So he went up with broken crampons and you went up with crampons that need a tool to adjust, but no tool and new boots you hadn't sized the crampons to? I bet you were hating life. :) What kind of crampons do you have? I'd get a leash for that tool....last thing you want is for you to need that tool to adjust your crampon on the side of some face, and drop that bad boy down a slope. Personally, I'd just get crampons that are self adjustable without a tool.
Your experience is not too much different than many first timers in the range. I call it Lost River School of Hard Knocks. This is lesson #2 "It is worth great effort to find the 'trail' and stay on it." Lesson #1 you already know, "Start early, because you'll end late."
Those footprints probably belong to the stinky primate called "Skunk ape", he is 6 foot 8 inches of athletic, knowledge, and yes he is 20 minutes away local.
Haha u re epic! I love the skunk ape concept. Always wondered what the term for it...you guys are pretty cool. Honestly I didn't expect the lost range to be this difficult and challenging but it definitely prepared us for gannett peak.
A part of me was hoping that after typing up the trip report- a person would come forth and say hey! That was my footprints. But now I see that it is impossible :)
Most have an experience like this early in climbing or the first time in a difficult range... Glad that you made it out intact and had a nice trip afterwards.
I enjoyed your trip report. I climbed Borah on March 7th through 9th, 1985 (spending an extra unexpected night on the mountain). My buddy and I had to hike in from the main highway and had an epic adventure but at least we came down the same way we went up :). Such experiences serve as valuable lessons!
Glad you guys made it safely. I grew up in those mountains and learnt the hard way several times that you never descend a different way than you ascend in Idaho.... Ever.
What type of crampons do you have that you can't adjust in about 20 seconds without tools?? And don't follow footprints or cairns unless you know they are going where you want to go. Othersie, all those are is evidence that someone, at sometime, went that way. But they are not a guarantee of anything other than that. I've been woefully lost and had people catch me as I was trying to figure out where to go that had just followed my prints up. Whoops!
The Losts are definitely an adventure range. If those prints did indeed belong to the Ape, believe me I've had a few (mis)adventures trying to duplicate his travels. The man can pitch a tent where I can barely stand. And I mean an actual tent, not the euphemism.
ywardhorner - Jul 14, 2013 11:09 am - Voted 10/10
Good story!Hope the rest of your trip went more smoothly!
Kevintheclimber - Jul 14, 2013 3:41 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Good story!Hey- glad you liked it! Yes it definitely got better. Will post up on Mt. Adams, Rainier, Gannett, and Granite when I have time! Should be soon.
Kevin
WyomingSummits - Jul 17, 2013 12:46 pm - Hasn't voted
Nice!But one question.....could you not adjust your crampons before continuing on?
Kevintheclimber - Jul 19, 2013 4:46 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Nice!Well- to clarify- my partner's left crampon was kinda broken and I didn't carry tools with me for my crampons. You could say we were unprepared haha
WyomingSummits - Jul 21, 2013 10:04 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Nice!So he went up with broken crampons and you went up with crampons that need a tool to adjust, but no tool and new boots you hadn't sized the crampons to? I bet you were hating life. :) What kind of crampons do you have? I'd get a leash for that tool....last thing you want is for you to need that tool to adjust your crampon on the side of some face, and drop that bad boy down a slope. Personally, I'd just get crampons that are self adjustable without a tool.
kevinhansen - Jul 17, 2013 2:34 pm - Hasn't voted
This was good.Your experience is not too much different than many first timers in the range. I call it Lost River School of Hard Knocks. This is lesson #2 "It is worth great effort to find the 'trail' and stay on it." Lesson #1 you already know, "Start early, because you'll end late."
Those footprints probably belong to the stinky primate called "Skunk ape", he is 6 foot 8 inches of athletic, knowledge, and yes he is 20 minutes away local.
Kevintheclimber - Jul 19, 2013 4:49 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: This was good.Haha u re epic! I love the skunk ape concept. Always wondered what the term for it...you guys are pretty cool. Honestly I didn't expect the lost range to be this difficult and challenging but it definitely prepared us for gannett peak.
A part of me was hoping that after typing up the trip report- a person would come forth and say hey! That was my footprints. But now I see that it is impossible :)
RobSC - Jul 17, 2013 5:58 pm - Voted 10/10
Nice Cautionary TaleMost have an experience like this early in climbing or the first time in a difficult range... Glad that you made it out intact and had a nice trip afterwards.
Tracy - Jul 17, 2013 10:29 pm - Voted 10/10
good read!I enjoyed your trip report. I climbed Borah on March 7th through 9th, 1985 (spending an extra unexpected night on the mountain). My buddy and I had to hike in from the main highway and had an epic adventure but at least we came down the same way we went up :). Such experiences serve as valuable lessons!
IdahoKid - Jul 18, 2013 2:10 am - Hasn't voted
Nice TripGlad you guys made it safely. I grew up in those mountains and learnt the hard way several times that you never descend a different way than you ascend in Idaho.... Ever.
Unless you're SkunkApe :)
pvnisher - Jul 19, 2013 3:41 am - Hasn't voted
trackingWhat type of crampons do you have that you can't adjust in about 20 seconds without tools?? And don't follow footprints or cairns unless you know they are going where you want to go. Othersie, all those are is evidence that someone, at sometime, went that way. But they are not a guarantee of anything other than that. I've been woefully lost and had people catch me as I was trying to figure out where to go that had just followed my prints up. Whoops!
BeDrinkable - Jul 19, 2013 12:35 pm - Voted 10/10
great read!The Losts are definitely an adventure range. If those prints did indeed belong to the Ape, believe me I've had a few (mis)adventures trying to duplicate his travels. The man can pitch a tent where I can barely stand. And I mean an actual tent, not the euphemism.