O’kay so I gotta say at this point that the whole scene is just a little intimidating. We are at the Whittaker Base Lodge and all the ALAWer’s (American Lung Association Washington) are congregating and laying down their equipment and conversing with one another, they all know one another, have been training and hiking together for MONTHS!!!!! Most have already been to Muir at least once, some several times. Carna is keen to ask me about my “training” and what have I been doing to get prepared. She kinda skoffs at my lame attempt to tell her “not much actually”. My job is at a shipyard supervising a crew that has been modifying a Very Large Vessel for the last 9 months and this has required me to climb many many stairs each day. I am most concerned about the altitude. I did suffer from hypoxia once so I am familiar with the consequences. This last month I have spent in Brazil on the Amazon Basin (read SEA LEVEL!). I have jogged on the beach each morning and often in the evening before a late dinner, but carrying a pack for long distances is not something I have done for some years. So the ALAWer’s are all swapping stories and showing their well worn gear and I am at the rental shop getting someone else’s “used stuff”…….butterflies.
Training day goes very well I think; I know and have used the rest step and power (pressure) breath. This is not my first 14k mountain, however my last, Gannet Peak in Wyoming Wind River Range is many many years ago. A glacier climb like Rainier so I am confident with kicking steps, using crampons, ice axe, arrests and roping techniques, just that the skills are a little rusty but they all come back. At least I am not the oldest, Richard is here as is Geoff with a G and they look pretty confident. I am Stoked to be here with Katie and Ryan who excelled at all the training exercises.
The climb to Muir is mostly uneventful except I keep thinking to myself that the steps are too damn short. I feel like we are a line of ducklings waddling up the mountain in single file, close quarters. Never did I like formation marching and it brings back bad memories of boot camp and close order drill. Not pleasant and certainly not the way I want to spend my time on this beautiful mountain looking at the derrier of the pack in front of me, sooo I stretch the line a little and try to banter with the guides as they ask me to close up ranks. I try to double step, taking two of the kicked steps at a time so that my pace is an actual rest step, which seems to work pretty well for me but the people behind comment that I am wrecking the kicked steps and that they can’t make the larger step that I am so I let it go until we get to the last 1000 ft vertical section. The last section to Muir was becoming difficult, mostly for the size and rest of the step, it just was not working Rather than continuing at a pace that I knew was wrecking me I made the conscious decision to change my pace. I asked those behind me if they wanted to pass and that I was going to change my step, none seemed interested to pass me by, perhaps they were as tired with the waddle step as I was. So I slowed the pace to a about 1-1/2 step lengths with a real rest and pressure breath every other left foot, the gap widened between me and the pack in front. Arrived at Muir about 15 minutes behind the rest of our group in front and I could see that Win (Our guide) was a little concerned for me.
After we get settled in at Muir, Win takes a moment to speak with me and wants to know if I have reached my “personal summit” I think my immediate answer is “no f'ing way”, that the duck waddle was just not a pace that I could efficiently adapt to. I also let him know that I DEFINITELY want Team Hamkin (Hammell- Younkin, nice how the youngsters have given me the lead in the name) to be on the same rope. Katie and Ryan have deferred to Win regarding who is on which rope, I did not separately tell them I specifically requested a “Team Rope”. Win is still concerned that perhaps I will be the weak link….no way I will let that happen, he simply does not know my grit.
So around 6pm, Win comes around with the list of the rope teams and the order of climb and sure enough Team Hamkin is on Win’s rope and we will be the lead team! Ryan’s and Katie’s stories about the night before have already been told, suffice to say that I sleep about maybe 1-1/2 hours total in 20 to 30 minute naps. Altitude is not a problem, tired is not a problem, the noise is, so is the sun streaming in the window and of course I am on east coast time so it is way too early to sleep, even if we worked hard today. So when 11:30 rolls around, I am already set to go. We get fed and watered and geared up with ropes, helmets, crampons and ice axe in the line and ready with the headlamps blaring. Katie, Ryan and I are all in good spirits a little trepidation at the unknown but ready for an adventure.
I asked "What time is it Katie?", Katie said, "Summertime!". A little game we play when nervous of an adventure, or tired, or, something to say to remember this is the fun stuff! We have been saying this since Katie was in her teens.
