Alpine Climbing and Happenstance Rescues in the Cascade Mountains

North Cascade National Park with Mt Triumph in the distance

Liberty Bell Mountain, Washington Pass

Ryan W. on the first pitch of The Tooth

View from the summit of The Tooth

Last weekend my friend Ryan and I enjoyed some amazing weather while hiking and climbing in the Cascades. We drove to the north cascades on Friday, slept at the trail head, and had big plans for climbing Mt Triumph. Unfortunately because of a permit issues in the North Cascades National Park we ended up changing plans, but not before we had hiked five miles in and climbed 3000ft.  After returning to the car we headed for Washington pass and climbed a short alpine rock. But we were further delayed after we came across a 60 year old hiker who was traveling alone and suffering from asthma. He was not too bad off but definitely a little scared, so after hiking in 1.5 miles we turned around and walked with him back to the trail head.  

On Sunday we headed out again to climb a local peak called The Tooth near Snoqualmie Pass. The climbing was great and we were treated to hot sunny weather while lower elevations were clouded in. On our descent from the peak we came across of pair of climbers were were clearly having trouble. The second climbing couldn't make it up the climb and the rope was in such a way the she could not be lowered back down. Again Ryan and I jumped into action placing both members of the other team on belay and safely lowering the woman back to the bottom on the climb.  

After two unoffical mountain resue missions in two days, we got a message for an official Seattle Mountain Rescue mission while on our hike out from The Tooth. Ryan and I hurried back to the car and drove down from Snoqualmie Pass to the base of Mt. Si where we joined other people from Seattle Mountain Rescue and Explore Search and Rescue.  We were part of the sixth team to head in but after hiking about two miles in we found the subject was doing fine and everyone hiked out again.

While enjoying an a large helping of Mexican food with our SMR friends that evening I added up our miles and elevation - 25 miles and approximately 8000ft of elevation in two days.  It is no wonder I could hardly get out of bed Monday morning!