Gladiator Run Obstacles!

Check out the obstacle map! Looks awesome!

http://www.gladiatorrocknrun.com/event_oct_29.html

27 OCT Rock Wall (Time Change)

HST- We've reserved the Mcveigh climbing wall for Thursday, 27 OCT at 1600. Meet outside prior or come in when you can. You can bring your own gear, or you can use Mcveigh's. You need a 15 min class from Mcveigh in order to use the wall. You can do a walk in most afternoons, just give them a call first to make sure the instructor is there.

http://www.jblmmwr.com/fit_mcveigh.html#

HST Update

Mike and Joshua will be climbing at the McVeigh wall Thursday at 0730 if anyone wants to go. Bring a harness and a biener or you can use the gym's equipment. Meet outside climbing room. 


Reminder: send Dave Fierner a copy of your ID so he can pick up the paperwork for the gladiator run next weekend. Let me know if you want to ride with us or if you are driving separate. We plan on staying for the show and drinking some beer. We need to decide on a costume if any, and send me your shirt sizes for the OR t shirts. 


The HST directors had a planning meeting last week, and we have some exciting plans for 2011. We'll keep you updated.

HST Warrior Summit on Mount Baker!

We're proud to announce that all 11 climbers of the HST's first Wounded Warrior climb reached the summit of Mount Baker on August 21st, 2011! Our inaugural Wounded Warrior climb was a huge success for all that supported us and for all involved. I can't say enough about how proud I am of our Warrior Climbers. They really pushed themselves to the physical and mental limit in order to safely summit this mountain. Not only did they face the normal physical hardships of mountaineering, they did so while battling their own physical and mental wounds as well. These are some of the toughest people I know.

HST Leader Mike Pickerel began the week by "Sherpa'ing" supplies to our camp at 6500 feet on Baker. He made several trips from the trail head to to the camp throughout the week in support of the climb. He was joined by HST leader Joshua Brandon and the Warrior Climbers Friday afternoon, after a relaxed, but heavy climb to camp with the rest of the gear. After establishing camp, we enjoyed a meal of sausage, rice, peppers, and Sweet Baby Ray's on tortillas for dinner, and then turned in for a good nights sleep. 

After enjoying some extra sleep Saturday morning, the climbers immediately set out learning some mountaineering skills. After a gear class, they went over the critical mountaineering knots. After lunch...snow school. The HST repeatedly rehearsed self arrest, glacial movement, crevasse rescue, and a few other climbing skills. Some highlights of the class were Lou's day-glow jacket from 1985 and some dramatic self arrests in the slushy snow. Right before dinner, the HST support climbers arrived just in time for a quick rehearsal and a dinner of mac'n'cheese, sausage, and peppers on tortillas. Mike Pickerel received full compliments on another amazing meal, although he also lost a bet on which mountain was which in the distance. (As of today he has yet to settle that debt.) Before turning in at 6 PM, the group made final equipment checks, prepped the ropes, and crawled into our bags. 

An excited team jumped out of their bags at midnight to start prepping for the climb. As with most climbs, everyone slowed down a bit when the cold hit them outside of their warm bags. After a quick breakfast and final gear checks, we roped up and set off up the mountain. The warriors kept a strong steady pace, climbing for 60 minutes and breaking for 10 at a time. The previous two days of climbing and training, as well as the lack of sleep and cold weather, immediately began to impact the team. All involved showed a lot of heart and toughness in climbing steadily upward through the pain and exhaustion. Just below the crater rim, the team ran into its only major climbing problem of the day. While Team Rabbit was crossing a well traveled crevasse, Kevin Burke fell into the crevasse when the ledge gave out. I was extremely proud of the warrior climbers Jacqueline Bruhn and Mike Grover, who immediately reacted by executing a rope team arrest on the far side of the crevasse. With the ropes tight and Kevin executing a perfect self arrest, he soon climbed up and out, and we climbed on. We made it to the crater rim a little after sunrise, and everyone's spirits picked up at the site of the summit in the distance. We tackled the famed Roman Wall in three teams; all of which made it up and over like pros. Tired and hungry, the team pushed over the last few hundred yards of the top and dropped out gear below the summit. After a quick bite to eat and a drink of water, the team climbed the final feet together to reach the summit. 

