[pct-l] mountains

[mark v]

Whenever you're talking about climbing mountains, it's
very much YMMV (your mileage may vary).  I've done
several mountains where i've heard descriptions
ranging from "easy walk up" to "death defying
technical climb" ...referring to the SAME mountain. 
So i'll add my 2 cents worth on the mountains i know,
and in the end you have to figure out what it all
means to you.  You should also ask at
cascadeclimbers.com and summitpost.com, but be aware
there are some hardcore climbers there that might
paint an easy picture for you.

Thielsen.  Not an easy walk up at the end.  The summit
pinnacle scared the bejeezus out of me, but i made it
to the top.  On the way down, i was grateful for
someone below me to tell me occasionally where to
place my foot.  I know i would have made it down if i
had been on my own, but it may have been a much
"quicker descent" and forceful landing.  If you're a
real rock climber, you'll have no problem.  But if
you're a normal hiker, this is serious exposure and to
be considered with caution.

Hood.  It depends a lot on the snowpack that year, but
it's not altogether an impossible climb even in late
July of some years.  I climbed it in mid-July, and i
would rate it less scary than Thielsen, but maybe
that's because i have some glacier experience but no
real vertical rock experience.  The key is, if you're
doing it late or post-season, is to start EARLY.  As
in before midnight.  You have to be down off the
mountain by 11am when the sun is hot and the rocks
start to rain down.  Know what you're doing, research
it (lately the favored route has been to the west of
the bergschrund), careful with the weather, helmet,
crampons, etc.  But it can be done.  Late August, when
most thru-hikers come through...i probably wouldn't
push my luck.  That seems to me past the safe time
even in snowy years, but hey, people do it then too.

Rainier.  Just way too big of a deal to do during a
thru-hike, unless you're superman.  It's long,
exhausting, technical.  If you have to ask, don't try
it.  (On the other hand, if i were in thru-hiker shape
when i did it, maybe it wouldn't have been
exhausting?)  2 day climb for most people, crevasses,
etc.

Shasta.  The Clear Creek route is supposed to be a
straight-forward, safe slog on scree in July and
August.  It's not supposed to be the prettiest way up
the mountain, but if you really want to get up there
in those months, and you don't have full glacier
regalia, it might be the way to get up there.  One
LONG day climb.

Personally, i'm expecting to be too exhausted while
hiking the PCT to do anything more than something like
San Jacinto.  But i hope to go back and get Shasta,
Adams, Jeff, and more in the future.




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