Underway at 12:45am in what I am surprised is a perfect rest step! The stride is great, the rest pace is great Life IS Good! It is all up hill, its dark, the Moon is near full and the view is subdued, but spectacular right out of the gate. There is a string of lights up the mountain of climbers who left even earlier than us. I point them out to Katie who does not want to look up or down. I can’t resist doing both with reckless abandon, sometime causing myself to trip as the crampons catch on my gaiters, I don’t care, the view is exhilarating. When we make the first stop I ask Win if we keep the same pace for the entire summit trip, I think he may be wondering if yesterday’s last hour is repeating, but he just says "Yea, that’s how it goes the whole way." I surprise him I think with; “Great, that is a perfect rest step for me and I can keep this pace for the rest of the day!” I am at at least 90%, did not mind the rocks or the scree and the view on Little Tahoma is “Jes Gran”. Even at this steady regular pace, we have passed many groups, Win does not like to follow and we have all kept up very well. Katie arrives behind me and Ryan follows, we are all in good spirits and the bulky down jacket is brilliant with food and water already in the pockets. We all confirm the summit is definitely in Team Hamkin grasp on this glorious day.
Step, rest, pressure breathe the whole way to the top one step at a time and the only real bother is some boot slap on my right shin, I have the boot outer layer as loose as possible but it is still there, ignore it. Two more rest stops and Ryan has photos of the sunrise, Katie still will not look up or down and I on the other hand have a rubber neck craning to see all and file away into the memory banks!
To put the climb of Rainier into perspective:
The Empire State Building is 1260 ft of habitable space with 1850 steps to get there, the climb from lodge to Muir is about 5000 ft, Muir to summit is another 5000ft. Day One, climb the steps to the top of Empire State in an hour and 15, take a lazy 15 minute elevator ride down while you sit on the floor snacking and drinking, get out of the elevator and climb the steps again in an hour and 15, repeat a total of 4 times on Day One. Then turn off the lights and do it again on Day Two, add in some wind, drop the temp about 50 degrees, put on some stiff boots with heavy crampons, the air gets a little thinner as you climb….you get the picture.
The Summit is anti-climatic and yet somehow completely fulfilling simultaneously. Ryan and I set off on a hurried hike to the register and it hits me that moving fast is not appropriate at this time. Ryan goes off and I think this may have had an impact on him later during the descent.
The Summit is excellent, the view spectacular, the day perfect and beautiful, my Daughter and Son In Law are on my team and all is right in the world. Descent on the other hand is brutal, a complete different muscle set and no relief a Win is in some kind of race? Perhaps he just wants to see how hard he can push us or maybe he has a mission. Whatever, we did not slow down coming down and we are back in Muir in short order something like 2 hours descent after almost 5 hours on the ascent. The trip from Muir to base lodge is actually the most grueling for me particularly as we hit the pavement. Feet were tired and hurting, Katie had blisters, fortunately I had none but my boot slap is killer and the bottom of my feet are on fire, the thigh muscles screaming for relief. We gutted it out and got to the bottom no worries!
Great day, great guide, great mountain, GREAT TEAM HAMKIN, great views and a hot shower at the end of the day! Life is good.
-Jim Hammell
Mt. Rainier is a Special Place
WE MADE IT!!!
12 of 18 Climb for Clean Air team members made it to the summit of Mt. Rainier! Although 6 of the team members didn't not make the final summit, they each had their own amazing personal summit. Everyone pushed themselves physically and mentally harder than they ever have before, making it a successful morning for all of us!
Now that you know the end of the adventure let me start at the beginning of our final adventure with Climb for Clean Air.
Wednesday 7/21/2010
We arrived in Ashford, Wa, to Whittaker's Bunkhouse and RMI Basecamp, which is all on the same property, at about 2:30pm. We met up with the rest of the Climb for Clean Air team for an orientation with our RMI guides and a gear check. The two lead guides assigned to us for the climb were Win Whittaker and Mike Haugan. Both Win and Mike are very experienced guides, with plenty of great advice to get us through the next three days as simply as possible.
