Heading towards the summit of Mount Rainier. Courtesy/LAM
By WILLIAM PRIEDHORSKY
Los Alamos Mountaineers
In late May of 2024 Greg Huey (Mud Duck) and Tadz Kostrubala (Tabone) successfully summitted the Rainier stratovolcano via the Disappointment Cleaver (DC) Route. At the Oct. 22 Mountaineers meeting, the two will discuss their DC ascent, fairly standard for Rainier, and their not-so-standard attempt to descend on skis. Mount Rainier is Washington State’s highest mountain, peaking out at 14,411 feet. It is most often climbed by the DC route, which climbs 9,000 feet on snowfields and glaciers. They will share their adventures, trials and tribulations, the DC route history, and lessons worth pondering for those who might attempt the route.
Greg “Mud Duck” Huey was born and raised in Oklahoma and educated in New Mexico where he stumbled upon his uncanny ability and desire to suffer in the mountains. He has summitted Denali twice and Mt. Rainer five times now. When not recovering from a hip replacement he enjoys traveling the world for his job, playing rugby and making no sense during campfire sessions that last late into the night.
Tadz “Tabone” Kostrubala fell in love with the mountains while partially growing up in Mammoth, California. After migrating throughout several western states he landed up 20 years ago in New Mexico and has been enchanted ever since. Generally washed up, he likes to reflect back on his time as an Outward Bound instructor, desert climbing rat, and other exploits. When not bossing people around as an engineering manager at LANL he can be found on the ski hill at 6 a.m. most Tuesdays and Thursdays hiking or skinning.
We welcome all to this Mountaineers’ meeting, on the regular fourth Tuesday of the month. The social hour, with cookies, begins at 6:45 p.m. and the program at 7 p.m.
The presentation will be streamed at Los Alamos Nature Center; the slides will be live-streamed on Zoom. Registration is required to Zoom and recommended for in-person – we would love to see your smiling face.
Registration is here.