On the top, happy but tired climbers congratulated one another, took some pictures, and signed the register.  Dan Shoemaker honored two of our fallen comrades, CPL Chris Yauch and SGT Israel O'Bryan (KIA Jalula Iraq, 11 June, 2010), and CPT Brandon Trapp proudly supported his 101st Airborne (Air Assault), signed by his fellow soldiers and family after he was wounded in action in Afghanistan. It was an especially amazing moment for him as one year ago to the day he was wounded in action in Afghanistan. Brandon demonstrated just how tough of a warrior he is by accomplishing so difficult a task while in the midst of his recovery.

Once off the summit, the team redistributed some loads, roped up, and headed back down the wall. The climbers soon learned that reaching the summit is only half the climb as the Roman wall soon proved to be more difficult in down climbing than going up. Dan and Brandon on Team Rhino fought through the pain and frustration of moving down the wall, all the while supported by Mike Pickerel and Lou McGranaghan. Once we climbed out of the wind storm on the crater rim, we finally set back for a well deserved break. From here, team rabbit pushed down the mountain ahead of team Rhino and the support climbers in order to prepare more water and break down the camp. After a long down climb which was compared to the Bataan Death March at one point, the entire HST met up at camp. 

After breaking down camp, we hit the last leg of the trip. On the way the HST leaders gave a tour of notable locations from previous climbs such as Gnome City, the Hippie Lunch Counter, and Battle Camp. After an endless walk towards the trail head, we made it to the cars. We packed up, checked in with the rangers, and had a celebratory meal at Bob's Burgers & Brews in Burlington. 

First, I'd like to take the time to recognize our Wounded Warrior climbers again. Every time I climb with you I''m humbled by your toughness and dedication. I'm proud of you all, and I look forward to climbing with you again in the future. I'd also like to give a special thanks to our support climbers (Joshua Betty, Dave Fierner, Niki Evans, Kevin Burke, and Lou McGranahan), without your strong backs, watchful eyes, and patience, the climb would not have happened. I'd like to also thank our sponsors Outdoor Research, Sterling Ropes, Jansport, Minus 33 Degrees, Nalgene, MSR & Cascade Designs, and JBLM MWR. You made this climb possible with your support. Thank you from the team and from our Warrior climbers. 

Fortunately for the HST, the season is not quite over. We are already getting ready for the final climbs of the season through September and October.

HST Summit!

Brandon Trapp and Dan Shoemaker proudly fly the Screaming Eagle!

Joshua Brandon, Mike Pickerel, and Dan Shoemaker on the Summit.

Mike makes some dinner chow.

Snow school. Dan Shoemaker, Mike Grover, Joshua Brandon,
and Lou McGranaghan.

Lou navigates a crevasse.

Niki on break.

Down climbing the wall.

Jacqueline on the Summit.

Team Rhino and the Support Team down climbing.

Final Baker Coordinations

HST climbers! The Baker climb is here! We'll meet at the WTB on JBLM at 0845. After a quick head count, we'll move out for Baker. We'll have the WTB van for transportation. I will also ride up with the support climbers.

We will stop in Seedro Woolley for a quick bite, register with the rangers, and do a final gear check. After that its up to the trailhead.

Make sure you let me know when you pickup your gear, and your packinglist is complete.

A few final points: Bring hiking pants / shorts and hiking shoes for the movement from the trailhead to camp. Plastic boots will be miserable below the snow. Make sure you bring food for snacks, lunch, and breakfast. We will have rice, spam, bell peppers, and sweet baby rays for dinners. We will hit up a dive on the way back.

Call me with any last minute issues.

JB

Warrior Climb Info

Warrior Climbers - Over the next week I will be sending out info on the climb.

We are on for 19-21 August at Baker. We will meet at 0600 at the WTB parking lot, then move up to Mount Baker NF to the trail head for the Easton Glacier . We will meet Mike at the trail head, then push up to camp. That afternoon we will set up camp, eat, and get some rest. The next day we will wake early and do a snow / ice school at camp. Followed by a dinner, we will turn in early for a midnight first call with a 0100 start time for the climb. The climb itself should take 7-11 hours depending on the teams speed and conditions. Once back from the summit, we will rest, pack up camp, then head down to the car. We'll stop on Highway 20 at Birdsview Brewing for burgers and beer, then head back down to JBLM. We'll be back Sunday evening.

