Climb for Captives The Fight Against Human Trafficking

Climb for Captives ‘09 Trailer

2009 Rainier Summit Trip Report

On the Summit

Our journey up Mt. Rainier began at 9am on Friday morning when we departed from the Paradise trailhead 5,400 feet. We spent the previous night at the Whitaker Bunkhouse, a European style alpine lodge frequented by mountaineers from around the world who visit Rainier as a training ground for high altitude Himalayan adventures.

Each member of the team carried a 60lb backpack loaded to the brim with ropes, ice axes, food, fuel, tents and an assortment of other climbing goods. Energy levels were high when we set out from the parking lot and not even the heavy mist could dampen our spirits. The fog was almost enchanting. We knew that the cloud level was at 8,500 feet so it would only be a matter of time before we emerged to see the bright blue sky, which we hoped was helping to melt a layer of slick ice on the high mountain.

We made fantastic time up to Pebble creek and paused long enough at the beginning of the Muir Snowfield to eat some lunch and send out one last twitter message before pushing on to base camp.

Once at Camp Muir we decided to snuggle up inside the Climbers Shelter, a stone structure 9 feet wide and 20 feet long that sleeps 22 people on single long bunk with about as much space as a birth on a submarine. For climber who can handle close quarters, loud baritone snoring, and the smell of unventilated white gas fumes, wet socks and excessive high altitude flatulence induced by freeze dried Macaroni and Cheese, the shelter is a great option. Not only does it keep you out of the wind (which had destroyed a few tents the previous day), it puts you in proximity to the solar outhouses which helps to ensure that you don’t have to use the infamous “blue bag” to dispose of your waste.

After cooking dinner and filtering 30-40 liters of glacier melt water we laid down to “sleep” at 7:30pm. The night before climbing Mt. Rainier sleep is a relative term. People who are acclimated to sea level usually have trouble sleeping at 10,000 feet. It is not uncommon to wake up with a splitting headache, queasy stomach and a dry throat from the lack of moisture in the thin alpine air… but most of the time you don’t wake up that way because you never really fall asleep. The purpose is mainly to spend a few hours in the horizontal position resting your body and your mind preparing for an early morning start to the climb.

Our climb began at 1:10am and we were the second team out of base camp. The skies were clear and the stars were immense and overwhelming. Weather had turned in our favor.

The journey across the Ingraham Flats was precarious due to immense snow melt from a recent heat wave that shattered historical records throughout the state of Washington. Over the next 7 hours we carefully made our way up the Disappointment Cleaver, traversed a maze of crevasses and snow bridges to the Emmons Glacier, and pushed onward to the crater rim on the summit of Mt. Rainier. We reached the summit at 8:40 am and were exhausted. The 40mph gusts of wind were blowing needles of ice that punished any exposed skin, which made a long stay on the summit anything but appealing. As we prepared for our decent, word came over the radio that our prescheduled flyover had arrived. A friend of Climb for Captives was about to fly overhead in a single prop Mooney Low Wing to photograph us on the summit. The timing was perfect. After a few photos from above the plane departed and we began our long descent down the mountain.

We made it back to base camp at 2pm and were eager to pack our bags and hike back to civilization where oxygen rich air and meat lovers pizza were waiting. We slid most of the way down the Muir Snowfield, turning shovels and sleeping mats into improvised toboggans. By 6pm we were loading our vehicles, turning in our climbing report and text messaging loved ones to let them know that we had made it back alive.

It is great feeling to finish a climb that pushes you to your physical limits, but it is an even greater feeling to know that children on the other side of the world will know freedom because of what was accomplished on the mountain. Though our journey to 14,410 feet is over, the journey to $40,000 is not and we are continuing our effort to reach that goal for the next month. It is not to late to give or to join us in our endeavor to reach that ambitious financial goal. Thank you for your participation and your support. We truly could not have done it without you!

We Reached the Summit – Help Us Reach Our Goal

C4C Team Photo

The Climb for Captives team is back from a successful summit bid on Saturday August 15th. A full trip report and more picture will be posted soon. We reached the summit but we are still working toward our goal of $40,000 dollars. You can play an important role in helping us reach this goal. For the next 48 hours a donor has offered a matching gift of $500. All donations will be matched up to $500. Turn your $25 into $50 or consider turning your $500 into $1000!

Join us in the fight.

<<Give Now>>

We hope you enjoy these pictures from another epic Climb for Captives adventure.

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Why I Climb // Robby Hipp

Today the first pet I ever called my dog, a lively mess and mutt named Madi, was killed doing her favorite thing—chasing cars.

I loved Madi, but as is all-too-typical, I didn’t cherish every moment with her. Sure, she ran with me, swam with me, chilled on the couch with me. Like so many things in life though, I didn’t realize how much of a companion she was until the present has now become the past.

There are things I take for granted when constantly exposed to them. As I make my way up this mammoth mountain, each step takes me further from comfort—from my wife, my son, my friends. From my bed, my shower, my beloved Chipotle burrito. From everything, serious or trivial, we live with and cherish every day. In these moments, however, I believe we can discover more about life.

