Picture from 11,200 ft.

Here is a picture of me at The "Flats" at 11,200 ft. my turnaround spot. As I sit here back at home and reflecting on the climb, I'm not sure what went wrong. Like most things, I don't think it was one thing that went wrong for me, I think it was a series of small things. With that said, I have no regrets, it truly was a blast!

If or when there is a next attempt, I would love for one of you to come with me. Thank you for following my adventure. 'Til next time...

No Summit but an awesome experience

This picture is at Camp Muir overlooking the cloud layer with Mt Adams
in the background.

Well we woke up at midnight geared up and headed out in 4 person rope
teams. Our first break after about an hour climb was at 11,000 ft at a
place called Ingram Flats. I was not feeling it. I had a headache
nausia and was feeling way out of my safety comfort zone. So I with a
guide and another climber turned back.

The climbing is brutal and I have a true appreciation for those who do
it.

Anyway no regrets glad to be down safe and sound and can't wait to get
home.

Thanks for following my adventure.

Day of Training

I spent the day on the side of the mountain at about 6,000 ft.
learning the skills necessary for tomorrow's climb. Spent a lot of
time relearning things I learned when I was two years old like
breathing and walking. Just on the mountain they have fancier
descriptions like:

Pressure breathing and
Crossover step, the duck step or just plain old kicking steps

We also learned how to use the ice axe to self arrest and how to walk
as a team all roped up together.

Tomorrow we head up to a camp at 10,000 ft. sleep for about 4 hours
and head out in the dark at midnight to reach the summit after
daybreak. I found out that there is no cell coverage on the mountain,
so unfortunately I will not be able to let you know how it goes until
about midnight east coast time Saturday night.

So check back on Sunday morning to see if I made it.

Talk to you later and thanks for checking in on my adventure.

Gear, gear, everywhere

There is more gear to deal with then expected. Layers is the theme to
the clothing. Everything needs to stay organized

So far this year only 76% of guided climbers have made it to the summit.

Tomorrow starts the mountaineering school. Self arrests are the main
topic. We will be skidding down the snow slopes and learning to stop
ourselves with an ice axe. Should come quit naturally to someone who
sees snow once a year.

Talk to you tomorrow.

Diamox vs. Diet Coke

For those who know me well, they'll also know that todays decision was
HUGE. I started taking an anti altitude sickness medicine called
Diamox. The drug changes the Ph of your body to make you produce more
red blood cells, which help you carry more oxygen through your body.
However, the only real sideeffect, besides extra urination, is that it
changes the taste of carbonated beverages, i.e. Diet Coke. It now
tastes flat and totally unsatisfying. Sacrifices. Sacrificies.

Arrived in Seattle

Arrived safe and sound. Made a trip to the local REI store to pick up
some last minute items:

Ice axe
Wool socks
Glacier glasses - these are strong sunglasses to block all the UV rays
at altitude

I have been touched by everyone's support and interest. I have
received a ton of emails and some have commented on the site. I hope I
don't disappoint. There is a mountaineering saying that goes "the
summit is optional, getting back down safely isn't."

I leave tomorrow to drive to the mountain. Talk to you then.

Email blogs

How well does this email function work? Great.  I will be able to email updates to this blog from my iphone.

Here is my schedule:

• Tuesday - fly from Jacksonville to Seattle
• Wednesday - check out the REI store in Seattle and drive 2 hours to the base of the mountain for gear rental and Orientation starting at 3:00
• Thursday - all day mountaineering day school - learn all skills necessary for the climb, especially the very important "self arrest"
• Friday - leave in the morning and climb 10,000 ft to Camp Muir, spend the night, or part of it at least - we depart Camp Muir at 1:00 a.m. and begin the climb to the summit
• Saturday morning - hopefully summit
• Saturday afternoon - reach the basecamp
• Sunday morning - fly from Seattle back to Jacksonville.

So, if you are checking the blog, make sure you check in on Saturday to see if I made it to the top!!

Training

How do you train for a mountain climb when you live at sea level in pancake flat state?  First, I started in decent shape having completed two triathlons this year.  Next, I had to get used to carrying around a 40lb backpack and walking uphill.  There are only two hills around here: the 210 bridge and the treadmill at the Ponte Vedra Club.  I have been seen on both wearing my backpack. 

Picture of Mt. Rainier

Here is Mt. Rainier, standing 14,410 ft above sea level.  While not the highest mountain in the U.S., it is one of the most technically challenging to climb.  The volcano is covered in glaciers and snow year round.  The climb will include the use of crampons and ice axes, in temperatures below freezing.  Things pretty foreign to a Florida boy.

So, why leave the beach and cross the United States to climb a mountain.  Well, not to sound too cliche', but it all began with Jon Krakauer's book, Into Thin Air.  I love to read and read often.  His book was not the end to mountaineering books.  It was the beginning. However, after reading Ed Viesturs', No Shortcuts to the Top, I learned about Mt. Rainier.  Viesturs wrote his book about his life of climbing the world's 14 highest mountains.  His career started guiding clients up Mt. Rainier, while working for Rainier Mountaineering, Inc., or RMI.  Check out the RMI website at www.rmiguides.com  That's what I did and found out about their mountaineering classes and schedule of climbs.  Next thing I know, my wife is telling me to either go for it or quit talking about it.  So, I am going for it.

Getting Started

Well, I have now entered the new realm of the internet.  I have set up a Twitter account at FLMountainMann and I have now set up my first blog.  The purpose of the blog is to share my experience of heading out to Seattle, Washington to climb Mt. Rainier.  Many of you have a certain level of curiosity about the trip and I hope that I will be able to communicate to you via words and pictures what the trip is all about.  I will write more about how the idea for the trip came about and how I have been training.