Winter Ascent of Whitney

AAI Guide Jeremy Ellison has reported that he and George Watkins of Waddell, Arizona, summited Mt. Whitney on March 5th. Below are Jeremy's trip report and photos from the trip.

Climbers: George Watkins of Waddell, AZ, Spencer Arnold of Mission Viejo, CA, John Willard of Raleigh, NC, and Grant Willard of Los Altos, CA

On the first day, the group found the Whitney Portal road plowed, yet closed several miles from the Portal thanks to Paramount Pictures as they were filming a movie on the road. Under heavy winter packs, they arrived at Lower Boy Scout Lake about an hour after dark. A big day to be sure!

Film crews from Paramount Pictures were hard at work.

On day two, the team awoke to clear skies and warm temperatures, and they made their way to camp just below Iceberg Lake. The North Fork of Lone Pine creek was firm snow, and no snowshoes were needed all the way to the lake. The afternoon brought strong, cold winds that lasted into the evening. The team retreated early to the tents as the sun fell over the high summits of Keeler Needle and Mt. Whitney. The temperature dropped off dramatically with the falling sun.

The Whitney team prepares for the summit, enjoying sun.

At 6:00am on summit morning, the team was greeted by more strong winds. Of course, no one was in a hurry to leave the warm tents. They departed camp with the warmth of the first morning light at around 7:00am. Strong winds prevailed throughout the morning, slowed progress, and kept conversation light. They soldiered on up the Mountaineer's Couloir where the 35-degree slope of the couloir and strong winds funneling down on their faces proved challenging. The increasing altitude also began to take it's toll.

George Watkins getting close to the summit.

Finally, George and guide Jeremy Ellison made a hasty move for the top up the final fourth class slabs and 50-degree snow in crampons, arriving at the 14,494-foot summit at about 11:30am. Strong winds and cold appendages made the summit a brief experience, but clear skies allowed for an inspiring view across the Eastern Sierra range. It was a great winter climbing success on the highest peak in the lower 48 states.

Camping in the 'Gunks

Sigh, well, it looks like the 'Gunks are slowly moving toward being that much more expensive to climb at. According to the AMC's climbing newsletter The Crux, the long anticipated, if not altogether desired, campground near the Multi Use Area camping land is moving forward to being developed, and this could mean the end of not only the MUA, but the accessibly favorable Trapps Camp, affectionately

Get to Know Your Guide: An interview with Erik Johnson

Every week, we take the reader into the inspiring and ever-changing life of an American Alpine Institute guide. Every AAI guide is very experienced in alpine and rock climbing, and all have received professional training in advanced guiding techniques and rescue. Collectively they have one of the highest levels of wilderness first aid, avalanche, and Leave No Trace training among the world's international guide services. For profiles on all AAI guides, please click here.

This week, we interview Erik Johnson.

Age: 29
Hometown: Spokane, WA
Recent trips and expeditions with AAI: Denali (West Buttress) and Alaska Range Mountaineering

A Guide's Life
How were you introduced to mountaineering?
I went on a weeklong backpacking trip in the Pasayten Wilderness when I was 14, and at age 16 I was hooked after taking the Spokane Mountaineers climbing school.

How do you stay in shape and what are your favorite training activities?
I’ve always found that climbing is the best way to stay in shape for climbing; not just for your legs, arms and lungs, but also mentally and judgmentally. The more time you spend outside in the mountains, the more tuned your judgment and overall awareness becomes.

Who is the most inspiring person in your climbing life?
I can’t single anyone out; it’s more of a cobbling together of some great aspects of some great people. A few people I admire are Shackleton, Lowe (Alex and Jeff), Hillary, and Croft.

What are your other interests besides climbing?
I spend a lot of time and I spend a lot of money taking photos. I also ski as much as I can and fix old boats as well.

Where is your favorite place to travel?
China has been one of my favorites, and I hope to get back there soon. I recently returned from Patagonia and would definitely like to return. Other favorite spots include Alaska, Red Rock, the Sierra Nevada, Moab, Icefields Parkway, Squamish, Index, Wind Rivers, Tetons, Bugaboos, North Cascades, and Needles. The list only grows longer for every new place I go to!

On the Technical Side
Describe your climbing style.
Slow and steady with lots of gear.

What has been your most technically difficult climb?
The Harvard Route on Mt Huntington in Alaska.

What is your biggest strength as a climber? Biggest weakness?
I would say that my strength is the ability to get on the right pace and go for a long time. Biggest weakness? My ice climbing skills have eroded over the past few years, as I have been spending my winters in the Southern Hemisphere – austral summer down there – not much ice.

A Guide on Guiding
Is there anything you know now that you'd wish you'd known when you were just beginning to climb?
I suppose I would have focused more on one thing or the other – school or climbing. Trying to do both can be difficult, and much of the time you don’t end up having time for either.

When you guide, what piece of advice do you find you give most often to climbers?
Awareness. Trying to concentrate on your surrounding environment, hazards, conditions, and weather. The more you work on this, the less you have to think about it; and your awareness becomes second nature and peripheral.

What qualities do you think are most important in a guide?
Teaching skills -- even on guided trips and expeditions (as opposed to courses where the focus is already on teaching) there is a good deal of instruction. The more effectively you teach, the better the climb goes.

Name a few guide"turn-ons" (for example, what makes a good climber on one of your courses?).
I think that flexibility and a commitment to keeping oneself healthy, happy, and hydrated are important qualities for a climber.

