s pack down this steep part because he was having trouble with stability.  I’m seeing that Bobby and Daniel are trusting me more and more everyday.  I was doing one of the best fittest-wise, and have been so far on this trip.  It seems like Larry, Nate and Jimmy [names changed] and I have been at the head the whole time, with energy at the end of the day, so I’m pretty proud of that (cockiness aside).  Tomorrow we’re taking a lay-over day because we’re all tired.  Tomorrow’s wake-up time is 10am…finally. I’m talking with the guys right now, so I better quit writing.

Day 11 8/6/05

Today was a layover day.  We stayed at the lake at the basin below Glacier Peak. Bobby and Daniel taught us how to haul someone out of a crevasse.  We also learned how to tie into various anchor setups.  It’s stayed sunny for quite a while, only rained one day.  Today during break I swam in the lake.   It’s from glacier runoff, so it’s incredibly cold.  Most people didn’t want to go in.  I felt numb after a few minutes, and got back out.  I had a mandatory meeting with Bobby today about my performance and he said I’m a very strong hiker and that he’s going to start putting me in the lead a lot more.  He was also very appreciative of me helping him the times I have.  As a joke he said I should climb with a straw (breathing through it) so I will feel like I’m on Everest   He says I should summit the 7 tallest without oxygen.  I’m still happy with my performance, and hope it holds up.  Tomorrow we will hike onto Glacier Peak, and hopefully camp on the glacier.  It will be tough with a 75-80lb pack across glaciers, but hopefully I will do well in relation to the group.  I better help with dinner, update…tomorrow.

Day 12 8/7/05

Today was a long one for me.  Last night I got really sick.  I had to get up so many times, I decided just to move outside for the night.  I hardly got any sleep, and was dry heaving rather often.  Once I had breakfast it got  a lot better though.  Despite that fact, I was still in the lead today with the fittest of the group.  We gained about 2000′ today, and are now at about 8600′ high.  My heard rate gets fast really easy, but goes down fast too because I’m in relatively good shape.  Today Larry and Harry [heh...couldn't think of another name that started with an 'H'] were the leaders.  When it came to crossing the glaciers, Larry was lead for my glacier team.  At one point Larry came to a halt because he had ran into two intersecting crevasses, making a big hole in the glacier.  He then found a snow bridge over one of them and crossed it.  Bob followed, then me.  When I went across though, the bridge began to give way, and I sank down to my knees before I could catch myself.  I slung my ice axe into the side, and tried to climb out, but had trouble and kept sinking.  [at the time I thought it was a moulin but now I think it was a shallow crevasse with a little stream in it].

I’m out under the stars again on a rock with the Chocolate glacier ahead of me.

Day 13 8/8/05

This morning I woke up feeling a little better as far as my stomach goes, but I had a really runny nose.  I also felt really weak too.  We learned crevasse rescue on someone that can’t ascend out themselves.  Today I got to lead a rope team up partway on Glacier Peak to see possible routes for tomorrows summit attempt.   I was the first team too, so I had the highest potential of falling into a crevasse, plus I had to exert the extra effort of kicking in steps into the snow.  About halfway there though, Albert (who hadn’t been feeling well) had to go down, so I lost my spot as lead team, but kept my leadership position as we ascended the second time.  We reached an ice fall near the top that I had to lead, but all I had was a snow picket, no ice screws, so I wasn’t able to place pro, but instead had to free solo it.  Anyway, I did well today, and am feeling better.  Before, we were having to bag our #2, and throw it into a crevasse, but now we put it on a rock, or ice slab and throw it into the crevasse.  John missed part of the crevasse, and almost had to rope up, and kick it back in.  I felt bad about it, but I couldn’t help but laugh really hard   I have to be up by 4:30am tomorrow morning for the summit attempt, so I better get some sleep.

