This year's Beermongers ride to the summit trip started off with an overnight delay on Thursday, July 19th due to some lightning storms. This year's group of bike touring-mountaineers including: Kyle 'Hammerin!' Heddy, Sam 'don't call me Samwise Gamgee' Jackson and myself.
We decided that a pre-dawn start on Friday provide ample time for the t-storms to pass. We pushed off from Kyle's house around 5am
and rode southeast down Springwater Corridor, through Boring and towards
Estacada and the Clackamas River via Hwy 224. The skies were overcast and we got hit with rain a few times but the temps. were warm. While fixing a flat on my bike we also found that I had two loss spokes on my back tire. Doh!!! I need to spend more time wrenching.
Leaving Estacada I got the sense that civilization was going to be on hold for a few days.
This was taken at Rippelbrook along Hwy 224/46 (51 miles)...I am not sure if he is resting, looking up at the sky or dead. I think the 16" wheels were taking there toll.
37 miles later Kyle pulls into the South Breitenbush Trailhead ready for a 6 mile/2900 ft. approach hike, right? Argh...it was a long hike that was only satisfying because I was not biking anymore, plus Alissa, Gina and Duke joined us.
Our first view of Jeff Park Glacier. Our route winds up the glacier, passing bergschrunds, to the saddle on right and then a rock climb of the ridge from right to left. The summit is out of view from this vantage.
Saturday, July 21- The snow covered most of Jeff Park, including our approach trail, which made our rest day somewhat stressful. Here you see me trying to relax...
Saturday evening - Kyle has decided to bail on the climb as he is feeling worked from the bike ride and we are all a little concerned about how Gina, Alissa and Duke are going to get back to trail as our last two miles to camp took 3 1/2 hours of cross country snow travel. I think I lost my Boy Scout Merit Badge for Orienteering.
Sunday (around 4am) - Damn dude you are supposed to be awake when we climb....
Sunday - Sam crossing the first bergschrund.
Sunday - Sam climbing the Knife Edge Ridge...super fun exposure made all the more fun but crappy Cascade rock. Yikes, don't touch that one!!! Nice lead Sam!
Sunday (10am) Summit - We pushed hard all morning moving efficiently and transitioning from snow/ice to rock and back again quickly. The sun was out but so was the wind. Sam said something about it being 35 degrees below the summit...hence the hood on my head.
Sunday (afternoon) - Sam crossing the Whitewater Glacier on the descent. I had been told in town that a quicker descent was to rappel the east face (that is what you are looking at) and then cross the Whitewater Glacier. Lucky for us I ran into a friend from Bend on the summit that gave us a longer but safer option...go to the Whitewater via the Red Saddle. Thank you Chris Rhoads wherever you are...it was like running into Gandalf on the mountain.
Sunday (afternoon) - By the time we got back to Scout Lake (~4pm) Kyle was bundled up and our nice summer day turned to a cold autumn experience, so we descended to the trail head. Ouch! My feet were friggin killing from blisters and my shoulders felt as if an elephant was perched there.
Sunday (night) - No pictures...three kack-nackered (Canadian term) Mongers stumbled down to the trail head and arrived as dinner to a host of mosquitoes just after dark....while being feasted upon by mosis we ate dinner and washed down Advil with Bourbon before falling asleep. I woke up in field of daisies and thought I had entered the after life...then I saw my bike and realized, shit I have to ride home now.
I am not sure why I thought we need a Kenny Powers imitation but there you have it....a group shot before climbing a two mile hill that was probably ~1000 ft.