The weather has been awesome, just remember that if we get hit with a storm, we have the option to bump a day to the 22nd.

WTBs will be ridng in the van, and support climbers will carpool. Mike will be heading up ahead of time for Sherpa duties. Call me if you have any questions. 

Mike is going to reserve equipment from MWR. He is getting axes, tents, sleeping bags, hiking poles, boots, crampons, and helmets for you. Please send him your boot size today so he can make sure you are good to go. I would go up and try on the boots prior to climbing in them. 

I am picking up your packs, Nalgene Bottles, Tshirts (From Sterling), and some other stuff from TJ, so I will have it available for pickup starting on Tuesday. If you want to have it earlier for a training hike this weekend, call me to set something up for Saturday morning (early).

HST will provide you with your carabeners (locking and extra) and the harness. We will also be providing the team safety equipment and means for cooking. Please refer to the packing list for any additional info.

We're working out the final details on food, so I will put out food guidance in a couple of days. We will be cooking two group dinners on day 1 and 2, but all other meals and snacks will be your responsibility.

Unfortunately, not everyone who started training with us will be climbing with us next week (family,medical, park service). Due to restrictions by the Forrest Service on how many people we can take in the party, we've had to push two climbers into alternate status, and close the climb completely to some others who were looking to help. As of now, alternates will only go if a primary drops out. 

See the email for rope team names and spots. 

More to follow...

HST Baker Climb

Mount Baker Summit July 30th!

On July 29th and 30th , the Hound Summit Team climbed Mount Baker, Washington in preparation for its Warrior Climb in August. While our primary mission was to scout out the routes and camp sites for our wounded warriors, we also received the added benefit of climbing a classic route in amazing conditions. HST Leaders Joshua Brandon, Mike Pickerel, and TJ Laynor climbed with HST warrior climber Kevin Burke on the Easton Glacier route. We arrived before lunch on Friday, July 29th, and headed up to camp at the base of the glacier. After running Kevin through a skills seminar, we ate some chow and bedded down for the night in calm, starry conditions. After a 1AM wake up, we choked down some watered down oatmeal and set off around 2 AM. We enjoyed absolutely perfect conditions under clear skies and mild weather, reaching the summit a little after 8. The relaxed pace allowed us to enjoy the mountain (as opposed to just our feet), and to get a good fell for the route we will take for the warrior climb in August. After getting some quick pictures on the summit, we headed down the Roman Wall and hung out at the steam vents for a bit. After that, we headed back down to camp, then suffered through the never ended hike back to the car to enjoy beef and cheese sticks and a celebratory Olly. 

Conditions on Baker remain absolutely incredible due to the heavy snows this winter and the mild weather we've had this summer. We're excited to climb the mountain in August with our warriors. It will be a challenging, yet beautiful climb. 

A special thanks to Outdoor Research and Sterling ropes who provided us with some clothing and technical gear to test out on the mountain. We'd also like to give the Girls on Ice (www.girlsonice,org) program a shout out. They were climbing on Baker the same time we were, and they have what looks like a really cool program. 

Summit!

Up to the vents

Down from the Summit

Sherman Peak from the vents

Rainier in the distance

HST Muir Conditioning

The HST had an eventful training climb to Muir this weekend. We started out from Paradise around 10AM in the morning on Sunday, under cloudy skies and great climbing temperatures. It was an eye opening trip for many of our team as this was the first time they had been on a mountain of Rainier's class. The team made amazing progress at 1000-1400 feet per hour, much faster than we initially planned for. These Warriors continued to display that, despite personal injury, they can overcome anything. They also became very familiar with their partners feet as well as the beautiful scenery as we slowly worked our way up the Muir snowfield. We reached a cold and bitter Muir that afternoon, where we enjoyed some cold lunch, tested out some of our new "snivel gear," and refilled our water. We headed down after about an hour, and, much to our relief, we were able to glissade from just below Muir to just below Panoramic point due to both the conditions as well as some much worn glissade trails from previous climbers. Unfortunately, just below Panoramic point, one of our climbers was injured while glissading, and we were unable to move him down the mountain due to his limited mobility. After checking out a few routes down, we decided to enlist the help of the park's climbing rangers in getting our guy down.  Glenn the rest of his climbing ranger team, continued to display their absolute professionalism and skill in moving our climber back down to Paradise. Its always an awesome experience to operate with them.