Day 14 8/9/05

  Today was pretty eventful.  I got up at 4am to climb Glacier Peak, and by about 8:30am we summitted.  It was my first summit!!!  We climbed it by the “kitty litter” route, which is basically the standard route to reach the summit.   There is a log book at the top, with entries from years back of people’s accounts of the summit, their signatures etc…  I was part of two rope teams, the third rope team went up the cool, Chocolate cleaver route (because it is the cleaver between the cool and Chocolate glaciers).  On the way back, I got to lead the lead rope team over the heavily canvassed Cool glacier.   It was a bit frightening at times, because there were huge crevasses.  One of them I fully saw when I was just next to it, and it was huge, probably 10-15′ across, and heaven knows how deep.  I’m looking at some clouds in the distance now, and there is some lightning, which has me worried.  Anyway, about 3/4-4/5 the way down back to base camp, my lead was switched over to Kris [name changed] but it was fun while it lasted.  BTW, base camp is about 8600′-8700′ and Glacier peak’s summit is 10,571′.  Tomorrow we’re getting lowered into crevasses, to practice rescue.  I’m extremely excited for that.

Day 15 8/10/05

Today was one of the toughest for me yet.  We got to cross the cool glacier to a crevasse that is about 50′ deep and 8′ wide.  I lowered myself down on rappel, and Kris had me on belay to climb back out with ice tools. I took a bunch of pictures [and the following video] and then began to climb.  Because of the compression of the snow, the bottom was really icy, the middle a little choppy, but the top was like powdered snow.  When I got about half-way up, and into the powder I fell quite a few times because the ice axes hardly gripped the snow.  The last time though, my left axe blew, then my feet, and my right arm was left, which twisted, subluxed/dislocated then blew itself out.  Bobby looked down at me and yelled for them to begin crevasse rescue to haul me out.  After something like 20min I was at the top, Bobby anchored himself in, then reached down and pulled me out, then dragged me to the safe zone.  My arm hurt so bad that laughing, or any movement made it hurt more.  I’m really pissed, because tomorrow I have to stay in camp alone, but also, the chance that I will get to get into a good position on the rope teams is very slim now.  Having to use my left hand and teeth for everything, I also chipped my front left tooth.  I slept outside again for the 3rd/4th time in a row, but leaned myself against a dirt wall so my shoulder could be elevated.  Bobby plans on moving camp tomorrow afternoon to ensure I am able to get to the re-ration point alright.  As I sit here, I hear the glaciers rumbling, and the rocks crashing down.

[SinglePic not found]

[the above picture was taken by Harry while I was waiting to be hauled out with my arm still dislocated.  At the time I thought I was just being weak, but my arm had been subluxed/dislocated that whole night until early morning when I rolled on it, and it finally went back into place.  I learned how to pop it back in myself after that...have had surgery since then and it's doing much better]

Day 16 8/11/05

Today I was stuck in camp because of my arm, while one team submitted by the Cool Chocolate cleaver, and another scouted the Chocolate glacier for possible routes.  Tomorrow we are going to move camp, and get off of the glacier.  My arm is feeling much better so hopefully moving with a pack won’t be much trouble.  It’s raining really hard now, so for the first time in a while, I’m sleeping in the tent again.  It’s only the second time this trip it has rained, which is really surprising in the Northwest.

Day 17 8/12/05

Today we left the Glacier Peak base camp, and dropped about 4000′ to the basin where the Suiattle, and Chocolate creeks meet.  It’s really nice and sandy here, and the weather is nice (cleared up in the night) so I’m sleeping outside again.  The chocolate river is so dirty, it looks like chocolate milk, the Suiattle isn’t a whole lot better, but it’s good enough to drink.    The dinner we made from it was extremely gritty, I probably wore my teeth down about a millimeter.  We had a “twiggy” fire today (with a fire in addition to conserve fuel) and made wheat/egg dough with cheese inside for lunch tomorrow since we’re out of lunch food completely.  Albert is going to go home at the next ration period in a few days…I’m sad to see him go because he’s a cool guy, but I did all I could to stop him I guess, and it had no effect.  We have to be ready by 8am tomorrow because we might have to rig up a Tyrolean, or wade across the river, and have quite a ways to go, so I better get some sleep.

