Forum Index > Trip Reports > UW Medical Center, Jan. 18 and 22, 2010
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Roald
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Joined: 06 Aug 2007
Posts: 367 | TRs | Pics
Location: Seattle
Roald
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PostThu Jan 28, 2010 12:11 am 
Some trips keep you awake all night. You stew in your own cold sweat, wondering if you are up to the challenge, if the crux will go, and if you have what it takes. Hope mingles with doubt, and you ponder, “Can we do this? Have we bitten off too much? Will our lives ever be the same?” Then as you get up and move, fear begins to fade and the excitement grows. The sun rises. You know you are in the right spot at the right time. The right spot in the whole world and the right time, ever. It is why you are there. It is why you are. This was one of those trips. In fact, it was the granddaddy of them all. The weather looked good and we had run out of excuses not to do this trip. This was the test – of months of planning and preparation, of trial runs, of our commitment and resolve. We were in this together with no turning back. So, leaving the purple prose behind, Chrystell and I packed the gear and loaded the car. The gear, I should say, is sort of specialized for a trip like this:
The gear
The gear
We left the house at the break of noon. The ride seemed endless until we pulled into the trailhead – the UW Medical Center triangle parking lot – at 12:30 p.m. The objective was on the sixth floor, which towered above us like Baring’s north face.
Baring's north face
Baring's north face
UW Medical Center
UW Medical Center
The first decision: siege or alpine? We had considered a siege assault, but in the end we stashed the rope, pro, and grappling hook, and settled on a quick-strike alpine approach.
The route
The route
At this point we took advantage of a local terrain feature: the elevator. Some people might consider this cheating, or at least unaesthetic and unworthy of a nwhikers.net trip report. Criticize if you must, but we needed to preserve our strength for the difficult part of the journey – which is to say, the next 18 years. So we stashed the grappling hook and rope, and instead pushed the “6” button in the elevator.
Alternate terrain feature
Alternate terrain feature
The effort went well until, 10^(-1) hours from the car, we had to negotiate the grade 1.0 crux:
Grade 1.0 crux
Grade 1.0 crux
… Until we reached our destination. Now, up to this point I’ve been mum about our mission, and the reason for the cold sweat and excitement. We were there to help two little future summiteers bust loose from the NICU. Their code names give a hint about two of the things in their future: they go by Little T (Thor) and Storm King. At first they seemed a little wary about our motives, or maybe they objected to the paparazzi taking their pictures:
Little T
Little T
Storm King
Storm King
One of them was being guarded (read: protected, cared for, saved) by the NICU Wizard:
The NICU Wizard and Little T (Thor)
The NICU Wizard and Little T (Thor)
The Wizard eats babies
The Wizard eats babies
We whipped out the essential car-seat gear for the getaway:
The getaway
The getaway
As is all-too-common, the descent turned out to be more tricky than the ascent. But after a couple hours of paperwork, stashing gear, goodbyes, and a few tears, we carefully retraced our steps to the car, making sure to avoid such unnecessary detours as the stairway. (How many times have you wanted an elevator to sweeten up one of your excursions?) Almost immediately, the little summiteers settled into their new digs. They are so calm that I am beginning to wonder about their parentage. Maybe they are aliens. They definitely are our new landlords.
Before:  Clara Lilian at the NICU
Before: Clara Lilian at the NICU
Now:  las nenas
Now: las nenas
Little T's demanding job
Little T's demanding job
Storm King has landed
Storm King has landed
Gear notes: Grappling hook (did not use, since we found an elevator) 50m 8.5mm rope (see above) Small rack (ditto) Car seats (two - essential) Dr. Spock’s On Parenting (who has time to actually read this stuff?) Valium (18-year supply, for parents) (This is the closest we will ever get to a birth announcement for Carmen Isabel and Clara Lilian. Carmen came home January 18, and Clara came home January 22 – the pics are from both days. This report is for all the amazing docs and nurses at the UW Medical Center, and friends and family who kept us fed and sane these past few weeks. Thanks.)

RichP
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Tom
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Joined: 15 Dec 2001
Posts: 17835 | TRs | Pics
Tom
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PostThu Jan 28, 2010 12:13 am 
Congrats! up.gif

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Matt
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Joined: 30 Jan 2007
Posts: 4307 | TRs | Pics
Location: Shoreline
Matt
Tea, Earl Grey, Hot
PostThu Jan 28, 2010 12:22 am 
Congratulations indeed.

“As beacons mountains burned at evening.” J.R.R. Tolkien
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Magellan
Brutally Handsome



Joined: 26 Jul 2006
Posts: 13116 | TRs | Pics
Location: Inexorable descent
Magellan
Brutally Handsome
PostThu Jan 28, 2010 12:37 am 
Congratulations Roald. The greatest adventure begins. up.gif up.gif (One for each beauty!)

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Yet
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Joined: 23 Apr 2005
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Location: Happily Ever After
Yet
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PostThu Jan 28, 2010 12:47 am 
Best TR ever. smile.gif Congrats, Roald and Mrs. Roald.

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bobbi
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Joined: 13 Jul 2006
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Location: olympics!
bobbi
stillaGUAMish
PostThu Jan 28, 2010 7:58 am 
congrats......double the fun! party.gif rockband.gif

bobbi ૐ "Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So…get on your way!" - Oh, the Places You’ll Go! By Dr. Seuss
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JimK
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Joined: 07 Feb 2002
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JimK
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PostThu Jan 28, 2010 9:11 am 
Congratulations! I wonder what Moosefish thinks about the name Clara Lilian?

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don b
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Joined: 22 Feb 2006
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don b
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PostThu Jan 28, 2010 10:31 am 
fantastic!

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Randy
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Joined: 18 Dec 2001
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Location: Near the Siamangs
Randy
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PostThu Jan 28, 2010 12:45 pm 
I was very happy to read this, congrats Roald!! up.gif

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The Bubbly Hiker
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The Bubbly Hiker
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PostThu Jan 28, 2010 12:49 pm 
Ah... a well written report and my favorite trip report in the last 10 years!

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sarbar
Living The Dream



Joined: 28 Jan 2002
Posts: 8055 | TRs | Pics
Location: Freeland, Wa
sarbar
Living The Dream
PostThu Jan 28, 2010 1:19 pm 
Very nice and good to hear they are both home now smile.gif

https://trailcooking.com/ Eat well on the trail.
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touron
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Joined: 15 Sep 2003
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Location: Plymouth Rock
touron
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PostThu Jan 28, 2010 1:34 pm 
Two happy campers! biggrin.gif Congratulations!

Touron is a nougat of Arabic origin made with almonds and honey or sugar, without which it would just not be Christmas in Spain.
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dicey
custom title



Joined: 11 May 2004
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Location: giving cornices a wider berth
dicey
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PostThu Jan 28, 2010 1:35 pm 
Epic TR!!! Congrats Jon biggrin.gif

I'm not always sure I like being older but being less stupid has advantages. http://www.flickr.com/photos/32121172@N00/sets/
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Andy Schmidt
Formerly Fuu



Joined: 02 Jul 2007
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Andy Schmidt
Formerly Fuu
PostThu Jan 28, 2010 2:49 pm 
Let the good times roll!

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Stefan
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Stefan
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PostThu Jan 28, 2010 4:16 pm 
Thanks to the health.

Art is an adventure.
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Forum Index > Trip Reports > UW Medical Center, Jan. 18 and 22, 2010
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