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Mike Slizewski
Social climber
Yreka, California
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Hello, everyone. I have received a number of responses to my request to quote from the thread. Thanks to all. Mark Thomas has also contacted me; we will be back in contact later this afternoon. He wants to make sure (and so do I) that I have my facts correct.
I'm on a deadline right now. I will contact each person who has responded to my request individually by early evening. Sorry for the delay.
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bergbryce
Mountain climber
East Bay, CA
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Since you are a climber and I assume you will write this tastefully from a climbers perspective and have Marks blessing, you've got my permission.
I appreciate being contacted too. Stand up job.
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PellucidWombat
Mountain climber
Berkeley, CA
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I've been so busy that I can't say too much right now, but I did want to post a couple of quick responses.
First, thanks everyone for being so supportive of me, Tom, and Tom's loved ones. Also, I really appreciate the respectful way in which you've talked about the events without complete or accurate information. It really is best to wait until all the facts are in, and even now I'd say they aren't since I still haven't spoken much publicly.
Also, as a quick comment about SAR not going very high on the mountain due to the winds. I think they did a great job attempting to go as high as they did and I appreciate how much they put themselves at risk to attempt to reach Tom and I.
When downclimbing Sunday night the winds were strong enough that they nearly blew me off the mountain several times. e.g. several gusts hitting me on my head caused my crampons to blow out, and several times the wind caught my pack and used it to nearly swing me out of my front-point & dagger downclimbing stance, as 2-3 points of contact blew out before I could catch myself. In the dark and high winds, I couldn't even tell which way was down and on flatter ground I had to use my compass to guess where the fall line went. Not really conducive conditions for rescuers to head into.
On several occasions I tried to reverse my path against the wind, but I could barely backtrack more than 20 ft before becoming exhausted. Eric White, one of the SAR climbing rangers, told me that the Monday morning winds at 7,000 ft blew him over in his skis several times. At that time I had only made it as low as 8,700 ft where I made a snow cave. So basically, the winds were very very bad. Also, as I found out how to get off the mountain in those conditions, I learned to appreciate how much harder it is to climb against those winds versus with them, which is why I'd say it was much more reasonable for me to climb down the mountain to SAR than for them to climb up to me. Definitely a good lesson in the importance of self-reliance in mountaineering and why you shouldn't expect to be able to be rescued in bad weather, even on Mt Shasta.
 Mark
--- by the way, if any media folk are wanting to lift quotes here, please do me the courtesy of asking first as Mike Slizewski is. This is a public forum for discussion, NOT a blog, so to me common sense and courtesy says that I am talking in public, but I am not necessarily speaking publicly. You have done the courtesy of asking to take photos and film from a distance when I declined interviews, and I'd say that same spirit of courtesy applies here.
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cleo
Social climber
Berkeley, CA
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Apr 11, 2010 - 12:30am PT
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thanks MH...
there will be memorials and parties in Tom's honor in BC this week, and then more parties here in CA in Tom's memory the following week. Lots on the agenda.
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SoyAnarchisto
Boulder climber
Fremont, CA
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Apr 12, 2010 - 10:33am PT
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My condolences to the friends and family.
'Greg
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criscokid
Trad climber
Salt Lake City, Utah
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Apr 12, 2010 - 11:59am PT
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I am glad that most of the replies have been positive well wishes. It seems that many use the forums as a place to vent frustrations, criticize, and second guess. Its the mountains people! Stuff happens. Even to the best of climbers.
Nobody would second guess some of the big names that have lost their lives in the pursuit of their passion (It's not important whom I am referring to). We all just need to learn from others tragedies and realize that anything someone else experiences can also happen to us.
I send my well wishes out to the families and climbers involved, and hope that happiness finds them.
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Mark Rodell
Trad climber
Bangkok
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The above link is a very thougtful and detailed report with pictures that begin to illustrate the beauty of Shasta as well as the challenges.
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tom woods
Gym climber
Bishop, CA
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Thanks for posting the links Phil.
I read the summit post one.
A harrowing tale that I hope people keep in mind when headed into the hills.
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cleo
Social climber
Berkeley, CA
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wow.
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