Day 18 8/13/05

Today we hiked about 5 miles from where the Chocolate and Suiattle creeks converge, to the Suiattle creek crossing where the bridge has been washed out.  We had to do a lot of bushwhacking to even find the trail.  There was a massive flood (“once in 500 years flood”) in 2003 that took out all of the bridges and parts of the trails, so it’s hard to figure out where you are supposed to go half the time.  Tomorrow I have volunteered to lead the expedition with Harry.  Our first joint task will be to cross the Suiattle river, which is very large and rapid, so hopefully that works out with no flaws.  I just got done with a “twiggy” fire for lunch tomorrow, and it’s 11pm, so I better get to sleep because the leave time I/we designated is 8am (6am wake up)

Day 19 8/14/05

Today Harry and I were leaders for the day.  We led a 9-9.5 mile hike, so it was a really long day.  I licked a banana slug, and it made my mouth feel weird and slimy.  Tonight Kris and Jimmy and I decided to go to the sulfur hot springs, which is a 2 mile round trip.  We snuck out after dark, and got to the top, found someone camping there, and tried to get past them to see if the hot springs were there, but we couldn’t see anything and had to turn back [could smell it well though].  Because we got so far today, we only have 2 miles to get to the re-ration point tomorrow, so we don’t have to be ready until 10am Sweeeet!!!  It’s almost 11:30 now though, so I should get some sleep.

Day 20 8/15/05

Today we hiked to the Downey Creek Campground, which was only two miles away.  Today then, was more of just a rest day than anything.  Tomorrow we have to hike 6 miles.  At 4pm we get re-rationed, and because I had had hardly any breakfast and no lunch, I was extremely hungry.  My hands were literally shaking I was so excited to see food…it was the best meal ever.  Albert left with the ration truck, which was sort of weird to see.  We had a deep conversation today, and he told me some really sad stories which made it ever harder to see him go.  I also changed tent mates today too.  I’m with Larry and Nate, and Kris has joined our food group because of having one person short makes it easier to have two groups of 4 rather than 3, 3, and 2.  I get to get up at 8am tomorrow, but I’m sort of tired, so I’m going to get some sleep.

Day 21 8/16/05

We hiked 6 miles today, and for some reason, I found it rather tough in the end.  A lot of that was probably because my pack was fitting me funny today.  I was having a bit of trouble with the waist belt.  Tomorrow I’ll probably tape up my waist to help it heal, and prevent further injury.  I half-choose to lead tomorrow with Warren.  We are going to hike about 3-4 miles, almost all of it off-trail.  We have been given very little information, and have sketchy outdated maps, so I’m a little worried, also because the plan was to split into two groups.  When there is trail, it’s a good chance it might be out, so basically, for the most part we are going to have to bush wack, and find our way to where we think might be a good place to camp.  Tonight I made my own pepper jack cheese pasta, and blueberry cake with lemon frosting.  It was incredible how well it turned out.  The top was slightly burnt because it raised enough to touch the top, but it cooked perfectly, and the frosting was great.    The lemon and blueberry mix was a really good one.  I made it all by myself on a fire with a twiggy fire on top to make it like an oven.  Right now I’m sitting alone by the fire I built for the pie, because I need to let it die down before I can go to bed.  I think I might cheat a little though, and put some water on it because I’m getting really tired, and Warren and I decided on a 8am departure time (6am wakeup).  It’s only 9:30pm right now, and normally I would be up for 3 more hours at least, but I’m full and happy, I’m wiped out, and tomorrow’s going to be a really long day.

Day 22 8/17/05

Today I was leader with Warren (who had trouble and gave the lead to Jimmy).  We gained ~4000′. and a bit of it was off trail and very uncertain.  It was so rainy and cloudy today you couldn’t see more than 200′.  That made navigation really difficult too.  Every single bush we passed showered more water down on me than my own shower at home would.  I was absolutely drenched…no question about it.  I still am as I lay in the tent, and it’s still raining really hard.  We’re in the clouds too which doesn’t help us to dry at all.  We weren’t sure if Cub lake was nearby or not but Jimmy and I decided to go for it, and ended up camping there.  The guys were happy with our leading, so that was cool to hear.    I did pretty well considering the distance we traveled, the extreme terrain, and the elevation we gained.  We don’t have a wake up time tomorrow, because we aren’t sure if we’re going to move or stay if the weather continues.  Cub lake is actually really warm for some reason.  Larry thinks it might be because of hot springs.  Today was tough, and I’m tired, so g’night (darn Pica’s keep squeaking like rubber duckies near my tent…).