Ryan, Katie and Jim unpacking gear for the guides to check out
Climb 2 at RMI Basecamp
Thursday 7/22/2010
The team started assembling at RMI Basecamp around 8:15am. After a brief intro of two more guides (Thomas and Eric) we boarded a shuttle to Paradise for a day of mountaineering snow school. At Paradise the team of 18 was split into two teams of 9. Gavin, Naisha, Richard, Heather, Michael, Carna, Ryan, Dad and I were put together with Win and Thomas as our guides. We hiked for about an hour up the mountain, then pulled off the trail to find some steep hills to practice our mountaineering skills-ice axe arrests, rope use, crampon use, and avalanche beacon awareness. We spent about 5 hours on the mountain throwing ourselves to the ground and getting more familiar with our gear. The 'school' day was a great boost to our excitement for the summit attempt.
Thomas is telling us about self arrests with our ice axe
Katie in the self arrest position
Dad sliding down the hill, about to self arrest
Lou Whittaker is basically a mountaineering legend. He has over 250 summits while leading thousands of novice and experienced climbers to the top of Mount Rainier. Not only does he know Mt. Rainier, but he has lead many international climbs, including the first successful American summit of the North Col of Mt. Everest. Lou sat with us for over an hour sharing stories with the Climb Team to ease our worries and get us excited about the climb. It was very special of Lou to share his time with us; the stories about his experiences on the mountain were very nerve settling for me, he has a way of making the climb feel so easy. Having Lou's pep talk before the big climb, further increased our excitement and made us realize how awesome this adventure was going to be, especially as a father/daughter, wife/husband, father-in-law/son-in-law team. Go Team HAMKIN!
Some of the team listening to Lou
Climb 2 with Lou and our Sponsor Sign.
The entire Climb for Clean Air Team raised over $200,000 for the American Lung Association.
Friday 7/23/2010
We woke up early, had a hearty breakfast (Dad and I had biscuits and gravy, not as good as mom's but a nice comfort food before the big climb) and then headed over to the shuttle for one more meet up with the guides. We started the hike to Camp Muir at about 10am, and arrived at Camp Muir at about 3pm. The hike to Muir was a slow and steady pace so that we weren't too tired for the climb. The hike was in perfect weather with perfect views for Dad! 
Dad at the start of the hike
On our way to Camp Muir
Panoramic View from Camp Muir
Once at Camp Muir we unloaded our packs into the bunkhouse to get settled in for a little nap before the start of the climb. Before getting any rest we had dinner and another chat with our guides. For the entire journey the guides have given just enough detail to get through the next phase of the adventure but not enough to overwhelm us or to start getting worried. So on Day 1 we just talked the overall steps of getting to the summit and the gear we would need to get there. On Day 2 we just talked about mountaineering skills, on the beginning of Day 3 we just talked about getting to Camp Muir. At the end of Day 3, we finally got to the details of the climb. Win talked us through each part of the climb. We would have three breaks, 15 minutes each, with about an hour to an hour twenty of climbing between each break. Each section of the climb will be harder than the last, but if we used all the skills we have learned the past two days we have a good chance of making it to the summit. Win also touched upon not reaching the final summit, and that a personal summit is just as awesome. He spent some time talking about always being an asset to your rope team and knowing when you are no longer a strong enough asset. Another big reminder he had was that the summit was just halfway and that going back down is hard, if not harder than summitting. I think those that did not summit are admirable for being in tune enough with their body and their head to know that they have reached their maximum for the day and were able to consciencely say I am done, and this spot right here is my summit. Way cool guys!
So after the pep talk we had some dinner and headed for some rest at 6:30pm in the bunkhouse with 17 other people. The guides said we would be woken up sometime between 11:30pm and 3am, but until then to get as much rest as possible.
Dad, Katie, and Ryan at Camp Muir, just finished dinner
The view from Camp Muir right before sunset
The climb route
At 11:30pm, the guides came in and woke everyone up and announced that weather conditions were perfect. We were given one hour to get ready. By 12:45am our rope team (Win, Dad, me, and Ryan) were heading out over Cowlitz Glacier, with our crampons and lights on, with our ice axes in the up hill hand, and the rope in our downhill hand. We were climbing!
