South Ridge Again
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Climbing is dangerous! Every year many climbers are broken, maimed, and killed. Don't be so foolish as to trust your life to what you see here. I'm not a guide and neither is this web site. If you don't know what you are doing or where you are going, please take a course or hire a guide!

Ingalls Peak South Ridge

August 28-29, 2004

If a man dislocates his ankle in the talus, but no one is there to hear his screams, does he feel any pain?

My whole-hearted, unequivocal answer is, "YES!"

Just ask Hannah.

Loren's grand plan: Walk in and climb the south ridge of Ingalls the first day, the West Ridge of Stuart the second day, and the East Ridge of Ingalls the third day.

Meet at my house early, blah blah. Drive to trailhead, blah blah. Lazy Loren had just thrown all his stuff into a duffle bag the night before, blah blah. Now Lazy Loren is packing at the trailhead, blah blah. Sleeping bag, tent, stove (I won't forget the stove for a long, long time), cams, nuts, harness, slings, bla...

Shit. No slings. None. Another cursing fest ensues, just like on the Adams trip. I grab extra draws from the "in case it rains" rock rack and figure I'll make due.

Fuel, food, water fil...

Shit. No water filter. And then something else, which I now can't remember.

Any one item and I think I'd have been inclined to rough it. But three feels like karma, and I pay attention. So in a redux of the Adams debacle, we get into the car and head for the gear.

I finally get cell service just outside Cle Elum and trade in all my remaining brownie points to get my wife to meet us part way with the gear I'd forgotten.

Drive, drive, wait, wait, profusely thank wife, get gear, drive, drive.

Back at the trailhead we manage to get a decent spot in the now over-full lot. We're (I'm) packing when I hear my name.

"Loren?"

I look up and see my friends Russ and Amy and a woman who turns out to be Amy's sister. Small world. They are day hiking to Headlight Basin, our intended camp.

 

This page was last edited on Tuesday, August 30, 2005
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