Following our check in at the White River Wilderness Information Center we proceeded to the White River Trailhead to distribute group gear and ready our heavy loads for the three-mile hike to Glacier Basin. The low clouds and an occasional sprinkle prevented views of the upper mountain and surrounding ridges, but kept us cool as we climbed the 1600 feet to 6000 foot Glacier Basin Camp, which we knocked out in just two hours. The trail to Glacier Basin is well maintained and hikers are treated to many small stream crossings and modest wild flower displays. Pieces of an old mining operation were visible along the former wagon road used to access mines in Glacier Basin. The decision to break the climb to 9400-foot Camp Schurman into two days was smart considering the weight of our packs. It also gave us a chance to begin our acclimatization at a more modest altitude.

Before breaking camp Thursday morning, several participants entered the position of a nearby mineshaft into their GPS receivers as a navigation exercise. Unfortunately the White River had to be crossed and only Keith Hill crossed and located the target. He reported that the shaft was full of snow.

We departed Glacier Basin Camp under mostly cloudy skies. After a half hour we found ourselves at the snout of the Inter Glacier. We chose to put on our climb harnesses and rope up to gain some glacier travel practice in preparation for our travel on the more broken Emmons glacier the day of our climb. The snow was already soft enough that crampons were not necessary. The climb up the Inter Glacier to Camp Curtis seemed to go on and on. Flat spots for resting were infrequent and at least one rest break was taken while spaced widely on the modestly steep slope. We finally topped out at Camp Curtis on Ruth Ridge after taking a lunch break on the more gradual slopes of the upper Inter Glacier.

The path down to the Emmons Glacier was easily located at the top of Camp Curtis and the group negotiated this short hike still roped together carrying coils. The Emmons Glacier was easily negotiated and the angle of climb was slight. The most impressive obstacle was a snow bridge crossing at our destination, Camp Schurman. The climbing ranger manning the ranger's hut at Camp Schurman had reserved several tent platforms for our larger group on the snow. Most of the climbers who were already present, chose to camp on one of the dirt platforms at the base of Steamboat Prow. Half of our party camped on snow, the remainder on dirt. In hindsight, I found camping on the snow a better choice due to the proximity of snow for making water and you did not get covered in dirt every time the wind threw a hard gust at us. After setting up camp and getting settled in, the climbing ranger inserviced us on use of the high tech solar powered outhouse and the current path of the Emmons Glacier climbing route. The outhouse turned out to be excellent (as outhouses go). A glass panel serves to capture the heat of the sun, a solar panel on the roof serves to power a fan to dry the human waste which is periodically transferred into large 55 gallon drums which are flown off the mountain by helicopter every couple weeks. The afternoon continued to be mostly cloudy, with light wind and a little sleet and rain. The NOAA weather forecast reported a rising freezing level (13,500) and for skies to become partly cloudy with light wind in the passes on our summit day. We were informed by Glenn, our climbing ranger, that groups who take a rest day while at Camp Schurman, are twice as likely to summit. He also shared a rule of thumb he uses regarding climb time. He predicted that our climb time would be 9-10 hours since it took us 8 hours of hiking to get to Camp Schurman.

Thursday night we experienced some powerful gusts of wind, likely topping 50 miles per hour. At midnight, Vincent Dunn chose to abandon the Mazama Team's summit bid on Thursday evening due to the low visibility and high wind.

Our rest day was spent napping and reviewing glacier travel skills near camp. The wind was usually mild, but high-speed gusts occasionally roared through our area, blowing away anything not nailed down.

We had planned to depart at 11:30 p.m. but with all of the last minute adjustments it was nearly midnight before we departed Camp Schurman. The winds were calm between the periodic gusts. The half moon lit our way, making headlamps unnecessary. The snow was frozen but the temperature was mild. Best of all, visibility was great all the way to the summit.

We followed the boot track up the 'Corridor', a long band of unbroken ice on the left-hand margin of the Emmons Glacier and then traversed right to the center of the Emmons Glacier. The ranger's route finding pointers were useful and helped and periodic wands us stay on route. On one of our rest breaks we shared a flat spot with a group of three young men. They were taking an extended rest break since one member of their party was cold and they had him in a sleeping bag warming himself. I presumed from their relaxed demeanor that he was not hypothermic and that they intended to continue their climb once he was rested and rewarmed.

