The Mount Adams Surprise

My hiking buddy, Roger Matthews, has presented me with some rather disconcerting news. Three days ago he sent me this e-mail message:

Holy Moley, Batman, the road to the Cold Springs Campground is already melted out! This means we can go anytime, excepting, I don't really feel ready yet.

Translation: If the road to the campground where we launch our climb to Mount Adams is already melted out, we may have to move our hike up into June. The climb on snow is three hours up and 10 minutes down, because we slide down the snowfield on our backsides. But if the sun does its work, that's going to be a bumpy descent on rocks, and that is not going to happen!

That got us accelerating our hiking training. Yesterday we scaled Rattleshake Ledge just outside of North Bend, an 1,160-foot elevation gain. The day was misty and there was no view to take in as indicated immediately below.

Wilson came along for the scenery, but there wasn't any . . .

. . . unless you count the chipmunks that were nibbling up the cashews and craisens we laid out as photo bait. Wilson watched the rodent thoughtfully, but deep inside the indestructible is concerned that the lack of snow will keep the mortals from trying the climb. Having neither arms nor legs, he can't make the climb without them.

The hike put me within 9,000 feet of our fifth Rainier, and the 70,000 foot elevation gain I established as a goal last September when I committed to climb this mountain.

But, wait, there's more! After today's hike Roger checked the weather for Trout Lake near Mount Adams, and it looks like nothing but sunshine for the next couple weeks. Now he has new advice:

If you believe this, then we should shoot for the 10th of June as a departure date.

The last time we had a run at Adams it was the first week in August, 2011, and there was plenty of snow. What Roger is suggesting is that if we don't hike by June 10, two months earlier, the snow will be gone, and this climb may not take place.

That leaves me with three objectives to accomplish in roughly 25 days:

• Ascend another 9,000 feet to reach my goal of 70,000 feet gained prior to Adams.
• Be in shape to climb to the Mount Adams summit, 12,300 feet above sea level.
• Raise an additional 13 One World Futbols by the time I make the climb -- in order to reach the Wilson Campaign objective of 100 indestructible soccer balls.

Times-a-wastin'. I'll keep you posted.

Love,

Robert, and
Wilson