All in all it was a critical day on the mountain. Our climbers proved to themselves that they can overcome the challenges that  both their injuries and mother nature throw at them. They also received a key lesson in how Rainier can go from being beautiful to dangerous in an instant. I was proud of how well our team-mates reacted under pressure, both physical and mental. They are definitely a strong group ready for further challenges on the mountain. I'm proud to climb alongside them.

Enjoy some pictures from the trip:

Break time

Moving up

Glissade

Almost to Muir

Glissade on the Muir Snowfield

Mike's up!

Trail

Moving strong

HST Rainier Training Climb

HST Rainier Warrior Climb Team Members -

On Sunday, 17 July we will climb from Paradise to Camp Muir in preparation for the climb next month. Muir is a great training climb as you will experience the effects of altitude, glacier travel, and mountain conditions without the need for technical equipment.

We will meet at the JBLM WTB, and be on the road by 700. Contact Lou if you need a spot in the WTB van. We will leave Paradise and head to Muir via pebble creek to the Muir snowfield. At Muir we will have lunch and learn a few basic mountaineering skills. After lunch and training (and possibly a snooze in the afternoon sun), we will head back down to Paradise. We should be back at the WTB no later than 1900 that evening.

Wear: Ball cap/hat, sunglasses, wicking shirt, hiking pants (not cotton), wicking socks, hiking boots preferred (not trail shoes)

Pack:  Water (camel back and extra bottle (3 liters) minimum), Food (energy bars, trail mix, jerky, meat sticks, PBJ, etc), extra pair of socks, light long sleeve top (silk weight is fine), warm snookie cap, gloves (a pair of liners for warmth and a pair to use), Waterproof shell top and Waterproof shell bottom*, if you have a sleep mat or a small pad to sit on this is a good idea, Walking poles** (Optional but highly recommended), sunscreen (SPF 30 minimum), The 10 essentials.

Bring a camera with extra batteries for awesome pictures. If you want to bring a GPS to play around with on the mountain feel free. 

* Waterproof breathable top and bottom (Army issue Goretex works great). If you don’t have access to military or civilian gear either for yourself or through a friend, let Mike or Josh know and we will see what we can do.

**Poles - You can rent them for cheap at REI ($2 for members $4 for non-members)

Anything more you feel you need please clear with Mike P.

You will likely wear hiking pants / shorts with your tshirt most of the way up. The warming top or WP Top is for breaks, hanging out at Muir, and emergencies. You will be hot.

Have: In an extra bag or carry in your pack (and leave in the van) for the end, dry shirt, dry pants/shorts, flip-flops, bottle of water/gator-aid.  ( I SUGGEST CARRY IN AN EXTRA BAG)

Bring money for a greasy breakfast!!!

Info:

 Maps: http://www.nps.gov/mora/planyourvisit/mount-rainier-maps.htm

 Info: http://www.nps.gov/mora/planyourvisit/climbing.htm 

Weather:   http://www.atmos.washington.edu/data/rainier_report.html

Obama awards JBLM sergeant with Medal of Honor

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama awarded the Medal of Honor Tuesday to a Joint Base Lewis-McChord Army sergeant who lost his hand in Afghanistan when he tried to toss an enemy grenade away from himself and two colleagues.

"Today, we honor a singular act of gallantry," Obama said. "The Medal of Honor reflects the deepest gratitude of our nation."

Full Story

HST Meering

HST - All team leaders, climbers, and support climbers will meet at McNamara's in Dupont for a Rainier Warrior Climb meeting onThursday, July 7th from1800-1900. We will discuss the Baker and Rainier climbs, training, and equipment. It will be a great opportunity to meet the other climbers and the leader id you haven't already done so. Please RSVP via the invite email.

http://www.mcnamaraspubandgrill.com/

Thanks
HST

Sterling Ropes Partnership

The Hound Summit Team proudly announces a partnership with Sterling Ropes! Please check out their top quality gear at www.sterlingrope.com 

More Lewis-McChord soldiers seek mental help

More Lewis-McChord soldiers seek mental help

Trainig Update

June 22 - Mt Washington Training Climb. Meet at WTB parking lot on Pendleton at 0800.  (Have at least a camleback of water, munchies food, 1 x extra socks, dry shirt, jacket, ball cap.

