Italy Mountaineering Trip Report 2024: Gran Paradiso and Zumsteinspitze
Over the past six years, I’ve had some fantastic outdoor adventures, including five big mountaineering trips. I recently decided to…
Over the past six years, I’ve had some fantastic outdoor adventures, including five big mountaineering trips. I recently decided to begin writing “recap” posts about my mountaineering trips and other adventures, including marathons and backpacking excursions, in the hopes that sharing my experiences (including the nutrition “pearls” I’ve gleaned along the way since I am a clinical nutritionist!) will help my readers.
In this post, I’m recapping my first major mountaineering trip, a three-day adventure on Mt. Baker in Washington. If you want to read about my other trips, I have written posts about my Mt. Rainier mountaineering trip and my Mt. Bear/Alaska mountaineering trip on my blog.
Let’s dive into my Mt. Baker 2021 trip report!
Long story short, I’ve been enamored with mountaineering since I was a child growing up in the Midwest. I vividly remember reading Into Thin Air in my AP English class in 8th grade; the rugged adventure, spirit of exploration, and fight for survival depicted in the book intensely grabbed my interest.
When I moved to Colorado in my mid-twenties, I began to climb local mountains. However, I yearned to do more, especially big glaciated and more technical climbs. I already knew that Mt. Rainier was on my list, and when I learned that climbing Mt. Baker was a great first step before climbing Mt. Rainier, I signed up for a women’s-only three-day mountaineering trip on Mt. Baker. The trip took place in June 2021. I enthusiastically trained for the trip for many months; in retrospect, I trained more than I needed to, considering that I live at 8,000 feet and was trail running regularly, providing me with a solid baseline of fitness and altitude adaptation.
I chose to do an all-women’s trip because I’d previously felt intimidated when doing big outdoor adventures with groups that included a mix of men and women. I thought going with an all-women’s group would foster a supportive environment, and it really did! 🙂
On day 1 of the Mt. Baker climb, our group met up in the parking lot at the base of Mt. Baker. We subsequently hiked through the forest, including a river crossing, to our first camp on the mountain. Fortunately, since the guide company I went with has a long history of guiding on Mt. Baker, they were able to establish our camp ahead of time, so we didn’t need to set up our own camp. Once we arrived at camp, we spent a few hours practicing snow skills, such as the proper technique for walking when ascending and descending the mountain, crampon skills, and self-arrest techniques. We spent the remainder of the day hanging out in camp and eating dinner.
On the second day of our climb, we began our summit bid! We woke up around 3 am (an “alpine start”); we needed to begin early because the weather was unseasonably warm in June 2021, and if we had started any later, the heat of the sun would have made the snowy slopes of the mountain pretty tricky to navigate.
Reaching the summit of Mt. Baker in the late morning was a moment of triumph! The climb, with its gradual slope and multiple stops for snacks and hydration, was not just manageable but enjoyable. The view from a point that allowed us to peer into the Mt. Baker volcano was a reminder of the awe-inspiring power of nature. It’s easy to forget that Mt. Baker is a volcano, even though the most recent eruption was thousands of years ago! 🌋
Once we had summited and returned to our camp, most ladies took naps. We hung out the rest of the day at camp and did a short side excursion to see the glacier field along the side of our climbed route. The views were stunning, and we even enjoyed a lovely sunset!
On day 3 of our climb, we descended all the way back to the parking lot where we’d begun three days earlier. The descent was nice and gentle and offered plenty of opportunities to enjoy the beautiful views.
As a clinical nutritionist, I couldn’t help but come away from my Mt. Baker trip with some nutrition “pearls” to share with you! Here are several nutrition “pearls” I took away from this trip:
** One more takeaway that is not nutrition-specific: Always check the expiration date of your sunscreen before you head out on an adventure! I learned this the hard way when I realized my sunscreen was expired and had to use sunscreen that one of the ladies in the group generously offered me!
My mountaineering trip on Mt. Baker was a wonderful experience and the perfect introduction to big-mountain mountaineering! I highly recommend it to anyone looking to take their first steps into the mountaineering world!
If you’re planning a mountaineering trip and need help creating a nutrition plan, I’m here to guide you. Schedule a complimentary discovery call to learn how I can support you nutritionally with your mountaineering objectives. Remember, professional nutrition advice can make a significant difference in your performance and enjoyment during mountaineering adventures!
The content provided on this nutrition blog is intended for informational and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of something you have read on this blog.
The information and recommendations presented here are based on general nutrition principles and may not be suitable for everyone. Individual dietary needs and health concerns vary, and what works for one person may not be appropriate for another.
I make every effort to provide accurate and up-to-date information, but the field of nutrition is constantly evolving, and new research may impact dietary recommendations. Therefore, I cannot guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information presented on this blog.
If you have specific dietary or health concerns, please consult a qualified nutritionist or another healthcare professional for personalized guidance.
I empower others through nutrition to conquer their mountain adventures, drawing from my own experiences.
With a background in Biomedical Science and an M.S. in Human Nutrition, I’m a Certified Nutrition Specialist and Licensed Dietitian Nutritionist. My journey in functional medicine has equipped me to work alongside athletes and tackle complex health cases. As a passionate trail runner, backcountry skier, and backpacker, I strive to support others on their paths to peak performance and well-being.
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