Thanks for having the reverence to hold a moment of silence on the summit for Tom. I know his family also appreciate the gesture.
Nice trip report, and I especially like how you called out that when you suspected your self-arrest skills weren't up to par, that you took the time to slow down and practice. Good habits!
I think you are too gracious with Summit Solider; my phone didn't work at all at Lake Helen last year and frankly I think too many cell phones on a hike are for pussies. Also, arrving 3.5 hours late is really not a big deal; there is no way you can make an exact schedule on a mountain like that; a real climber would know that and would never have freaked out because someone didn't make it down on time. It sounds like he wasn't thinking cleaarly before you started; perhaps your biggest mistake was in fact letting him come at all.
QC, I think to attack him would to not appreciate the fact that it was his car that got us there. It also would prevent me from seeing what I did wrong in terms of communication. You are very right in the fact that you clearly can't put an exact time on on a climb even if do beat turnaround time (we did by two hours). The mountain often will determine how fast you can be on it and going down the conditions did not warrant a quick decent. The self arrest practice and the very icy slope put us way behind. Then with both Mike and Tricia struggling due to exhaustion and possibly other issues and the constant postholing on the way back we were 1 1/2 hours behind from what I thought I said and 3 1/2 from what the driver thought. A couple calls down to the bottom probably would have made the difference.
Augie Medina - Jun 8, 2010 8:20 pm - Voted 10/10
Nice ReportAny pics to put in? Hope your friend isn't mad anymore.
PellucidWombat - Jun 10, 2010 1:34 am - Voted 10/10
Moment of SilenceThanks for having the reverence to hold a moment of silence on the summit for Tom. I know his family also appreciate the gesture.
Nice trip report, and I especially like how you called out that when you suspected your self-arrest skills weren't up to par, that you took the time to slow down and practice. Good habits!
Curtissimo - Jun 10, 2010 10:53 pm - Hasn't voted
good funI think you are too gracious with Summit Solider; my phone didn't work at all at Lake Helen last year and frankly I think too many cell phones on a hike are for pussies. Also, arrving 3.5 hours late is really not a big deal; there is no way you can make an exact schedule on a mountain like that; a real climber would know that and would never have freaked out because someone didn't make it down on time. It sounds like he wasn't thinking cleaarly before you started; perhaps your biggest mistake was in fact letting him come at all.
EastKing - Jun 27, 2010 3:32 am - Hasn't voted
Re: good funQC, I think to attack him would to not appreciate the fact that it was his car that got us there. It also would prevent me from seeing what I did wrong in terms of communication. You are very right in the fact that you clearly can't put an exact time on on a climb even if do beat turnaround time (we did by two hours). The mountain often will determine how fast you can be on it and going down the conditions did not warrant a quick decent. The self arrest practice and the very icy slope put us way behind. Then with both Mike and Tricia struggling due to exhaustion and possibly other issues and the constant postholing on the way back we were 1 1/2 hours behind from what I thought I said and 3 1/2 from what the driver thought. A couple calls down to the bottom probably would have made the difference.
mtn.climber - Jun 11, 2010 6:19 pm - Voted 10/10
Second time aroundEK,
Way to knock it off your list after coming up short last Memorial Day weekend. The important thing was that everyone returned home safe.