Team Mammut: Dave Watson

Showing posts with label Dave Watson. Show all posts

Monday, September 16, 2013

Mount Rainier, summer wrap-up

This past Labor Day weekend I finished up my guiding season on Mount Rainier. It was a typical year for weather and conditions, sometimes it was cold, windy and snowing and other times there was blazing hot sunshine. Spectacular settings and strong clients will be the dominant memories of the summer.

Waiting for La Nina

Since Autumn, I have been patiently waiting for the ski season to start. Due to the mild temps and lack of precipitation, skiing wasn't really an option so I did what any reasonable person would do, I went rock climbing.

Crag near Mt Hood. Fun climbing on thin holds

Recently bolted line, RIP Kurt Albert. Thanks to Walter Burkhardt for his tireless new routing and STOKE!

In early Dec, I found myself doing rope access work on a wind farm outside of Lawton, Oklahoma. The Wichita Mountains have loads of granite and lots of gigantic animals roaming around. Hiking to the crags is more dangerous than the climbing itself. The climbing there was really good. Super spicy run-out sport climbs. The area has lots of short steep splitters (20-40ft) atop long slabs, so adventure cruising with a small rack is the thing to do.

Larry Longhorn staring contest, I lost

At what elevation do deer turn to elk?

Buffalo are everywhere.

Don't even think about rappelling here, climbing is ok though.

Scenic and unique little joint where longhorns, elk and buff will walk right past you as you are belaying. The skiing in the PNW did get good for a while, right now its bad, still waiting for the powder.

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Rainier & Hood

It's Memorial day weekend and we are still skiing powder here in the Northwest. I spent a lot of time cruising around Mt Rainier in May. The snow was good, it was still dumping and the weather allowed me to get oriented to terrain I was unfamiliar with. This summer I am working for Alpine Ascents International guiding in the Cascades, mostly on Rainier. In between trips I have been going home to the Columbia River Gorge to hang out in Hood River, clip bolts and ski on Mt Hood.

Mt Hood summit. May 19

Crevasse rescue practice on Rainier photo: David Dietzgen

Dave and Victor McNeil photo: David Dietzgen

Ingraham glacier on Mt Rainier

Breaking trail at 12,000 ft

Sunrise over the Cascades

Inverted keg stands at 10,000 ft on Mt Rainier. Happy Memorial Day

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

National Geographic' Ultimate Adventure Bucket List

Hey all, Happy New Year! For those of you who like to look back at the year, reflect and dream about the upcoming year, Nat Geo has come up with the Ultimate Adventure Bucket List for you to start making plans for 2011. It is a great compilation of vacation/trip ideas. Some of them are really far out there, while others are pretty attainable.

Check out the list here.

http://adventure.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/trips/ultimate-adventure-bucket-list/#/extreme/4

Saturday, October 30, 2010

The Next Chapter

Life moves on and the next chapter begins. Moving to a new geographic location usually takes some getting used to, but in this case it feels like I'm on vacation, a never-ending vacation. Year-round skiing in alpine terrain, rock climbing, paddling, it's all right here in the Columbia River Gorge.

Self belay session in my backyard while a barge rolls down the Columbia.

Peaceful dawn SUP outing

Learning to fly a kite on the summit of Mt Adams. Rainier in the background. A buddy and I skied Adams on Oct 18, horrible snow/ ice conditions but this is why I moved to the Gorge- year round skiing.

Ordering pizza while waiting for my partners. Skinning in a t-shirt, then skiing pow on Oct 27, Mt Hood.

This place is sweet, after a summer of going to Minnesota Twins baseball games and cruising around to climb at places like Indian Creek and the Gunks, I'm getting settled in. Quick sessions on columnar basalt splitters, stand-up paddling and skiing pow have eased the transition for the city lifestyle. Next week I'll be headed to Switzerland for an attempt on the Eiger (weather permitting) and soon after I'll be ski patrolling on Mt Hood. Peace.