I endure the hardship of mountaineering and climbing because the journey always produces a discovery of self, a keen awareness that makes life more meaningful, more beautiful. What I lose the weekend we climb, I will value on the other side of the summit more and more. More importantly, as my personal comforts are stripped away for a brief time, it’s all to free girls enslaved in the sex trade, girls who are not only stripped of every comfort I have, but of all dignity, freedom, and hope.

The climb itself accomplishes little. But, what’s below the surface—or at that next peak—is beyond us. I could never say it so poignantly, but a quote I ran across recently (at the Fred Meyer checkout, no less) sums up what we do best:

We solved none of life’s problems, but I believe all of us returned with a new awareness of some of its realities. Each of us may have realized in his own way, if only for a moment, what Saint Exupery spoke of as “…that new vision of the world won through hardship.”

When Abolitionists Win

This is what happens when abolitionists win:

On July 28, IJM Cambodia (International Justice Mission) and local police conducted a successful rescue operation at a remote brothel: 20 girls and young women were removed from the building in the coordinated operation, and all perpetrators were arrested.  The brothel owner, formerly an officer in the brutal Khmer Rouge regime, initially attempted to escape by jumping from a second floor balcony over a brick wall, but was pursued by police and ultimately found hiding in a shed.  The brothel was particularly cruel; the girls and women there were never free to leave alone and were sent to service customers at local casinos each night.  One of the girls said to IJM staff, “Now we’re out of hell and going to paradise!”  The victims are receiving care from IJM social workers as they share their stories with local authorities.  IJM will ensure that each victim is equipped with the aftercare services she needs in collaboration with local partners.  The accused perpetrators are in police custody.

Additionally, one of IJM’s South Asia teams conducted an operation in collaboration with local police at a brothel – the operation, a result of IJM investigative work, brought freedom to seven trafficking victims. Six suspected perpetrators were taken into police custody duing the rescue operation. The freed women and girls are being cared for by IJM social workers as they share their stories with authorities. (Originally posted on the IJM Institute)

This is why we support IJM– learn more about the great work of IJM at www.ijm.org and you can follow them on Twitter at @ijmhq.

Route Update // Ben Wicks

One of the challenges of a late summer attempt on Mt. Rainier is that large crevasses tend to open up, snow bridges become soft, and rock falls become a higher risk. Given the unusually warm summer we have experienced, these conditions become exacerbated. The good news is that our equipment and training provide a strong level of protection against these risks. And, of course, a clear head to judge and evaluate risk along the way up is crucial. Ed Viesturs, a local Seattle mountaineering hero, says it this way…“Getting to the top is optional, but getting down is mandatory”.

Below is an update on the conditions of our route up to Camp Muir and beyond .

August 12th

Muir Snowfield
Numerous crevasses have begun to open on the snowfield below Camp Muir between 9,200 and 10,000 feet. Although some of the known crevasses are wanded, the intense heat has been melting out the snow bridges faster than wands can be placed. The current trail travels over bridged cracks that are up to six feet across. Use extreme caution as you move above Moon Rocks on your way to camp. The recent rains have melted out a large amount of the snow above 9,000 feet leaving behind exposed and slick blue ice that requires crampons for secure footing.

Disappointment Cleaver
Late summer weather and climbing conditions have been prevailing themes on Rainier recently. This has made for a high summit success rate and even some t-shirts on top of the peak! Rockfall and melting snow bridges are the two primary risk management concerns affecting the route currently.

The cleaver has completely melted out and all travel is now on rock. As you travel along the cleaver, aim for the spine and slightly left of the spine for the most efficient and least exposed route. This route is wanded but the flags can be difficult to see under headlamp before the sun rises each morning. Be mindful of those travelling above and below you. Avoid kicking rocks or snagging them with your ropes as you move up and down the path. If you happen to dislodge a rock, alert others immediately by yelling ROCK!

The recent string of hot, bluebird days have affected the mountain’s snowpack drastically. Crevasses have been observed opening up by a foot or more in the span of a day during the warmest stretches of weather. Snow bridges are becoming very weak and the trail is becoming extremely narrow in places. The two fixed lines on the route, below and above the cleaver, have paths that are at most six inches wide. These thin routes require careful footwork with crampons to avoid accidental spike snags in gaiters and pant legs. The intense daytime sun has been weakening the picket placements that support the fixed lines. Be sure to test any gear that is in place on the route as its strength will vary widely throughout the day. The end of the traverse over onto the Emmons shoulder is beginning to break apart and requires running protection at this time.

With all of that said, the route is still pretty direct and generally in good shape as we near mid-August. Weekends continue to be near capacity up at Camp Muir and Ingraham Flats but the weekdays have been seeing much less traffic. Hopefully the weather fronts this week will bring some new snow and colder temps to help preserve the route for a while longer this season.

