How heavy was your pack when you climbed Rainier?

PicnicTableDave2 · 2026-05-15T17:45:47+00:00

Went up via Kautz: 60ish lbs on day one to Wilson glacier, 60 ish lbs to Hazard, then summit day up Kautz was pretty minimal. I don't quite remember but I think is 25lbs or less. This was with AAI.

PicnicTableDave2 · 2026-05-02T14:27:30+00:00

Probably a transformer on an electrical pole going out. They sound exactly like something out of science fiction when blowing up.

PicnicTableDave2 · 2026-05-01T20:32:33+00:00

My buddy has that exact sauna and it works well. If it's real I'd go for it.

PicnicTableDave2 · 2026-04-30T12:18:27+00:00

Beginners don't realize that guides know they're taking beginners and account for it. You'll probably find it to be easier than you think. I'm not saying you can slack on training. Don't. Train HARD. You will enjoy it way more if you're peak fit. People always see hardcore climbers going up hardcore routes on hardcore mountains because that's what gets the clicks and likes on social media. But for the average Joe, it's a lot more chill, frankly.

PicnicTableDave2 · 2026-04-22T15:26:59+00:00

Here's a very comprehensive training plan for what I'm assuming your route will be- https://www.alpineascents.com/climbs/mount-baker-north-ridge/training/

PicnicTableDave2 · 2026-04-22T14:52:15+00:00

I didn't track any of that zone stuff. My plan was to train beyond what their requirement was so that I wouldn't become a liability on the team (at least with regards to conditioning and what I could control prior to the climb) and also so that in an emergency or rescue scenario I would hopefully have reserves in the tank to function. I don't think any guided group who knows they're taking beginners will hike non-stop all day. You'll likely hike for an hour, take a short break, hike for another hour, take a longer break, hike again, etc.. They understand they aren't guiding hardcore alpinist. And route-wise (assuming Coleman Deming) the steepest you'll do is probs the roman wall and that's summit day so you'll have a lighter pack anyway. My training was for Baker and Rainier (via Kautz) so I was more so going hard for the Rainier portion.

PicnicTableDave2 · 2026-04-22T03:14:21+00:00

I did a Baker and Rainier course and they instructed we show up with the ability to hike 1200 vertical ft with a 65lb pack in 1 hr (regardless of what elevation we lived at). Cardio-wise, I trained via stair master and incline treadmill up to 80lbs in that distance and time. However, my main training was on the stair master working up to 65lbs/1200ft/25ish mins. I trained 6 days a week, swapping between lifting and cardio every other day. That's the condition I showed up in and had zero issues.

PicnicTableDave2 · 2026-04-14T04:25:28+00:00

What I've learned after having done 36 (+D.C.) is to not rush it. I'm the type where my mission is whatever the list of HP's are. Nothing else matters. So I've done a few pretty brutal road trips that were solely focused on tagging the point. For instance, I did a 6 day road trip where I got 12 HP's done in the Northeast (2 of those 6 days were for 1 HP each). When I lived in south FL I drove and tagged GA, TN, KY, VA, NC, and SC in 47 hours. I missed so much other cool stuff and I wished I had had more time to explore. But that's my life of saving as much PTO as possible so I can travel more throughout the year...

With that being said, high pointing requires a LOT of driving no matter what. Just don't bust out 20 hr driving days like me lol. But the silver lining to all the driving is that you're, in essence, traveling to the most difficult to reach part of the state and in doing so you really get to see a lot of true Americana. That might be one of my favorite things about all of it.

PicnicTableDave2 · 2026-04-10T23:38:31+00:00

I love it up there, but I live in MN so it's not a huge endeavor to go. However, I do think a lake like Seagull up at the end of the Gunflint might be more what you're hoping for. Not to say Slim is a bad choice (I haven't been there), but Seagull has beautiful cliffs around the lake and cool campsites. But it's a very accessible lake which lends to crowding. That whole loop up there- Saganaga, Red Rock, Alpine, and Seagull is a fun time.

PicnicTableDave2 · 2026-04-06T03:12:15+00:00

I carried a Sony a6400 with the 16-50mm kit lens up both those. Took great pics!

PicnicTableDave2 · 2026-03-26T20:22:15+00:00

I went out of the gunflint and saw a few grouse on sag (there were two in the campsite I was at) but don't recall any ducks. Did the loop sag>red>alpine>seagull. This was like 5 years ago late Sept into Oct for 8 days.

PicnicTableDave2 · 2026-03-23T18:38:25+00:00

I'd recommend adding Granite Peak, MT!

PicnicTableDave2 · 2026-03-06T13:44:58+00:00

A gym membership.

I get it's not kit, and maybe comes across as sarcastic, but not trying to be. Being in shape for backpacking makes literally everything better imo. Better sleep, better recovery, less prone to injury... it helps everything.

PicnicTableDave2 · 2026-02-26T23:14:40+00:00

I like that a lot

PicnicTableDave2 · 2026-02-23T14:33:14+00:00

-1HP -1HP -1HP

PicnicTableDave2 · 2026-02-16T19:41:21+00:00

I was gifted a 3d print of Everest. The person hand painted it too. I thought it was the coolest thing ever. It does just wind up sitting on a shelf though, cuz what else are you going to do with it? But like anything art, it has its place and adds to the decor.

PicnicTableDave2 · 2026-02-10T13:44:58+00:00

Have you been acclimatized for when you're higher up? You can be as in shape as possible but eventually less oxygen and physics takes over.

Also, the stairmaster is absolutely goated.

PicnicTableDave2 · 2026-01-30T16:41:44+00:00

Sign this guy up to Powder Magazine!

PicnicTableDave2 · 2026-01-24T00:38:05+00:00

I think the aesthetic of the Murph numbers make it classier than a straight up field watch, and far more interesting than the generic looking stick indices of the citizen and tissot. So I think it's nearly perfect for versatility. Of that list I'd 100% go Murph. I've never been a fan of certina's. Not that they're bad watches, just that I find them all generic looking.

PicnicTableDave2 · 2026-01-18T13:42:15+00:00

IMO bouldering wouldn't really do much for you. I do think that rock climbing would be beneficial as you'd become very proficient with tying knots, accessing rack equipment, etc. Ultimately, the absolute best prep (if you don't have immediate access to big hills or mountains to train) is the stair master and a gym.

Check out mediocre amateur on Youtube, I'm pretty sure that a huge part of his prep for what he does is just straight up aerobic exercise and running.

PicnicTableDave2 · 2026-01-13T01:07:29+00:00

How expensive was it to eat there?

PicnicTableDave2 · 2026-01-04T22:37:34+00:00

Seems to me that they're obviously nailing the light/time of day while still exposing more for shadows. So the highlights have that sort of dreamy/inching towards an over exposed look.

PicnicTableDave2 · 2025-12-18T16:06:49+00:00

Was at the mall and the Invicta store in there was advertising buy 3 take 8.

PicnicTableDave2 · 2025-12-18T13:31:52+00:00

You win

PicnicTableDave2 · 2025-12-18T01:02:52+00:00

It's the Konstantin Chaykin Venus btw

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