Getting ready in the darkness
Disappointment Cleaver was a lot more rocky than we had expected but with one crampon step in front of the other we got through it. Although the rocks were tough through Disappointment Cleaver, I loved the adreline rush I got from passing at least 6 groups. Win was our rope leader and he kept an awesomely consistent pace, which meant if people were in front of us we had to pass. Although it hurt a bit to downshift gears to pass people, it was way better than standing behind them in the cool temperatures waiting for them to go. As you can imagine moving past all the climbers and concentrating on keeping our balance on the rocks with crampons the 2nd break came upon us quickly. At this point we are stting on top of Disappointment Cleaver and Win is telling the group this is not going to get any easier! We were all feeling great at this point, a little less energy(85%), but still 150% excitement. Really nothing more inspiring than having your dad (who did zero altitude training and a minimum to no cardio training) in front of me moving like we are walking on a city street, and then having my husband behind me saying between pressure breathes "Oh Wow!", "So Cool!", "Look at the view!", "Here Comes the Sun!" etc. Really when you have those two on either side of you doing what they do best how can I not keep going! At this point we had 3 awesome people in our group choose their personal summit here, the highest point in Washington, besides the summit. Way to go guys!
Taking a break
The sun is starting to rise
Next stop, is High Break, the last break before the summit. The climb from the top of Disappointment Cleaver to High Break was awesome, this is when the sun really started to light up the sky, the view was incredible. Our pace was nice and steady, passing several more groups along the way. This section did not have any more rocks, just nice steep switchbacks. Yes, I used 'nice' twice; I liked the incline. My feet were feeling good, my pressure breathing was keeping my head clear of headaches and my tummy free of nausea. We all had our head in the game and at High Break we knew were not going to turn around, we were going to make the summit. The break at High Break was my hardest. I started feeling more nauseous, but as soon as I started pressure breathing (blowing out candles) the feeling would go away. Ryan, Dad, and I found that we were all pressure breathing a lot more from High Break to the Summit.
The upper mountain in the morning light - notice how tight the rope is - I'm skiing!
Katie has written the story up to this point, its now Ryan's turn...
This is Ryan picking up the story here...so you'll see a bit more of my perspective the rest of the way. But I'll certainly agree that while I felt as comfortable as could be expected to High Break, from High Break up I began to pant a little! The altitude definitely became a factor! To maintain Win's pace it was necessary to pressure breathe almost every single breath. The last stretch was the shortest at about 45 minutes, putting us at the crater perhaps a bit earlier than we expected. It was surreal because we felt more climb pending and yet our ascent was complete! The rope eased up, over, and down maybe 20 feet vertically into the crater where we collapsed in celebration. It looked like maybe 20 or 30 others beat us to the top. We did it!
Arriving inside the crater on the rope
Jim and I were eager to cross the crater and climb maybe another 100' higher to the official summit and sign the register. We put our packs down, picked up our axes, put on our parkas, and grabbed some summit food and drink. I led Jim literally about 20 brisk (wishful) paces before I had to stop, lower my light head, and take a quick breather. After gaining my composure I looked up at Jim and he said "you know what, on second thought I think I'm gonna stay here." I almost agreed to do the same but I would not be denied, even if it meant a much slower pace (and it surely did). My body just wouldn't operate at full speed - it was not possible. But I kept going and in only about 10 minutes I made the true summit. It was well worth the view to the NW toward the Puget Sound, the Olympic Range, Seattle, and of course home in Brier. After asking around I finally located the register, oddly enough not located at the true summit, but instead a few hundred yards away near a prominent rock. After signing it and downing some celebratory chocolate milk and a Snickers, I headed back to the group. Round trip was about 40 minutes. When I got back we got some group pictures and readied for the treacherous and now sundrenched descent.
Team Hamkin - mission accomplished!
A look toward home, see Mt Baker?
I felt good at the summit, I think we all did. But by the top of the cleaver (our first break), We were wrecked! We descended 2,000 vertical feet in 40 minutes! I am not exaggerating when I say Win got 100% of my potential during that stretch. I was a “skier” at various times (someone that gets drug by rope around the mountain). And since I am generally a quicker descender than Katie I was blown away by Katie’s performance while I was moments away from taking a spill just to get the rope to stop moving! And of course Jim was doing great too, as usual. At that break the headaches started for me. Food and water was little consolation, but getting some rest was superb. Now it was time to descend the Cleaver.