An attempt to take a short rest break on the hour was often stymied by the unrelenting slope. One of the only flat spots to be had could best be described as a sagging swath of snow between two parallel crevasses. The walls on either side of this 15-foot swath of snow extended 10-15 feet higher providing protection from the wind. Some members of our party questioned my sanity for choosing such a seemingly unstable spot for our rest break. At least one member was eager for a reprieve from the upward toil to take care of a bathroom break while we all looked the other way. One cannot be shy about such things because that is the reality of climbing such a long route.

Not far from the summit, John Petrie's group passed us on their descent. They reported that they had been to the crater rim and had experienced very high wind. They had decided not to cross over to the true summit, Columbia Crest, due to the extreme wind.

The wind was still blowing hard when we crested the crater rim at 10 a.m. We were able to hunker down behind the rocks of the crater rim and avoid the wind's full fury while our party's three rope teams regrouped, unroped and rested. It is necessary to shout in order to communicate in such high wind.

I was not about to come this close to the true summit and turn around due to the wind. I invited those who wished to follow, to join me. Following a wide path, I made my way counter clockwise along the crater's rim. Climb assistant, Keith Hill, suggested that we could descend the short distance down onto the crater floor and cross on snow to Columbia Crest. The rocky terrain and gap between the rocks of the rim and the snow of the crater floor did not seem very appealing at the time. The wind speed increased as we rounded the crater rim and reached its fullest furry at the lowest spot in the north crater rim. Walking with my pack on, I found it necessary to walk completely bent over with a wide stance bracing myself with a two handed grip on my ice ax. As the gusting wind tried to tip me off balance my eyes searched for a more accommodating route. To my left the slope to the snow of the crater floor was a low angle sandy slope with no moat between the rock and snow. Choosing this path of least resistance I moved down to the crater floor where the wind was much more tolerable. Keith Hill returned to the reluctant climbers, who had not followed and were still hunkered down on the crater rim and encouraged them to follow my path. All followed and everyone made it to the true summit. The wind was very hard on the summit, probably over 50 mph, but calmer than the gale force wind of the north crater rim. The wind did not dampen our spirit, but made the summit that much more rewarding. We congratulated each other with hugs and handshakes before taking numerous summit pictures. Finally, we signed the summit register before retracing our route to where we first gained the crater rim.

We began our descent from the crater rim with assistant leader, Keith Hill in the lead at 11 a.m. Keith placed some pickets as we negotiated our way around crevasses and over snow bridges on the upper mountain, slowing our downward progress. The softening snow of the clear and warm afternoon made the possibility of going through more probable. Everyone was back at Camp Schurman before 4 p.m. We were all happy to be back in camp after 16 hours on the mountain.

The heavy exertion during the previous night and day combined with a near windless evening made for excellent sleeping on Saturday night. We had planned to depart Camp Schurman at 8 a.m. but were delayed slightly, leaving just before 8:30 a.m. We wore crampons and roped together as we descended the mildly sloped Emmons Glacier along Steamboat Prow. We removed our crampons and carried coils as we ascended the short path up to Camp Curtis. It was decided shortly after we began our descent of the Inter Glacier that we should glissade. It was a fabulous glissade. The southeast-facing slope had softened nicely in the morning sun and the long moderately steep downward pitches made for some of the best glissading I have ever experienced.

We stopped at Glacier Basin Camp for an early trail lunch before completing the final 3-mile hike to the cars. We all enjoyed sponge baths in the White River Campground bathrooms, before changing into more comfortable traveling attire. We checked out at the White River Wilderness Information Center and met at Pete's Restaurant in Packwood for logger burgers, fries and milkshakes. We made it to the Tualatin REI before it closed at 6 p.m. to return some rented equipment ... where we met John Petrie's group yet again. We arrived back safe in Salem about 6:30 p.m.

Climb team participants were: Steve Dougherty (leader), Keith Hill (assistant), Kirk Kraschel, Robyn Smith, Tim Smith, Jon Ellis, Greg Tedrow, Brad Tedrow, Jane Diefenbach, Kenneth Prowse, and Mike Pangburn.