July 1 - JBLM hill drills. Meet at Solo point at 0700 (if this time needs to flex, let us know) be dressed ready to run up hills. Have water and maybe a change of clothes if you want.

July 6 - Weighted Pack walk. Meet at WTB 1500 hrs. (3pm) Have a pack with at least 30-35 lbs. to include at least a camel back of water, light hiking clothes, good socks, and trail type shoes/hiking boot, munchies, and dry clothes to change. After the training session we will have a meal (TBD) and talk about the upcoming climbs of Baker and Rainier.

HST Training on the McClellan Butte

The HST had an awesome training session on McClellan Butte in the Snoqualmie area. We expected a good conditioning hike to or near the summit block, but the day turned into a great alpine training day when we reached the snow level at 3200 feet. We decided to jump on this opportunity and move up along one of the coloirs on the north side. We were able to go over crampon and movement techniques on the way up the 50 to 60 degree chutes, and we traversed the summit block with an entertaining but exposed scramble to lunch. On the way down we went over some belaying and rappelling in the sketchy spots, but once we got cold and bored, we plunged down to the car for sandwiches and beer in North Bend.

Mike Pickerel and Fred Prince Scrambling on McClellan Butte

The HST Welcomes Specialist Fred Prince to the Wounded Warrior Mount Rainier Climb

Specialist Fred Prince, currently assigned to the JBLM WTB, first served in Hawaii with the 25th Infantry Division 3-25 Cacti. He has been deployed to Iraq, and earned his Combat Infantryman's Badge in operations in the Eastern Desert south of Tikrit. He served for three years before re-enlisting for change of station to Ft Lewis. Three weeks later he was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia, a highly aggressive blood cancer. It was diagnosed just in time as another few more days would have likely resulted in him not being here to write this. Fred Prince remains committed to continuing service in his chosen MOS, that of 11B, Infantryman. If possible, this experience has strengthened his determination and dedication to do what is necessary to close with and destroy the enemies of freedom who would bring terror to our shores. He is an avid outdoor enthusiast with a great love for the mountains and forests of the western United States. He comes from a background of working for 13 years, before joining the Army, in every aspect of the construction industry.

Mount Si Training Report

HST First Training Walk

HST conducted our first training walk for the August Rainier Summit, going up Mt Si, in North Bend WA.  A good starting point.  We learned that keeping a moderate pace is a good thing.  Some want to go fast, others enjoy the walk, still some bring all but the kitchen sink, and some grandmothers still prefer cotton over synthetic materials. Something was learned and enjoyed by everyone involved.  I was thoroughly impressed with the ability of a bird to eat PBJ sandwiches right out of one hikers hands, have no milk, and still chirp out a song.   Thanks to all who came and look forward to the next.

-Mike Pickerel

Summit for Someone Climb with Big City Mountaineers on Mount Shasta

The HST had an an amazing weekend with our Summit for Someone Shasta Team and the Shasta Mountain Guides. We met up with the guides and the rest of our team at the Fifth Season in Shasta on Friday morning. After a layout and an initial briefing, we headed up to the base to start the climb. From the base, we moved to Hidden Valley at 9000 feet, where we established our camp and then went through some mountaineering training with the other climbers. On the way to camp, we stopped at the Horse Camp at 8000 feet, where we refilled our water in the springs from under Mount Shasta, possibly some of the "best water in the world." Once school was over, we put on our warm "snivel" gear and were treated to an awesome dinner of gas stove cooked mac n cheese and veggies and sausage. Over dinner we were entertained by classic jokes and the legend of the Lemurians living inside mount Shasta. We finished off the evening with a nightcap of hot chocolate, and then we made our final preparations for the climb before crawling into our bags. During the short nap before the climb, TJ struggled to sleep during my snoring and I fought off his attempt to steal the whole tent. We woke at 0200, struggled into our gear in the cold, then enjoyed some hot oatmeal before moving out for the top at 0300. We quickly established a good pace and a smooth rhythm up the mountain with solid coaching from the guides. We slowly progressed through the dark and the cold, breaking for a strict 10 minutes for food and water every hour or so. As the sun began to rise on the opposite side of the mountain, we were treated to spectacular views of the surrounding Cascades. Everything was shaping up to be an epic day on the mountain. Around 0800, clouds and light snow began to roll in, but we continued to push with one eye on the weather. At around 0830, just below the top of the West Face at 12000 feet, we were quickly overtaken by high winds, snow, and whiteout conditions. The guides decided to wait out the weather to see if the un-forcasted storm would pass, but as time went on, conditions continued to worsen as the storm dropped lower and lower down the mountain. Around 0850 the guides made the right decision to head back down to camp as it was unsafe to climb any higher in those conditions. While we could have tried to wait out the storm at the top of the west face, there was no guarantee the weather would clear in time to descend safely. So, with heavy hearts, we began to down climb the mountain. After a few hours of post-holing in sugar snow and cursing at the weird weather, we reached camp. I quickly had some target practice in the rocks, then we fell into our tents for a nap. With wet snow and more cold forecasted, we decided to head back to town instead of holding out over night at hidden valley. Once back in town, we turned in our team gear, got into some clean clothes, and tried to cover our stink with some Old Spice spray. We headed over to The Goat with Polly, Orion, and Mike for an after action review over cold beer and amazing burgers.

