Our lady Loowit.
A couple of firsts on this trip - if my chronology is correct, this was my first bulger summit, as well as my first Washington volcano summit. After a few attempts to score a climbing permit, I eventually gave up on the system and just opted to climb outside of the permit window, which I now see as the better option all together for those adequately equipped for Winter mountaineering. The crowds do not seem to be any less, but it is slightly less of a junk show, compared to stories I've heard from climbing during the permitted date window.
Spencer and I set off from the Climber's Bivouac at something like 0400 on Saturday morning the 10th. The parking lot was quiet, most folks were still sleeping in their vans and the back of their SUVs, so we quietly slipped out, making the most of the early morning hours. The trail was under snow directly out of the parking lot, so we knew we were in for a long day, booting the whole way.
Weather and temperatures were calm most of the way up, the wind stand consistent but temperatures did come up a little while we were below the crater rim, but once we had gained the rim the winds were noticeable again. The rim was frighteningly crowded with day climbers and skiers. While we had not done much research into the route as far as locating the true summit, that was without doubt our intended destination. Looking off to the west and seeing only one or two climbers, we quickly realized that that is where we would rather be, away from the hordes and on the true summit. Off we went.
Once we left the crater rim, the texture and density of the snow and ice changed considerably. Moving further west around the rim, conditions became unrelentingly icy and windy. There is a short section of down climbing between high points on the crater rim en route to the true summit, which took some heads-up foot work, and good traversing technique. We ended up only seeing one gentleman out at the true summit and he was on his way out as we made our way up, leaving us with the true summit all to ourselves. What a treat on such a popular climb.
We had both come into this climb a quart low, running on inadequate sleep, caffeine, stoke, and a regrettable amount of sugar, so by the time we topped out we were both pretty gassed. We snapped a few photos (now writing this July of 2019, I still have not edited these photos), enjoyed the solitude of the summit a moment longer, and began our descent. It was a bit of a wild scene returning to the crater rim: skiers wearing everything from alpine touring kits to tutus, a guy trying to glissade with his trekking poles, no axe, and crampons still on, and a number of rowdy snowboarders creating quite the ruckus. Needless to say, we were ready to be done.
This was without doubt one of the longest descents in recent memory. I am not certain why this one had such an agonizing impact on me, but it just felt indefinitely unending. This was the moment, as skiers went darting by, that it crystallized in my mind how efficient alpine touring really is. I had always seen skiing as a rich person's activity to be conducted on manicured groomers, and comfortable ski lodges, there was no room in my mind for the cross section of skiing and climbing, until now. Now it made sense.
A few firsts, a notable realization, and more mileage in the bank. This was a successful outing out getting acquainted with one of Washington's most prized icons.
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