Why I Climb – Josh Hebert

Significance // by Chris Judd

Confession: I once cried on the bus on the way to school because I wore a pair of shoes that my mom didn’t want me to wear. I was probably in 1st or 2nd grade at the time. Mom’s hope was likely that I would wear the shoes she had picked out because they matched the shirt she had picked out for me (a truly asinine concept in the mind of a 7 year-old). I never was (and continue to be to some degree) concerned with matching. I just wanted to wear my cool, red high-tops every day. I could care less that the neon green shirt didn’t match. But Mom cared and I didn’t and I think that’s why I cried. I felt guilty. I grabbed my lunch and snuck to the bus stop without her noticing. Once on the bus, this seemingly insignificant wardrobe choice and the ensuing guilty conscience was too much for me. I put my face down on the stinky green fake leather seat and bawled.
I recalled this story today as I was thinking about what makes an event or action significant. It’s very unlikely that my mom had any clue that trying to get her son to match and, consequently, his rebellion would stick with him for the rest of his life. For her, not so significant. For me, significant enough to remember specific details.
I believe that significance is a very tough thing to gauge. Right now, today, as a 27 year-old, I want to live a life of significance. I want to make choices that have a positive impact in the lives of others. But often I feel like I don’t see the significance of my actions unless they impact someone in a negative way.
That is what makes supporting Climb For Captives so rewarding to me. The money I give literally buys FREEDOM for a life. The girls that are purchased out of the sex trade by International Justice Mission are rescued, cared for, and treated in aftercare. My seemingly insignificant amount of money has the potential to give hope to the most hopeless and broken children in the world.
Today, I challenge you to give to Climb for Captives. Take a few minutes and look at the horrific reality of sex-slavery in our world. Visit www.climbforcaptives.com to get a broader understanding of the issue and a clearer picture of how you can help. I assure you, no amount is insignificant to the millions of children worldwide that are crying for help.
Be significant.
Give.

<<Give Now>>

Our Planned Route

The climb of Mount Rainier is definitely more than a long hike in the snow. Our first day will begin at the Paradise parking lot on the south side of Mount Rainier. We will get an early start and hike for approximately 6-8 hours (elevation gain of 4,788 feet) up the Muir Snowfield to Camp Muir at 10,188 feet where we will set up base camp. There we will eat a hearty dinner and try to get to sleep as soon as possible. After a rest (and hopefully sleep) of several hours, we will get up around midnight, don our summit gear and headlamps, and begin our ascent. It is ideal to climb during the cold of the night in order to avoid the rockfall and soft snow-bridges caused by the warm sun. The route from Camp Muir crosses the Cowlitz and Ingraham Glaciers and then ascends Disappointment Cleaver and then on to the summit. Our goal is to summit shortly after sunrise and then descend back down before the snow softens up too much.

Below is a recent update on the route which illustrates the conditions we will likely be climbing under:

Disappointment Cleaver – August 3rd
The warm weather continues, with freezing levels above 14,000 feet. Wind has been the variable de jour. At the summit, winds have been calm on some days and blowing to 60+ mph on others. Recently at Camp Muir, half a dozen tents were blown over during the early morning hours. Plan for these changing conditions… and bring some good snow anchors for your tents!

About the route…

- While the Cowlitz traverse and Cathedral Gap are in fairly typical conditions, the lower section of the Ingraham (below the Flats) is full of cracks and rockfall here has been significant. While we sometimes see groups heading to the Flats casually, we strongly urge you to rope up here and travelling without a helmet is… well, just don’t do it.

- Beyond the Flats, take a moment to assess the traffic on the route. A narrow ‘one-lane’ road, there is only enough room for one party to move at a time on the final ~100′ before you get onto the Cleaver. A few suggestions for moving through this terrain: 1) Time your travel with other parties. If you need to wait a few minutes, find a safe spot to do so. 2) As you move, use the hand-line, but do not prussik into it, as this will further slow down an already bottlenecked area. 3) You may want to consider shortening the distance between members of your rope team to improve communication and to more more efficiently.

- For many climbers, the lower Cleaver is the routefinding crux of the route. There are a few wands to help you find your way, but be prepared to make decisions about how to move up the rock. Eventually you’ll want to be on climber’s left side of the Cleaver to pick up the switchbacks on snow for the upper section. As always, there is a chance of rockfall through this section. Keep your helmets on and be mindful of where you stop to take breaks.

- Above the Cleaver, another fixed hand line will J you begin your traverse right toward the Emmons Glacier. As with the section below the Cleaver, this is a ‘one-lane road’ with exposure and no means to pass. Use similar strategies as with the lower traverse (shortened ropes, use the hand-line without prussiking into it, time your travel with other parties to avoid congestion).

- Beyond the hand-line, the route becomes less exposed as it traverses to and eventually climbs the shoulder of the Emmons Glacier. There are several spots with open crevasses. Use good communication and crevasse travel belay techniques as the terrain requires (e.g., a boot axe belay) as you make your way up to the summit crater.