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Josh Journey
a.k.a Josh Lewis



Joined: 01 Nov 2007
Posts: 4830 | TRs | Pics
Josh Journey
a.k.a Josh Lewis
PostMon Feb 09, 2009 9:00 pm 
BigSteve wrote:
Thanks for sharing. Looking forward to reading about your next adventure. P.S. I won't ask about a 16 y.o. doing the OSAT thing. biggrin.gif
Thanks! I look forward to having and writting my next adventure. I'm open when it comes to talking, even if it's personal questions, as for joining OSAT, I'm not an alchoholic and plan to never be one, I joined this group because it's cheap, and they go climbing mountains!
raising2hikers wrote:
Great effort by all on a very steep winter climb up.gif Nice pictures of Glacier Peak and Rainier
The snow is unusually higher than usual, pretty much at the top of the forest once the hike started to open out more is when the snow/ice came about. Very glad you liked the photo's! smile.gif
Opus wrote:
BigSteve wrote:
P.S. I won't ask about a 16 y.o. doing the OSAT thing. biggrin.gif
I went up Rainier with OSAT three years ago. They're a good bunch of folks and were kind enough to let me stay in even though I wasn't there for their official purpose. Actually a friend of mine signed me up for their training without explaining what "One Step at A Time" meant. It was a real eye opener when I went to the orientation meeting at REI, a woman walks up to the podium and says: "Hi, my name is _____ and I'm an alcoholic." I thought I'd walked into the wrong room. embarassedlaugh.gif
They are a great group of people, no real problems with the group that I have found out about.... besides there pace and wanting to rush up and down. hmmm.gif
BigSteve wrote:
Two peaks in the Cascades are named for OSAT's founder, Jimmy Hinkhouse, i.e., Hinkhouse Peak, near Cutthroat Peak, and the other Hinkhouse Peak (sometimes called "Not Hinkhouse Peak"), the high point between Longs Pass and Ingalls Pass. Both would be called Hinkhouse Peak but for the fed's ban on giving the same name to two places in the winderness areas. Beckey I calls the latter "Hinkhouse Peak."
I did'nt know that was a summit? I went there on a foggy daw when we went to Longs Pass not knowing were Ingalls Peak was, so we went North on a ridge between the two and got to a high point. Is it an official peak? Is it labeled on maps?
bikejr wrote:
Quote:
Unfortunatly I was not allowed to have my ice axe out because I almost hit the leader guy in the face when I had my ski polls in my pack that stuck out and as I was getting up... well he was'nt happy about that, so I had to have my ice axe with him.
hmmm.gif hmmm.gif So you can't use the safety equipment you brought up there becuase of a near mishap? How about just don't hike so close together? There must be more to this than meets the eye (pun not originally intended but what the hey). Interestingly enough this one in on my radar to do again. It doesn't look though like the boulder field is all snow covered which I thought it might be. I guess it hasn't snowed much of late. I remember how much I hated going up/down that boulder field over the boulders because everyone else was going that way and the trail at that point was very icy, I let someone talk me out of it. I'm sure with microspikes I would have been fine. Where did the snow/icy conditions start? Was it at the talus/boulder field or well before that in the woods?
Next time I should NOT bring ski polls if it's going to be that bad, so that way I can use my ice axe. I had trouble at the boulder field, had to kickin my steps on the way down, and was a little worried, because ski polls don't do there justice in these conditions. The ice started right at the end of the woods, there wee still many trees when it was icy, but the end of the thick woods was were it began. Micro Spikes sounds great compared to jack tracks, but either of them are to expensive for me.... one might ask... how are you climbing Rainier if you cannot enen afford Jack tracks, well a lot of my gear I have owned from years of getting, and for rope (perlon, and those kind of glacier ropes) the Gimilator gave me some as a birthday present, and because I'm a website maker, I have sotra a job with some people so I can earn just enough money to buy boots, helmet, and harness... anything else is going to have to wait several more months.... priority's come first!
yukon222 wrote:
Josh, I hope you use your ice axe next time. I wouldn't let someone else tell me whether I could use a particular tool or not. That is my decision to make, not theirs. If they think it is dangerous, they can ask you to keep a certain distance away. Wamtngal - here's the pics from when I was there with the Schmidts last Sunday (after we did Union Peak on Saturday).
I guess it was there trip and not mine. hmmm.gif As for the photo's, two thumbs way up! up.gif up.gif It was not nearly as snowy, infact I saw a small berry as I was waiting for my brother to be found, as well as a tiny flower already starting to come out.

