Training Climbs

We now have two training climbs scheduled.

Sure, for Colin there really aren't any training climbs as he is always climbing, but these are climbing climbs for me, anyway.

In May I am going with some friends to climb Mount St Helens, and in early June, a bunch of us plan to climb Mount Rainier. Both Colin and Brian plan on going on the latter climb, which should be good for all of us individually, and as a team.

Tomorrow night we have a meeting of those interested in doing the June climb of Rainier.

Every step along the way to Denali becomes more tangible!

Making Progress

Although it has been a few months since I last wrote, we are still bound and determined to go to Denali!

In fact, we have now tentatively settled on mid-June 2011, and it looks like we will employ the guide services of Phil Ershler. I met with his business partners, Eric Simmonson and George Dunn, a couple of weeks ago and they "penciled" us into their schedule. Exciting!

Colin and I added an exercise routine over the last couple of weeks. Colin took one of my old MSR ice axes and suspended it horizontally from the ceiling of our garage and we use this to do pull-ups and leg lifts. We also have a universal gym in the garage and have been using that as well. We can certainly feel the difference, and can even see some difference as well.

Colin has been devoting considerable time and dollars both researching and acquiring gear. Yes, he had a lot already, but the gear needed for this 20,000 foot peak is often quite different than what we have been using for the Cascade peaks less than half that high.