Fucking Salmon
Well, Whitney went well. I'll give the quick and easy version. We headed out at 2:30 in the morning, after waking at 1:30 and having oatmeal. The hike is 11 miles each way, with a 6,000+ foot elevation gain. we made it to trail camp (mile 6.3) at about 9:30. Dylan, the 13 year-old started vomiting, and was out for the count. altitude sickness had gotten the better of him, so after about an hour of waiting and thinking, his father and I left him there to sleep while we trekked on. we started heading up the windswept snow-chute, which usually is a 2 1/2 mile trip up 94 switchbacks. We ended up going straight up with ice axes and crampons because the switchbacks were covered. we made it to the trail crest 3 hours later, with only 2 1/2 miles to go. that was at 13,800 ft. elevation. we ate lunch there. From then on I had mild-severe altitude sickness. we reached the peak at approximately 4:00 PM. After some celebrating, and a few phonecalls, we headed down. we slid down the snow chute on our buttocks, using our ice axes as brakes, in a maneuver called glissading. Eric, the doctor (and Dylan's father) made it to Dylan about 45 minutes before me due to his rush to reach his son, and my sickness and a number of falls. when we reached the boy, he was fine. we started down the mountain. It was now 7:00 PM (1900 hr). we figured to be back at camp by 9:30. with about 4 miles left to go, I began dry-heaving. I did this about 20 times or so in the next mile, and finally, with about 3 miles left, I vomited. we began to make wonderful time after that, seeing as we had been stopping continuously for me. soon after, I vomited again. we reached the bottom of the trail at approximately 11:00, and camp by 11:30. Dylan slept in the truck. I washed my face, and took my wet boots off my sore feet, and got into bed. I was sick again, so I ran to the edge of camp and vomited 1 more time. Then I slept.
Great trip. I can't wait to go again. I want someone to come with next year, and I plan to train in order to avoid altitude sickeness. I had a great time. despite my headache, dizziness, dilirium and nausea once reaching trail crest, I never considered quiting. There was something that seemed totally lame about coming home and telling people "I almost made it". It was great watching people quit with 2 miles or less to go, I couldn't believe how strong the pain can be that it would stopm people once they got that far. I had been making fun of all the people almost getting there, then turning back, so Eric was making fun of me and my altitude sickness. "not quite as easy as it loks, eh?" I would have been a total hypocrite-asshole if I turned back. Let me know if you want to go next time.
~*shawn*~
Great trip. I can't wait to go again. I want someone to come with next year, and I plan to train in order to avoid altitude sickeness. I had a great time. despite my headache, dizziness, dilirium and nausea once reaching trail crest, I never considered quiting. There was something that seemed totally lame about coming home and telling people "I almost made it". It was great watching people quit with 2 miles or less to go, I couldn't believe how strong the pain can be that it would stopm people once they got that far. I had been making fun of all the people almost getting there, then turning back, so Eric was making fun of me and my altitude sickness. "not quite as easy as it loks, eh?" I would have been a total hypocrite-asshole if I turned back. Let me know if you want to go next time.
~*shawn*~