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Josh Journey
a.k.a Josh Lewis



Joined: 01 Nov 2007
Posts: 4830 | TRs | Pics
Josh Journey
a.k.a Josh Lewis
PostMon Feb 09, 2009 9:29 pm 
In a sense you could say it was an apathy hike, because I felt that I was without emotion, and that my mission was exersice/ conditioning, but it was still worth coming for a few reasons and not just exersize, but got goods views, and learned about people's pace, and that some mountain climbers don't care to take a moment and enjoy the nature of it... which is what I like to do when hiking, I hike up to summits not so that I can say I was there, but to enjoy it and get an experience that makes me filled with wonder in my every day life! In as sense you could say usually when I hike, I am amazed on how wonderful it is, and not sure if I'm the only one to look back on an individual hike and say how wonderful it was, because as East King puts it "A Mountains a mountain" when refering to a dumbster dive but to me what mountain makes all the diffrence! When I go to Mount si, sure it was nice, but when I go to for example Sahale Mountain, thats one I keep dreaming of going back, something about a certain few that draw me back to them. I sure as well hope as the more hike ones go at a more enjoyable pace!

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Schmidt Altitude
Whippet Entourage



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Schmidt Altitude
Whippet Entourage
PostMon Feb 09, 2009 9:40 pm 
Josh wrote:
. . . as East King puts it "A Mountains a mountain" when refering to a dumbster dive but to me what mountain makes all the diffrence!
Especially since Mailbox Peak is not a mountain but a sub-summit of Point 4926 (Dirtybox, Mount Defiance West Ridge) to the SE.

"Forest 101: These big wood stick things are called trees. The big rocks are called mountains, and the little rocks are their babies." Elliott from Open Season
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Josh Journey
a.k.a Josh Lewis



Joined: 01 Nov 2007
Posts: 4830 | TRs | Pics
Josh Journey
a.k.a Josh Lewis
PostMon Feb 09, 2009 10:10 pm 
Schmidt Altitude wrote:
Josh wrote:
. . . as East King puts it "A Mountains a mountain" when refering to a dumbster dive but to me what mountain makes all the diffrence!
Especially since Mailbox Peak is not a mountain but a sub-summit of Point 4926 (Dirtybox, Mount Defiance West Ridge) to the SE.
Say why do they call Mailbox the summit? When Dirtybox is just a few hundred feet over which is the real summit.... is it just like Mount si.... some like to call belwo the HayStack the summit, when in reality not even the HayStack is the real summit, but Tenneriff is! (Although I have'nt done Tenneriff yet)

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Yana
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Yana
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PostMon Feb 09, 2009 10:15 pm 
Josh - probably because Dirtybox has no views to speak of and is much more annoying to get to. Mailbox is the place to go if you want views and if you don't want to climb through a bunch of amorous trees.

PLAY SAFE! SKI ONLY IN CLOCKWISE DIRECTION! LET'S ALL HAVE FUN TOGETHER!
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Go Jo
of the lykkens



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Go Jo
of the lykkens
PostMon Feb 09, 2009 10:15 pm 
Josh wrote:
I guess it was there trip and not mine. hmmm.gif
Thanks for sharing your day in the mountains through photos, and always, always remember: It may be someone else's plan, but it is always your body and only you can be responsible for that! Take care out there ~Jo

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Quark
Niece of Alvy Moore



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Quark
Niece of Alvy Moore
PostMon Feb 09, 2009 10:18 pm 
Josh, when you do Mailbox Peak with a group like OSAT, they're not doing it for the beauty of it (cause there really isn't any), they're doing it for conditioning. Mailbox Peak is not a destination place, it's just for excersize. OSAT folks do a lot of climbing and difficult stuff in summer, so they condition. Same with TNAB trips. It's just for excersize. When you join a trip in winter for any of those mountains along I-90 near North Bend - Teneriffe, Mailbox, etc. they're not for enjoyment, they're for excersize. Which is sorta sad, 'cause in the old days before development and logging and the freeway, they were really something nice to visit. But another great thing about excersizing with folks on Mailbox or Si or Teneriffe - you make freinds and can go hiking to really nice places at a different pace.

