Rainer
July 11th, 2007
Did not sleep but an hour during the our rest time before attempting to climb to the top. After little sleep we got up and dressed in long johns, shorts, gators, a tee shirt, long sleeve shirt and parka. The night was clear and the stars illuminated the glaciers surrounded by the mountain at Inghram Flats. A few years ago several hikers met their death from falling ice in this camp site. We thought of them during the night with the sound of the occasional snow breaking off the side of the mountain and crashing into a pile less than 100feet from our tent. Rocks falling from the higher parts of the mountain would sound like explosions crashing down and disbursing on the top of the glacier like marbles on a porcelain table. We arose to head lamps wandering the camp resembling fire flies swarming the darkness. There were at least 5 teams attempting to summit this day and several were guided by RMI. (Rocky Mountain Inc) The guides were mostly youthful climbers taking a variety of hopeful climbers to the top.
We assembled in pre-determined order according to our leader (Bob Maxwell). I was on the last rope team with Ed Daily and his brother Paul. Ed was first on the rope, me in the middle and Paul following. The key positions here are at the ends. These individuals have the greatest responsibility and must be ready to react and a moments notice to any unforeseen open crevasse or falling rocks. My main responsibility was to keep alert and manage the rope. Which seemed at times a most difficult feat at 13,000 plus. Managing the rope meant at each switch back the rope that was attached to the leader was in your hand next to ascending side of the mountain and the trailing rope was in your hand on the down side of the mountain. It seemed like a rather mundane task but given that you also had an ice axe in your grips that had to be in the hand on the up side of the mountain as well, and razor sharp crampons which could pierce or worse cut the rope if you accidentally stepped on it, made the task seemed monumental.
Remembering that a head ach often indicates lack of oxygen I took the advice of other climbers and forced breathing in and out. It got to be such an effort that I knew the sound must have been getting on the nerves of my companions. It worked and the head ache ceased. With the increased breathing the legs even felt better.
7:00 AM
We reached the summit very tired but exuberated that we had actually accomplished this feat. It isnt the tallest mountain in the country but it certainly is treacherous. The pictures will describe the rest.
Bob, Doug, Greg, Eddy, Steve, Paul, Jeff, George, Brit, Terry, Shane, Justin, Mike,
