Avalanches and Prestigious Awards

Before we get to the fun stuff, I need to mention that the temperatures are going to really heat up later this week and possibly into the weekend. If you’re coming to Mount Rainier, be very careful around (or avoid altogether) steep snow slopes and glacial icefalls. As the freezing level climbs above 10K, the avalanche hazard is likely to SOAR. We’ve had over 900 inches of snowfall this winter and spring and you don’t want to be caught under it as summer returns for a few days.

So do you remember Phill Michael? He was the Canadian climber who helped those lost hikers on the Muir Snowfield last fall. Well, his actions earned recognition from the Secretary of the Interior. Here is the press release about his actions, the award and a picture from today’s ceremony. Great job, Phill! You can find more about Phill, this story and his other adventures at secretspot.net! He also discusses the incident in a radio interview.

Skills, Experience and Compassion earn Canadian Citizen the Department of Interior’s Award for Bravery

Mount Rainier is recognized for its inclement and hazardous weather. The Muir Snowfield on Mount Rainier is noted for its hidden crevasses and cliffs; hazards that have claimed the lives of many day hikers, skiers and climbers. A night without shelter while lost on the snowfield often ends tragically.

Preparedness, skills and experience are critical prerequisites for any climber venturing onto the mountain’s often treacherous upper slopes. At any time of the year the weather can change suddenly creating dangerous conditions. It is imperative that climbers begin their climb prepared to wait out the weather if it becomes necessary. Being prepared can mean the difference between life and death on the upper mountain and can help save the lives of others. Phill Michael came prepared to climb the mountain and ended up saving the lives of two backpackers who were not prepared to overnight in the challenging environment typical of the upper mountain.

If not for the skill, preparedness and efforts of Phill Michael, it is likely that the two backpackers would have perished. All too often, the story of lost hikers on Mount Rainier ends sadly. Phill Michael’s actions and preparedness directly resulted in the saving of two visitors on Mount Rainier. For these efforts, the National Park Service awarded Mr. Michael its Citizen’s Award for Bravery.

On September 16th 2007, climber Phill Michael was descending from Camp Muir during a storm when he came upon two visitors who were lost and ill prepared. That couple was also descending from Camp Muir, but found themselves disoriented and without shelter in one of Mount Rainier’s most notoriously dangerous locations. While descending, Mr. Michael heard distressed voices and moved in their direction. The path back to Paradise was completely obscured and it was quite foggy, rainy and windy. After following the voices, Mr. Michael soon located the two backpackers. At that time, the couple was in despair as they had no way to reorient themselves, navigate off the mountain or provide shelter. Mr. Michael used his equipment, skills and abilities as an experienced guide to erect a shelter out of his tarp and care for the two lost backpackers. Over the following 48 hours, Michael attended to the couple while the snow, wind, and rain continually threatened. During a brief respite from the storm on day three, Mr. Michael was able to reorient the team and descend safely back to the Paradise.

Walking shoes or boots?

I've been a little tied up since I got back to the UK, trying to organise everything ahead of my next trip... unfortunately I still haven't booked a flight and am only halfway to determining where to go - there are just so many places to choose from - eek!



So whilst I'm still taking a short commercial break from my travels I thought I'd share with you my most recently acquired travel essential item...



Yes, I finally gave in and settled on a pair of walking shoes, after relying on my beloved walking bootsfor so long.



Having torn the ligaments in my right ankle a few years ago, this was not an easy decision to make, and hence the period of mulling.








So, my shoes arrived, with a variety of labels which I slowly read and discarded one by one, just in case there was anything important that I should absorb. Oddly, one of these indicated that Merrell will provide regular updates about 'what has happened' in the outside world, so perhaps this brand of footwear is as good as everyone suggests?




After almost a couple of months of wearing in, on a variety of terrains, and periods of walking, I think it is safe to say that I am now well positioned to give a balanced review.



Pros:

• Gore-tex - guaranteed to keep you dry, assuming you don't get water in the top of the shoes? Seemed to deal pretty well with snow falling over the top too.


• Antimicrobial technology - against odour, staining and deterioration. No sign of any issue here after a couple of months wear in hot and colder climates.


• Comfortable - they moulded to my feet and seemed to help with walking properly (particularly given my weaker ankle).

According to the instructions (?), women move differently to men, but not in the way that immediately springs to mind, rather in relation to a Q-angle (or Quadriceps' angle), which is the angle between the hip and the knee due to wider hips and a lower centre of gravity which in a nut shell, seems to mean we walk on the outside of our feet (!). I can vouch that they did appear to help with this by stabilising and cushioning my feet. However, this all seems a little hi tech to me...



Cons:

• Grip - I found the tread was fine whilst hiking on rougher terrain and pretty good at dealing with recent bouts of snow and ice. However, when it was wet, I did feel a little uneasy underfoot and therefore put this down to slippery soles in wet conditions rather than my clumsiness.


• Sizing - It does seem that all the Merrell footwear that I tried on required a size bigger than I would normally wear. This isn't really an issue as I always try before I buy, however the sizes only seem to go up to 8 for women, so think this may be a little restrictive for others?


• Wear and tear - I am just a little uncomfortable about the reviews I've read regarding these shoes and that although they have been purchased to replace the exact same shoes, the previous pair only lasted 2/3 years - I'm not planning continuous wear but I perhaps have set the bar a little high by becoming attached to my 7+ years old hiking boots which are still going! We will see... I would be interested in hearing from anyone who has owned a pair of Siren Sport Goretex shoes by Merrell?

At the end of the day, my new shoes are fit for the purpose for which I have acquired them. Lightweight and suitable for a variety of terrains, they should be reasonably hard wearing over the next few months... wherever I end up!

Holiday company

We had visitors over the long Thanksgiving weekend.



They weren't very sociable though.



They kept to themselves a lot.



And were a bit stand-offish at times.



They had a little tussle right in front of us.



A handsome family, though.



It was hard to pick a favorite portrait.

-------

River otter, Lontra canadensis or Lutra canadensis.

Roe-Dee-Oh :: Mutton Busting and Barrell Racing

Sunday, August 21st - - One of the events for kids (ages 4-7) was called Mutton Busting, which was basically setting a kid on the back of sheep and letting them run. It was quite funny. Some of them barely got out of the gate before falling off but the one below managed to hold on for quite a while and was a real crowd-pleaser.







The Barrel Racing event allowed the women to show off their riding ability as well as the speed and agility of their beautiful horses.

Desert in Snow

I thought that my photos were blurry until I realized it was the snow falling that was casuing them to look blurry. There was about an inch here but there was more at other places up to about 3 or 4 inches.

How good is Yangshuo?

Hairy Beastie

Time to brush the horses. First I did the bay mare, Nita, then on to the old paint, Sunny. But Nita really likes to be brushed and tells me she wants more by shoving her nose in against Sunny. But Sunny is the worst of my Hairy Beasties so he gets the most. The hair comes off in swirls that almost look like big hairy worms. then it is all in a pile at his feet. Hate to say it but I know I will have to do it all over in a day or so.