"...Other than that, the post was more or less accurate." Bernardo, NW Hikers' Bureau Chief of Reporting
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EastKing
Surfing and Hiking



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EastKing
Surfing and Hiking
PostMon Feb 09, 2009 11:16 pm 
Josh, I was very proud at the pace you did. You did excellent work on the trail. However if you need to go slower you need to say something. When we are on rope ascending Rainier, Orizaba, Chimborazo or greater, it could make the difference in life or death. Remember we made the summit 30 minutes before the others in the group. I don't think many of the others would have been horribly upset to call for a break. It should be noted that Mailbox was my wake up call. I never forgot falling short of the Mailbox in April 07' summit due to conditioning. Later that year I made the the summit only to to wait an hour over a view. What did I get, a deluge. It also should be noted that there are people on this website that would put me shame still and probably would still after my volcano explosion. This hike was great revenge. I was actually one of the faster ones and I carried a fourty pound pack. I have to admit I did still have energy to go after Tiger but I have absolutely no desire to see Tiger for a LLLOOONNNGGG Time! Good trip report Josh. And as always you are the camera person I have seen. Hope to see you on Jolly in two weeks. Here are some of my pics....
More group
More group
Rainier
Rainier
Dirtybox again
Dirtybox again
Looking north
Looking north
Russian Butte
Russian Butte
Dirtybox
Dirtybox
More group photos
More group photos
Washington
Washington
The group with Rainier in the background
The group with Rainier in the background
-EK

YouTube | SummitPost Saw the depths of despair. Now I am salvaging what time I have left on Earth.
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tigermn
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PostTue Feb 10, 2009 7:43 am 
Josh wrote:
Thanks! It was still an interesting experience, but has changed my understanding of what some people's version of a hike. In my personal opinion it was like rush up, enjoy the summit for a while, rush down.... now if this were'nt a conditioner, I would say that it sucks out the enjoyment of the hike which it does, I also was'nt able to get as many photo's as I wanted on the way up because of our haste.
I think the bold is the key in this case. Sometimes stuff like this can be a reality check. This wasn't a "hike" the sense of a normal hike where you socially walk up the mountain, stopping at any whim to snap pictures etc. It sounds like it was a training/conditioning hike with a given purpose. I remember similar things when people would join groups of cyclists that liked to cycle fast and get dropped off the back in short order. You either realize this isn't your thing, or you work that much harder to get in shape so you can maintain the pace. In a past life I was one of these types that like fast cycling. While painful at first, once you do the work and get in shape it can be enjoyable (at least it was when I was about 15 years younger in my early/mid 30's) I can tell you if someone tried to take any of my safety equipment away it wouldn't be a pretty site. At that point I would have either just turned around, or dropped out of the group. If your equipment was causing safety concerns for others, then you should have been able to at least hang back a safe distance. I mean it's not like you guys were roped up or anything.... shakehead.gif Bottom line if this isn't your thing, find others to hike with that enjoy the kind of hiking you like. If you are really "training" for bigger and better things, go out do more hiking training on your own so you get in better condition. Do things like Tiger Mountain and Mt. Si during the week on your own loaded down is even better. Fill up water bottles and empty them at the top. Use these as training hikes and try and push yourself as fast as you can. If you can find a buddy with similar aspirations so much the better as you can push each other. This way you can get in hiking shape without needing ice axes and such. Do other aerobic activities. Running (especially hills), cycling is good cross training I know from experience that you can be sore and in pain from a hike with blisters on both feet and still get on a bike and hammer away (it uses different muscles).