Describe a memorable even that has occurred while guiding for AAI.
My first year guiding, we had five straight days of rain on the Easton Glacier of Mt Baker on a six-day mountaineering course. At the 12am start on the glacier, it was still raining. When dawn broke and our rope teams climbed out above the marine layer clouds, we crossed into one of the most beautiful and memorable summits of my life; it was like climbing on a sea of clouds.

What are your must-haves (e.g. favorite foods, equipment)?
I’ve been impressed with the Petzl Adjama harness on a recent trip. Also, good coffee and a small point and shoot camera are indispensable.

Describe your achievement of which you are the most proud.
I have used my background in geology and my guiding experience to go to the Antarctic. I worked there as a field guide, working with science groups from around the world on exciting and important geological and climate related projects.

Any closing comments on what you're looking forward to in the next year?
Spring skiing and warm granite are just around the corner!

Chinese government closes north face of Everest

The Chinese government has banned all expeditions on the north face of Everest until May 10th. Though they haven't specifically said so in their official pronouncements, in the weeks leading up to May 10th, the government plans to have a team of Chinese climbers summit the world's highest peak with the Olympic torch in preparation for this summer's Olympic games. This decision widely viewed as a reaction to a fear that Tibetan protesters may interfere with the Chinese climb. Not surprisingly, Tibetan activists see this "torch event" as one further attempt by the Chinese to legitimize their control of Tibet.

Mountain guide companies and independent expeditions around the world are working to reschedule their trips. Some guide services plan to reroute their trips onto the south side of the mountain, while others are postponing their expeditions for later in the season. To read more on this story in The Seattle Times, please follow this link.

Though weather and conditions can be different every year, the historical best days for summiting Everest are May 15 to 25. If the Chinese don't let teams approach the north side until after May 10, they will have little chance of summiting at any time close to that good weather window because it takes so long to acclimatize and gradually move supplies up the mountain.

The Chinese are also trying to impose their worries and wishes on the Nepalese government, and they have asked Nepal to similarly restrict climbs on the south side of the mountain. The Nepalese are apparently considering some level of cooperation.

The American Alpine Institute/ Adventures Consultants 2008 Everest Expedition runs March 30 to June 2 and will again be climbing the South Col route. Expedition leader and AC Director Guy Cotter has been in regular touch with Nepalese authorities, and it is our hope that if there are any restrictions, they will be limited to keeping teams at or below Camp 3 until after May 10th, rather than keeping them at base camp. If so, the restriction won't have much impact on the expedition.

There is also wide worry that the Chinese will lose climbers in the process. China has a history of pushing teams on the mountain and a high fatality rate. We can speculate, that because of that proclivity, there will probably be a high level of secrecy surrounding the Chinese expedition. Deaths experienced for the sake of Olympic torch PR is probably not an outcome that will work well for the Chinese, and that potential problem may actually be occurring to a few people in high places in the government - then again - perhaps not.

Denali Ice Agers train in Grand Canyon

The Ice Agers, an AAI Denali Expedition team, are a mature (all but one are over 50) group of climbers taking a "slow and steady" approach up the West Buttress route. Following a slightly less aggressive schedule, the expedition has been extended four days to allow for extra weather and rest days, an additional camp and acclimatization day on the lower mountain, and it has been slightly modified to accommodate for the extra food and fuel that will be necessary to support the extra days on Denali. For more information on the Ice Agers and to see climber profiles, please see the AAI Ice Agers website.

Ice Agers team members from across the U.S. and Great Britain are sharing training tips and some members have formed training programs with the team's primary guide, Joseph Anderson. For several of the team members, this will be their second summit attempt on Denali, also known as Mount McKinley, the highest peak in North America. Because the climb is so rigorous, team members have training climbs or fun climbs scheduled prior to the May 19th departure date.

Art Huseonica, and Ice Ager from Crofton, Maryland, and Ray Bellem, from Prescott, Arizona, recently took a trip to the Grand Canyon, and climbed a strenuous rim-to-river and back out in one day itinerary. Below are photos from the trip and excerpts from letters that Ray and Art wrote to each other after returning home. Once the Ice Agers depart for Denali, you'll be able to follow their progress on AAI's Denali Expedition Dispatches web page.

Ray,

Our journey was probably the most scenic I've been on. I was surprised that besides one other couple, we were the only folks doing the rim-to-river and back in one day - now I know why, it's like doing two marathons in one day! But what extremes - from 20 degrees and snow at the South Rim to sun and up to 70+ degrees along the river. Plus, a total elevation change of 9200' in a ten hour period.

I'm finally getting the dust cleared out of my eyes and throat from trying to keep up with you for the 17.5 mile journey along those narrow trails; no guard rails to boot!

Let's do this again! - Art


Hi Art,

Glad you're home safe. I just flew to Denver yesterday and I am now anticipating my swim training camp in Boulder starting this Friday. That canyon hike sure gave me bragging rights with my geezer friends at the health club! The canyon required far more stamina and endurance than Whitney, and I felt fine the whole way taking my diluted Gatorade and peanut butter sandwiches.

I got a little nervous during the last two miles when we were ice skating up the trail with the thousand foot precipice. The only physical effects of the canyon hike was that my right foot got sore two days after we finished - a delayed reaction. Otherwise everything else works fine. Without your desire and encouragement to do the Canyon, I wouldn't have done it on my own - again thanks.

My next guided trip will be Rim - to Rim - to Rim in two days with an overnight on the North Rim. That would total about 48 miles with over 20,000' elevation change in two days! If you want to go, you will have the best guide in the Canyon and you can't beat the guide fee - a Club Sandwich at Denny's.

My best - Ray