A nice view of Mt Adams (level with its summit) with Gibraltar Rock in the foreground
The scrambling class really paid off here. Though crampons were still new to us, climbing on scree in very steep terrain was no picnic. As long as I was moving I was feeling ok, but my fuel tank was largely depleted by the first portion of the descent. Aside from partially tripping Katie with the rope as we switched back and forth down the Cleaver, it was over before long and we had made it to the flats.
Now the biggest challenge, for me at least, was the sun and heat. Resting at Ingraham Flats the headache was too much for me – I was getting my butt whipped. Some cool water on my handkerchief at Katie’s recommendation had me temporarily satiated. Jim and Katie were rocking it as usual, but unfortunately as I began to feel better in the lower levels of the atmosphere, Katie at least began to suffer from blisters.
Jim's feeling great on the way down - what an inspiration!
The final stretch to Camp Muir was the easiest. We were warmly greeted by those who had turned back earlier, for which we really felt honored. We were given a bit over an hour to grab the things we had left at Camp Muir, drink, and rest. Finally my headache was gone after the long break. It was time to leave beloved Camp Muir and head for Paradise, but not before Katie had some of her blisters tended to by one of the guides – Alias.
Headed downhill in the summer snow conditions went pretty well. But by now all of our feet were really beginning to ache. Which is why when Win offered to show us how to slide down on a trash bag the proper way – we were all ears. Unfortunately, the terrain was not steep enough for prolonged sliding in most places, leading to a lot of getting up and down. What it saved in foot soreness, it made up for in energy expended crouching while getting into and out of position.
Dang! We went up most of that and down all that just TODAY! A nice look at the mountain
Then we realized how much of the bottom portion of the mountain was exposed ahead of us and thus the extent of travel on hard ground (even paved ground) we had ahead of us. As Win said, “when you hit the pavement, just smile – that’s what I do.” This works, for about 4 seconds – then the feet just scream their way back into your consciousness. So I have to admit the last 2,000 vertical feet or so took a long time and it was as if it would never end. But finally, at approximately 1:45pm Saturday, we reached Paradise Inn, where we would finally remove our shoes, remove our packs, get a shower, and even lay on a bed!
After much-needed showers, changes of clothes, and rootbeer floats, it was finally time to enjoy dinner at the head table with Lou, his wife Ingrid, and even Win joined us - along with all of Climb 2 and some of their guests of honor there to congratulate them. Before dinner was over, our guests of honor Jacob and Natasha were able to make it up even after Jacob had to work that very day! The group topped off the evening with a small award ceremony and group training slideshow. During the awards, Win reminded us of Katie’s perma-smile and her enduring attitude that she had preferred to climb the mountain than take him up on a hypothetical trip to “water-ski camp.” “Really!? – you’d rather be here than on a warm beach?” Win would say. “Heck yes” Katie always said with a big smile. This place was magical for us, why would we want to be anywhere else?
And finally, before we turned in too early in the evening - since Jacob and Natasha had really just made it up to the mountain and we had to wake early the next morning to take Jim to the airport - we had a night cap beer in the Inn with them. We recounted the challenge and put a nice bow around our life-changing experience and shared it as much as possible with our friends.
As truly awesome as this adventure was in a personal way – both mentally and physically, the enduring memory for me will be how perfect it went off and how much closer I think Jim and I are and even how much closer it brought Katie and I. If we could have ordered weather, what we had was it. If we could have picked a guide – Win was it. If we could have chosen to be put on the same rope…honestly I’m not sure we knew enough to know whether that was a good choice or not going in, but oh my goodness we will always be so thankful that we were on the same rope because it made it so very special. And in much the same way that Lou made Win the outdoor enthusiast he is, so too did Jim for Katie and for that I will always be thankful, and of course so will Katie. It was a very special family experience that none of use will ever forget. And oh yeah, we made it to the top! Together. As a Team. Team “Hamkin.”
Climb 2 at the summit
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