Day 23 8/18/05

This morning it dawned clear and sunny.  The weather is great.  Last night when I got up (early morning) the sky was mostly clear but became cloudy really quickly.  Needless to say then, it was quite a surprise when we woke up, and it was really sunny.  Because of that we’re moving to Dome peak today to camp below/on the glacier…update later on…..

I’m sleeping under the stars at 7500′ on Dome peak base camp, and the sunset/stars are beautiful.   Today was extremely tough for me.  The hip belt on my pack was actually taking skin off my back, so that was pretty painful.  There’s also something wrong with my toe too.  I thought it was an ingrown toenail, but I think it’s just a broken nail that’s smashing against my shoe.  It was really painful anyway, and made me twist my ankle a few times because of it.  We gained about 2000′ in 2.5miles, so that was really tough.  I was afraid I was getting to dehydrated for part of it, but it all turned out fine in the end.  PS, the low short blueberries at high altitude taste like candy.  Time for bed…night.

Day 24 8/19/05

Today we went out onto the Dome Glacier to find a crevasse to do some ice climbing, rope ascension, and crevasse rescue.  It was a pretty fun day.  I did a mock three team crevasse rescue (Larry was the victim).  It was really tough, and took a lot more time than it should have.  I also ascended a line using the chest and foot prusiks.  I didn’t ice climb though, because I was afraid I might dislocate my arm again.  It feels a lot better now, doesn’t hurt at all, but it doesn’t feel as strong as it could.  Tomorrow we leave at 6am to attempt the summit of Done Peak (8788′).

Day 25 8/20/05

Right now I’m in my sleeping bag.  Even though it’s really cold outside, I’ve got a little platform I’ve smoothed out on the hillside, and finished a rock wall around the perimeter of it to block the wind.  The sunset is absolutely beautiful.  I’ve got a hot cup of Jasmine green tea with milk and sugar in it, and I’m really tired and content.  Tomorrow I have volunteered to attempt the spire peak.  It’s across the heavily crevassed Dana glacier, and I will head the little expedition.  Today we attempted Dome Peak, and got less than 10′ from the top.  I definitely think I could have done it, but the last bit entailed we climb further on the rock, and Danniel didn’t think the group as a while was capable of such a task.  I am disappointed we didn’t reach the true summit, but I agree with Danniel, and would have made the same call had I been in his position.  [SinglePic not found] We learned how to place pitons, cams, stoppers, and hexes today so that’s cool. Remember S.T.A.R.S: Survey, Type of pro, Angle of tension, Rock quality, and Surface area.  Tomorrow I have decided upon a 7am departure, so it’s time for some sleep.  The glacier should be really interesting to try to cross, so that’s why we are leaving early, because in the afternoon sun, snow bridges can melt.  Yesterday when we were crossing the glacier, Harry was leading and suddenly he went shorter.  I thought he had slipped and fallen or something, but one of his legs had gone through a snow bridge to his waist.  Wish me luck for tomorrow! …night.

Day 26 8/21/05

Today has been pretty sweet so far.  I was leader of the day, and head of the rope team to attempt Spire Peak across the Dana glacier.  It was heavily crevassed.  We left at 7:30am, and everything was still icy at that point so we had to put crampons on.  Through out the day, we probably had to take them on and off about 4-5 times.  Because I was lead, I had to check for crevasses, and the risk of me falling into one, or punching through was much higher than anyone else on the team.  One of the ways you can check is to probe the snow with your ice axe.  If it goes in easily, then you could be standing near, or above a crevasse.  There were a few times where I hardly had to push down, my ice axe just went into the snow like butter.  These were the biggest crevasses I’ve seen yet too, and they were deep.  Some real blue rooms were in these crevasses.  Near the end when we got stuck, Danniel went along an ice wall 15′ above an enormous crevasse.  He got about two pieces of pro in, and decided what I had already discovered…we couldn’t go any farther.  Just then we heard this enormous boom, like thunder, only louder, and the ground shook.  Turns out the crevasse below us was falling apart, and crashing 40-50′ down into it.  It was a loud, and lasted about 5 seconds.

