Bad Boy 2009

Oh yeh! Everyone hit the summit and there were no injuries. The weather was gorgeous, conditions were pretty tame and a great time was had by all. A note on conditions: the summit was enshrouded with blowing snow and temps were hoving around the -5F mark (winds rising from the 20s to the high 40s by the time we left). By midnight last night, long after we were off the mountain, temps had dropped to -15F and winds around 90mph, gusting close to 100. We enjoyed the company of 'newbie' Al, who we expect to see more of.

But let's get right to business. If you post a trip report in the comments I'll copy it to this main page, as usual. Until my computer is repaired I won't be posting pictures, but I'll post links to everyone's picture galleries. And now the trip reports:

The Puppet Master's Report:
Great day out. 15-0... incredible that we all got up and down considering the visibility issues!

1. Roland made a man puke with a fart. McLovin... is that one name?!
2. Ray G almost killed a man this weekend with his farts and would given Roland a run for his money!
3. "Bro, old buddy boy" is looking and acting more and more like a mountain man. Careful what you throw away (those weren't hops!)
4. McGowan and Alan - the two ligthning triathletes. Where did they shoot off to, a swim meet or something?!
5. Johnny B... thank God for those size 15 wheels breaking trail during the day and the J-Dizzle persona surfacing at night! Love the Johhny B jabs, jokes and sarcasm!
6. Rainbow... We almost sent him to Lake of the Clouds to barehand catch a trout for the summit!
7. Spungie... redeems himself with the return of the cairn rocks to the mountain. Thanks for sending me down the snowfield first, into the jaws of the hell tiger!
8. Chip (aka Norwegian Cowboy or Indiana Sven)... great persistence at your own pace. The crotch will never beat you, especially with that sweater and hat.
9. Lil Richie... size doesn't matter, no matter what the cougars say. Keep rocking the "vesticle."
10. MuthaZ... Yes, my mother-in-law and father-in-law are married. Quit trying those Jedi mind tricks on me!
11. TMail... Two beers and a "facebook hookup". You are working for the trophy!
12. MadDog... I am not NACHO TACO, I am Nacho Nacho!
13. G$... the confident climber. Good ups and good downs. Must be the North/South finder?!

Finally, thanks to all for the BB nomination. I'm treating the award like the Stanley Cup - bringing it to the local restaurants for picture taking, filling it with beer and drinking out of it (don't ask how), eating spaghetti off it, etc.

And thanks for the open ears and understanding regarding my buddy Kermit (and why the Old Man was a no show this year.) I am not the most eloquent man, especially after a few cocktails, but hopefully I was able to convey that Kermit lived life with a mountain of spirit. I was looking forward to this weekend to reflect on his passing and be around great people who carry the same type of big spirit.

Let the planning begin for 2010 - The Year of The Coug.

Pics posted HERE

Mad Dog's Report:
well put PM, well put. Just a couple more sights, sounds, and experiences to add:

1. my amazement (or maybe not) at the possibility that we had lost 1 of the 15 before we ever put a foot down on the trail.
2. while i thoroughly enjoy everyone's trail company, i had some quiet time on the way up - and it really was special. no people, just wind, snow, trees and the sound of snowshoes.
3. following behind PM on the ascent of Heather's is surreal. watching him bounding up as if we were on the flats.
4. the first time seeing wildlife above treeline and having it be a red fox the size of a 70lb dog cross the trail and duck into Tuckermans.
5. johnny b., being scolded for bladder relief on the ranger's front lawn.
6. watching the slingshot twins (tmail and mutha) leapfrog like we were standing still. shake and bake!
7. roland - thank you for all the logistics work. it's a function that should be rotated year to year so we all get to experience the joys :-)
8. mama and papa tmail - thanks for preparing and delivering some tasty calories to da hood (it was the real thing), and the tops.
9. does Marvel Comics know that spiderman had a weekend furlough? and did you ever notice that he and mutha have never been seen in the same place at the same time.
10. bob - thanks for the 29GB gift...so what exactly am i to do with it?

Wyoming Bob's Report:
Once again an excellant time on the mountain. Thanks to those who broke the trail on the way up and kept us pretty much on course. As the conditions got worse we tighten into two groups and made a safe decent, some on trail some blazing a new.

T-Mail - I used 3 googles, 2 hats, 1 facemask etc....

Congratulations to the newest earner of the Bad Boy trophy, well done and well deserved!

Here are the pictures, there are also a few from the pre hike in another album, you're all clever you'll find them!

tMail's Report:

1. We killed 3/4 of the ozone layer in Jackson with the Methane produced.
2. Bunk bed antics are good pre, midnight and post sleep.
3. Can't wait to see Johnny B after marriage he will probably be packing a glock.
4. Ro Ro keep the movies coming...great job on the house...t-shirt of the year McLovin.
5. Ray = gas mask
6. Buddy Boy...Bro...what can be said we gave him insulin on Lions Head and he made Summit
7. Rainbow cool calm and collective.
8. Spungie inspires us all...working on a newbie for 2010 with requirements of new gear 1 year age or less priced over $1000.00
9. Chip you are the steal horse we all ride.
10. Team McGowan there in and there out...POW POW
11. MD thanks for the midnight symphony
12. Lil Richie and the Brazilian the spider man dismounts from the top bunk with hunt me for life.
13. Mutha's famous words "we will find him in the spring time during the thaw"
14. G-$$$ new ride, pimped out, and in love with cat crap
15. PM...what can be said 2009 Bad Boy Recipent!!!
16. We got kicked out of a bar before getting out of the car.
17. 16 guys in black tights Saturday morning...doesn't get any better for the eyes
18. Have 16 guys summit and safely return
19. To all of you thanks for a great weekend when I look back on the year and forward to the next this weekend is always tops on the list...here is to many more Bad Boy Weekends to come...its more than a climb its about family...

Mutha's Report:

• Heather's was so filled in with snow that there was no real challenging scramble on the Lion's Head winter route ascent. In fact several of us barebooted the descent, and a few did the glissade w/ crampons on.
• After much discussion w/ tMail over the last year or two, my clothing has gotten quite reduced on the ascents. Just a thin Ibex base-layer w/ a wicking T-shirt on top and my winter shell.
• I underestimated the wind on my face and for some reason was showing a nice big white patch. I was in the process of pointing out the same thing to Chip when the PM saw it on me. We'll see how it evolves.
• Chip, Part I: Chip hurls his chem warmers on Lion's Head and I launch into something that sounds like "You @#$%, I can't believe you trash this beautiful place. How'd you like it if I took a s**t on your car, you @#$%^@#$!!".
• Chip, Part II: As I'm yelling at Chip, MadDog says quietyly "mutha..." and holds up his hands to suggest "uh, okay, you made your point." Now that's what I call fun.
• Blouin steps out of the alcove to take a summit piss and observatory employee Diane comes out and berates him for pissing on her front porch.
• tMail and I lead the Gang of Five onto the Eastern Snowfields (even though I can't stop calling them the Western Snowfields). MadDog falls 1,000ft into hell and Chaos ensues. Click on the picture at right to see what I think was the route we took, eventually backtracking and joining the others (red trail on picture).
  
• Higgins ignores all warnings and takes the low road around an outcrop instead of sticking with the group. tMail and I watch his head moving (his body is hidden by rocks). His head suddenly drops down out of sight and we hear the Higgins War Whoop: "Yahhhh, Arrrhhhhh...".
• Maddog, falling asleep, refers to the PM as "taco nacho".
  

[Additional Trip Reports As They Arrive]: