Mt. Rainier Climb Video - Stills

Video made from all my still photos of Rainier using iMovie.

Slide show of Mt. Rainier Climb

Mt. Rainier Climb Video August 2008

Video of our just completed summit of Mt. Rainier. Blog postings to come soon.

So it begins. outside alpine ascents post gear check.

Ready or not, here I come

So, one week from today, I will be waking up from probably a lousy sleep at Camp Muir on Rainier. Do I care about the lousy sleep? Not at all!!!!

I am SOOOOOO excited! I have come to realize lately, that for me to truly disconnect from the world for any period of time, i need to go to remote places that focus all of my attentions on myself and my surroundings. So, does the thought of no blackberry, no cell phone, no laptop, no email, no IM, no meetings, no documents, no kids, no wife, no dogs, no house, no mortgage for 3 days sound appealing? YOU BET YOUR PATOOTIE!

I have been excersizing a fair amount between hockey, treadmill on an incline and hiking, but the only way to determine if I am really ready is to go and climb the bad boy. I am off to LA tomorrow, then on to Seattle. If all goes well, one week and one day from now I should be descending from the summit of Rainier. I am not a religious man at all, but will take all of the support that I can get on this one! Stay tuned for updates as I can send them.

Weekend Wonderland

So, I can't blog about work as people from work read my blog on occassion. Therefore, lets talk Hockey and Hiking, and things that start with "H".

Last night, we had our second, big, Yellow Jackets game in 3 nights. Last night was against the Panthers. Two of our best players got thrown out really early. We only had 7 to begin with, so once they got thrown out we were down to 5 plus a goalie. What does that mean you might ask? It means that the 5 of us played the entire game with no rest at all. It was pretty exhausting. My back was killing me.

So I slept for 5 hours and then drove the wife and kids to the airport. I got home, and being the idiot that I am, went for a 2 hour hike. Needless to say, my body is not very happy with me right now. But, I am climbing Rainier in 2 weeks from today (WOW!!!!!) so I have no excuse to not work out. Am I in shape for it? Who knows. I hope so. Only the Mountain will be able to tell me for sure.

Work, Work, Work and TRAINING

So, all work and no play makes Burt a dull boy. I have been working a ton lately trying to keep up with all that is going on. That being said, its only 27 days until i start the climb on Rainier. ARGH!!!!!!!!

So, I am training in my free time. The pack is up to about 47 pounds with weights and a full camel back. I went out for two hours yesterday around Hemlock Hills near my house, as its the hilliest area around with some steep sections. I played hockey friday night, hiked for 2 hours on saturday, and hiked the treadmill for an hour today.

While hiking the treadmill, I played Grand Theft Auto IV. Anyone played it? Pretty wild. I opted not to kick the guy off the roof, although I have certainly gunned down and driven over my fare share of pedestrians! Pretty wild game, the graphics are great. I also just finished Call of Duty 4, which might have been my favorite video game that I have ever played. The multi player is awesome also even though I tend to survive for only a few minutes.

Burts Famous -- well actually his toilet photo is

So, funny story. I am on Facebook, duh. One day I get an email from a chap who asks about my photo, the one to the left for a book he is writing.

Of course I don't trust him and ask him to prove who he is. He works for the BBC, is British, and is writing a book and wants my photo of a LOO! He checks out and tells me he will get back to me if I make it in.

I just found out. I made it in! I am a professional photographer now!

I will put the title and link in when the book comes out. I haven't signed over the movie rights yet, so if you are interested, let me know.

Onward and Upward

Wow, long time no post. Its been a while but I am back in the saddle and training for Rainier. Everything I do, I do it for you...just kidding (shout out to Bryan Adams). Everything I do, I do with a 40 lb pack. Whats in it? All my gear PLUS a 10 lb dumbbell (my 7 year olds favorite word).

I am hiking as often as possible on weekends, and during the week, playing hockey, doing stairmaster and treadmill on highest level with my pack on.

So, why no posting? I have a new area of responsibility now. I don't usually blog about work, but I work for Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc (can I get props for using the trademark correctly?) lead a team of people responsible for brand interactive marketing, website initiatives and call center strategy. In addition to that team, I am now leading the Marketing for Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) our loyalty program. So, needless to say, I have been busy. Very busy!

But, that doesn't put my climbing ambitions aside, I just have to work harder to realize them now.

Anyone know of any good soft shell pants?

Scott Waxenberg is the greatest husband ever -- or, What Shmoopie has told me

T Shirt ideas for our New Company:

1. If you can't bag it, fuck it!
2. Fuck it or bag it
3. Got Bark?
4. Designed by Tim
5. Eisenhower sucks (bites, is a jerk...)
6. Jackson Rules
7. Paper, plastic bag with Steve (ask Scott)
8. Peak baggers do it multiple times

Who is better than Scott Waxenberg -- or, how do I get the shit smell out of my clothes after using a composting outhouse

More Randomness:

1. Scott learned about the sound of rain on a tent and its non corrolation to the strength of the rain shower outside the tent
2. We woke up at 5:45 and I made everyone go back to sleep, finally waking up at 8
3. Scott had to use the outhouse twice in the dark
4. Grey jays are beggar birds

Scott Waxenberg is God - Or, don't climb 75 degree slopes wearing snow shoes

More Random Thoughts:

1. Not sure what kind of president Pierce was, but his mountain rocks!
2. Scott Waxenberg don't need no stinkin' snowshoes
3. If you fall into a deep hole wearing snowshoes, its help to have Steve Nishiro there with a snow shovel to dig you out
4. Climbing 7 hours a day for 2 days is hard
5. Peanut Butter sandwiches are nature's perfect food
6. I hate Eisenhower
7. There are a lot of peaks and knobs now named after Dillon
8. I fell in Moose shit
9. My sleeping bag could keep a family of Inuits warm for a year in theArctic -- a little too much for 40 degree weather!
10. It rained on Sunday
    
    

Scott Waxenberg is awesome - or, don't fall in moose poop and rinse your hand in icy cold streams

Random thoughts from NH:

1. Thank god we had a 2 person tent big enough for one person
2. It was beautiful -- around 40 degrees.  we were well prepared with sleeping bags rated to -20
3. Sara rocks!  She set us up from the EMS office in NH.  She is, in essence, the Russell Brice of the Presidentials.
4. Scott drew WAY too many parallels to Brokeback mountain and Deliverance, but he truly loves his smoochie (I had to say that)
5. Nothing tastes better than Beef Stroganoff, Chicken Teriyaki and Chili spiced Ramen noodels from foil bags
6. With all due respect to President Eisenhower, his namesake mountain SUCKS
7. We were going to get there but weather set in and Eisenhower mocked us.  BASTARD

Scott Waxenberg is my hero, or what I learned in the Presidentials April 2008

So, where to begin.  This post is way overdue but work has been insane lately and unfortunately, i have had no time at all to post.

Mark, unfortunately, never made it to NH.  He was stuck in O'Hare for 11 hours.  Ergo, the dedication of these posts to him.  The irony is that Mark is truly my climbing partner, although Scott is coming on strong, and of the three trips we have planned, we have only climbed together once!

So, what follows will be a number of random thoughts from the NH trip distributed across an equal number of random posts.

Peak Bagging in the Presidentials NH, April 2008