[SinglePic not found] Now I’m laying in my sleeping bad under the stars again.  This is our last night on Dome peal.  Our last time roping up, last time with my harness, last time with crampons etc…you could say I’m sort of sad, but I’ve had a really great time, learned a lot, and will be happy to get back home.  Tomorrow we are going to hike back to Cub lake.  Wake up is around 7am, but I’m still really tired from the adventures we had today.  Back tomorrow!

Day 27 8/22/05

Today we packed up base camp, and moved on back down to Cub lake a day early.  We did this, because then we wouldn’t have to make that move and go another 4 miles over avalanche terrain to get to mile 6 camp.  The terrain we will go over tomorrow will be the same I led through a few days ago in the rain.  Hopefully it won’t rain, but even if it doesn’t it will still be a hard hike.  It’s steep downhill terrain over an old avalanche field, then partial bushwhacking.  Time for sleep.

Day 28 8/23/05

Today we hiked from Cub lake for the “mile 6″ camp ground where Bachelor and Downey creeks converge.  We went skiers left going down from the lake instead of climbers left to avoid the avalanche path, which proved to be a much better route…less time, effort, and danger.  We left at 10:30am, and got to camp around 3-4pm.  Billy has been predicting the weather the whole trip, as well as Larry and Nate, and they have been wrong nearly every time, which leads me to believe that either they have no idea what they’re talking about, or it’s just been a guessing game in general.  When I woke up this morning, I told everyone it was going to rain, just a gut feeling, nothing more, and it did.  When it stopped for a bit, everyone thought it was done but I didn’t think so, and it wasn’t.  We had brownies with high altitude northern cascade blueberries and it was really excellent.  Those blueberries are like nothing I have ever tasted, just like candy is how they taste.  Tomorrow we finally meet up at 12pm, which is awesome.  We’re going to stay at “mile 6″ for two days to do evaluations, then hike out, and get shuttled to “The Ranch” for the end of the trip.  I’m going to sleep outside tonight, because the rain has stopped, and I can see some stars through the tree canopy.

Day 29 8/24/05

Today we are still at mile 6 camp, and our wake up was so late I actually woke up earlier than I needed to, because I’m so used to the early starts.  Some of us are trying to set up a Tyrolean traverse across the river, I’ll probably take part in that later on, right now I’m just taking it easy.  [SinglePic not found]

Well, this is my last night out before we go to the Ranch [NOLS headquarters] tomorrow to spend the night, then go home.  I’ve chosen to sleep under the stars again…it’s a really great night for it.  I’m not sure how I feel about going home yet.  I would like to get back to see my family very much, and want to tell them about my expedition, but I’m not sure I’m ready for “real life” yet either.  First things I’m going to do are get my parking permit, get a large pizza, a box of doughnuts, some sugar babies, and some pancake mix.  I’m also going to make some ginger beer too!   I really miss my family though, and hope everything is well and happy with them. I hate times like these where you know the end is coming, and that you won’t see anybody again from the trip.  I just wish it would end, and that I could just go home and not have to say goodbye.  Tomorrow we are all leaving at different times so that we’re not walking together on the trail.  We get picked up at 3pm and get shuttled back to “the ranch” after a 6 mile hike, wish me luck.

Day 30 8/25/05

Well, this is it folks.  I’m sitting under the washed/eroded bridge past Downey Cr. Campground after a 6 mile hike from where Bachelor and Downey Creeks converge.   We split up so that we could hike alone by 10-15min (even though I caught up to Jammie anyway because he was picking berries).  Not everyone’s here yet, but most of them are.  In two hours we will be picked up right up the road from where we are now, where we will be taken back to the NOLS ranch for showers and dinner.  At this point I’m a little sad to be going home but mostly glad and just want to get there.  Hopefully I will be able to get right back out there to go camping/hiking/climbing/mountaineering soon.  Tomorrow morning we do laundry, de-issue our personal gear, buy gear we would like to own, graduate, then go home.  It’s been an incredible experience, and I would like to thank my parents for the opportunity to have been able to have taken part in it.  Hopefully I will be able to return the favor as best I can.  I can’t wait to tell them about my expedition.

The End

(And the beginning )

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Cheers,

Justin

This post is tagged Climbing, expedition, hiking, ice climbing, mountaineering