First and foremost, the HST would like to thank all of our friends and family who contributed to SFS climb through donations to Big City Mountaineers. You are the reason this climb was possible. Together we raised 7200 dollars, which will result in upwards of 600 teens benefitting from their program.

Thanks to Darin Fearday and Summit for Someone for setting up the climb. We look forward to working with you guys in the future.

We'd also like to thank our fellow climbers for good company and a great climb. Finally, I'd like to offer a special thanks to Polly, Brian, and Joe from Shasta Mountain Guides. Not only were you guys knowledgeable and professional, you were awesome company as well.  It's no easy task to train and lead a group of strangers of varying degrees of experience up a mountain, and you guys did it exceptionally well. Thanks for making the smart decision on the mountain.

 TJ and I are already planning on bringing our ladies here next year for a long weekend in the town and another climb on the mountain with the rest of the HST.

 The SFS Shasta 1 Team

 (Left to Right) Darin Fearday of BCM, TJ Laynor, and Joshua Brandon over dinner.

Josh and TJ at the Hidden Valley Camp with Mount Shasta in the back ground

 Josh and TJ just under the top of the West Face enjoying the surprise weather

Calendar

The HST training calendar is up! Details for the individual training sessions will be put out on the blog.

https://www.houndsummitteam.org/Climbs.html

HST Mount Si Training Climb

The HST will train on Mount Si on Saturday, June 11th. We will meet at the JBLM WTB (outside the physical therapy office) at 0800. Climbers can ride in the WTB van or drive themselves. Travel time is a little over an hour, and we will be back Saturday afternoon.

Packing list: hiking boots or hiking shoes, camel back or Nalgene bottles (2-3 QTs), sunglasses, day pack or small backpack, change of socks, lunch, and power snack food (gels, trail mix, etc... that you can eat on the move), a jacket, wind-breaker, or shell (water resistant), and sunscreen. Trekking poles, gps, sit-pad, are optional. If you want to challenge yourself with a higher load, clear it through Mike Pickerel (Lead CLimber) and Lou McGranaghan (Team Physical Therapist).

Trail information: http://www.mountsi.com/

We are finishing up the HST training plan this week and will have the dates out to you this week.

We've reached our goal of 7200 dollars for the SFS Shasta climb!

Thank you to all who donated to the climb. You can follow us on the climb on Facebook from 10-12 June. Check back for the trip report.

31 May WTB Brief

We will be meeting with prospective climbers at the JBLM WTB physical therapy office at 900 AM, on Tuesday, May 31st. Please contact us to set up a meeting if you can't make it.

Remember our Fallen Brothers on Memorial Day

Hound Summit Team's Fallen brothers in Arms

SSG Morgan Kennon, LTC Paul Finken, SGT Eric Hernadez, SFC Dae Han Park, SGT Israel "Izzy" O'bryan, CPL Chris "Boo Boo" Yauch, SGT Corey Dan, SFC Chris Brevard, CPL Alexander Jordan

8 May Article in the Fort Lewis Ranger

Ranger Article

26 April Seattle Times Article

http://o.seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2014883453_ptsdclimbing27m.html