1983 – Makalu II

As a result of my meeting Jim Frush on the the previous year’s Peru climb, I was invited to join a climb of Makalu II (aka Kangchungtse), a satellite peak to Makalu (the fifth highest peak in the world).  I was joining Jim, John Mueller and Mike Hill.  John was a guide for Mountain Travel and the only one who had traveled in Nepal before.

The 3-month pre-monsoon trip from mid-February until mid-May was a wonderful experience.  The approach to base camp had everything you’d expect from a Himalayan expedition, bus rides across the lowlands bordering India, mult-day hikes through the terraced fields laid across the Nepalese foot hills, descending a steep trail to cross a flimsy bridge over a raging river only to have to climb equally steep trail on the opposite side, walks through rhododendron forests, hauling loads over loose rocky glacial moraines, and darn near every other thing I had read in the accounts of “real” expeditions. 

We had our bit of drama when a porter lost his footing crossing a bridge and spilled his load of our ice tools into the river.  John Mueller made a quick (one week) trip back to Kathmandu to buy some replacement ice tools.  Our base camp life was enhanced when a ram was marched in and butchered to add some fresh meat to the menu.

As a climbing trip it was a total failure.  I can’t say for sure whether we actually did any roped climbing on technical terrain.  I recollect that we reached somewhat over 19,000 feet but getting to there only required crampons and an ice axe to route find through the glacier and its moraine.  The weather wasn’t great and we had numerous snow storms at base camp.  Whether it was worse than normal, I don’t know. 

As a trip, however, it was a blast and I still remember it with pleasure.

		1983 - Makalu II VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

1982 – Huascaran, Peru

Huascaran is the highest peak in Peru (22,200 feet) and was my first climbing trip outside the United States (actually, the first trip of any kind outside Canada or the United States).  I think the trip was conceived by Harry Ellis and Jim Frush.  Recruited, besides myself, were Roy Ellis (no relation to Harry) and Keith Echelmeyer.  Keith was a late addition and was recommended by another trip participant (who’s name escapes me) who had to drop out.

We allocated 3-weeks in July for the climb during the region’s dry season.  Rather than going directly to the mountain, we chose to do some acclimatization at Cusco, a popular tourist site and the access point for Machu Picchu.  We did the Machu Picchu excursion as a long day trip from Cusco.

From Cusco we flew back to Lima for the trip to Huaraz which provided some of our best stories of the trip.  Perhaps we had seen too many movies depicting public transportation in developing countries as being provided by dilapidated buses carrying people with their livestock on board and the luggage tied with twine on top the roof.

We weren’t going to have any of that mischief so instead we hired a driver at the airport who had a van.  It turned out the van was some sort of 20+ year old British van whose 4-cylinder engine badly needed rebuilding.  Multiple times during the evening and night as the van crept up the steep highway over the coast range, we had to get out of the van and push.  We ended up sleeping along side the road and were kept awake as the many buses (all modern European buses with onboard restrooms) roared by us.

The climb itself was not technically difficult be did have route finding challenges.  Additionally, the altitude took its toll on both Harry and Roy who turned back along the way.  It was Jim, Keith and I who summited the south peak of Huascaran in somewhat foggy conditions.

		1982 Huascaran VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

1982 – Mt Garibaldi Ski Traverse

(As this trip was more than 40 years earlier than when I am writing this description, I may have some details wrong)

This was a Mountaineers Club ski trip led by Dan McGuire to ski across the Mt Garibaldi Park in British Columbia. I believe the route is what is called the Garibaldi Neve Traverse. I found a nice description of the route here: Garibaldi Neve Traverse. A topographic map showing the route is here: Map of Garibaldi Neve Traverse.

The trip was a 3-day/2-night ski trip staying in two cabins, Elfin Lakes and Sentinel Bay. along the route. We drove up to Squamish near the start of the trip the night before and stayed in a motel. Since we were staying in cabins, we did not carry tents for overnight camping. We did have adequate gear for emergency camping (winter sleeping bags, stoves and shovels for snow shelters) and appropriate cold weather clothing. Most (all) of our group of nine had touring skis with 3-pin bindings. Not sure how many had metal edges to the skis. I know I didn’t as I used my Epoke 1000’s.

The first day to the Elfin Lakes cabin was mostly uphill on a well-marked route. We put climbing skins on the bottom of the skis to make it easier to ascend without slipping. The weather was clear and sunny. The Elfin Lakes cabin was quite nice and had nearby slopes on which to practice our ski turns while wearing a pack.

The next day started as a lovely day and the route was above the tree line and often on a glacier. It being winter and the glacier not being particularly active, we did not travel roped. Between the sun and traveling with heavy packs, adjustments to clothing were frequently necessary to avoid overheating and the associated sweat (never a good thing in winter). Some of us skied in shorts, at least on the uphill portions. The route took us near the summit of Mt Garibaldi, but we did not detour to the summit. As we descended from the high point along the route, the wind picked up and high clouds moved in, dropping the apparent temperature significantly. The accommodations at the Sentinel Bay hut were more spartan than those at Elfin Lakes.

The third day had us skiing across Garibaldi Lake, reentering the forest and skiing trail and road to the parking lot at the traverse’s end. A car had been left here two days earlier and it shuttled the group’s drivers back to start where they retrieved the cars for the group’s return to the Seattle area.