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Yana
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Yana
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PostTue Feb 10, 2009 9:31 am 
Quark wrote:
When you join a trip in winter for any of those mountains along I-90 near North Bend - Teneriffe, Mailbox, etc. they're not for enjoyment, they're for excersize. Which is sorta sad, 'cause in the old days before development and logging and the freeway, they were really something nice to visit.
I disagree. Mailbox is still a great place to visit, and certainly beautiful in its own right. Sure, there are more pristine and beautiful places, but Mailbox, Tiger, etc., still have a lot to offer. I know others probably don't feel the same way, but the day I go on a hike just for exercise is the day I'm gonna sell all my outdoor gear and buy a gym membership.

PLAY SAFE! SKI ONLY IN CLOCKWISE DIRECTION! LET'S ALL HAVE FUN TOGETHER!
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DIYSteve
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DIYSteve
seeking hygge
PostTue Feb 10, 2009 9:41 am 
Yana wrote:
I know others probably don't feel the same way, but the day I go on a hike just for exercise is the day I'm gonna sell all my outdoor gear and buy a gym membership.
up.gif

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wamtngal
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PostTue Feb 10, 2009 9:52 am 
Josh - kudos to you for taking on the challenge of conditioning! As others have mentioned, I think one of the best conditioning hikes you can do is the cable line on Tiger because it's so close to the city (although I'm not sure where you live). Start out with a low pack weight, say 15-20 pounds, then work up from there until your hauling a larger pack like Eastking did. (I highly recommend using trekking poles on Tiger's cable line since it can be a muddy slippery mess quite often). Another great way to get in the shape for hiking is doing stairs with a pack (similar method as above, where you're adding a little weight every week or so). This is a great option when you can't escape the city...you can find a nice set of stairs almost anywhere. Finally, I can't say enough about pacing yourself...it works wonders. But it sounds like you're well on your way if you got to the summit of Mailbox 30 minutes before the rest of your group! up.gif

Opinions expressed here are my own.
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Nordic
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PostTue Feb 10, 2009 9:59 am 
Yana wrote:
Quark wrote:
When you join a trip in winter for any of those mountains along I-90 near North Bend - Teneriffe, Mailbox, etc. they're not for enjoyment, they're for excersize. Which is sorta sad, 'cause in the old days before development and logging and the freeway, they were really something nice to visit.
I disagree. Mailbox is still a great place to visit, and certainly beautiful in its own right. Sure, there are more pristine and beautiful places, but Mailbox, Tiger, etc., still have a lot to offer.
That was exactly my thought when I first saw Quark's post but being a person with a rather small post count, I didn't want to disagree with someone with 10K+ posts... wink.gif ...but seriously - I don't see anything wrong with Mailbox... the views from the top are very nice and the hike itself may be at first a bit boring but once you leave the trees it has this open ridge feel, for which to experience you normally have to drive farther than North Bend. Also, once you're on the summit you can continue exploring a little off-trail hiking along the ridge (or maybe go for the true summit...)

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GeoTom
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PostTue Feb 10, 2009 10:02 am 
Josh- You didn't happen to see a letter addressed to me in the mailbox, did you? hmmm.gif

Knows literally nothing
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tigermn
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PostTue Feb 10, 2009 11:17 am 
Yana wrote:
Quark wrote:
When you join a trip in winter for any of those mountains along I-90 near North Bend - Teneriffe, Mailbox, etc. they're not for enjoyment, they're for excersize. Which is sorta sad, 'cause in the old days before development and logging and the freeway, they were really something nice to visit.
I disagree. Mailbox is still a great place to visit, and certainly beautiful in its own right. Sure, there are more pristine and beautiful places, but Mailbox, Tiger, etc., still have a lot to offer. I know others probably don't feel the same way, but the day I go on a hike just for exercise is the day I'm gonna sell all my outdoor gear and buy a gym membership.
Amen.... I think Mailbox (and Teneriffe for that matter) are cool summits with great views. You don't always have to drive 2-3 hours to a destination to have a good time, at least I don't. Personally though I'd rather be hiking for exercise any day over working out in a gym or on a machine at home.. No contest... Anything outside, be it a hike or a walk for me is way more likely than going to a gym or getting on a machine (and we own and Arctrainer at home). I only wish I lived right next to Tiger mountain or something so I could just walk out of the house and go. I know I'd be in a lot better shape if I could. I'd be going 3 or 4 times during the week... Then I'd definitely have to change my screen name to TigerJr.... lol.gif

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