Paul Pottinger’s Adventures from the Top of the World
Category Archives: Cascades
Challenger 2020: Day 3
Cascades • August 5
I slept fine… Not well, but fine. Creepy nightmares stalked me, as often happens on summit morning, no doubt a sign of deep stress and anxiety working its way through my system. The upper mountain would go, but how much would it hurt getting there and back? Would I have the stamina to make it … Continue reading Challenger 2020: Day 3
Bootalicious (aka AlderSex)
Cascades • November 10
Our agenda was simple: Train for the upcoming Ecuador expedition. Someplace close to home. Someplace quiet. Someplace challenging. Someplace not overrun with hipster d-bags. This may sound like a tall order, but we have a secret weapon: Teresa, Queen of Logistics… Soothsayer of Occult Terrain… Keeper of Secret Routes. And thus, the genesis of our … Continue reading Bootalicious (aka AlderSex)
Kaleetan Peak
Cascades • September 7
It has been a great summer for my mountain pursuits. So far I have been fortunate to bag a number of training climbs, plus Wy’East… Tahoma… Olympus… Loowit… backpacking in the Alpine Lakes…. What more could I ask for? Kaleetan, that’s what. Tom proposed a group outing to the North Cascades, but only I was … Continue reading Kaleetan Peak
Tahoma via Kautz Ice Chute: Day 3
Cascades, Rainier • June 11
That night I tossed in the sleeping bag, made a bit of urine, dreamed of the route, adjusted my layers when chilled… I slept in total for a few hours. Another party passed by quietly circa 12:30 AM, but otherwise there were no surprises that night, except for the tent getting buffeted by gusts of … Continue reading Tahoma via Kautz Ice Chute: Day 3
Loowit
Cascades • August 30
In Puyallup mythology, Loowit (AKA Mt St Helens) was the object of affection from two god-brothers: Wy’East (AKA Mt Hood) and Klickitat (AKA Mt Adams). When they could not stop their quarrels, their father Sahale struck them all down, and they formed into the volcanoes we see today. In Cowlitz mythology, things are different: Tahoma … Continue reading Loowit
