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Ken’s High Five — Part One, Cascade Express
One peak, two peak, three peak, four… and five. Ken is going for it! When you’re climbing three Cascade peaks in seven days, sometimes you look at your most recent summit and say “Huh, was I really on top of that two days ago…?”
Ken, Arindam, Shirish, Raman, Gokul, and guides Lani, Matt, and Niels started their trip stuck in traffic. On the drive south from Seattle to Mount Adams, they were delayed two precious hours — causing them to not even get to the trailhead until 4:30 PM. When problems like this arise, it’s always good to remember the saying “maintain a rigid state of flexibility.” The team quickly did some last minute packing, lathered themselves in sunscreen, and headed up the trail hoping to make it to Sunrise Camp before the wee hours of the morning. At 8 PM Lani, Matt, and Niels made the call to make camp and settle in for the night, opting for a long summit day rather than a gigantic approach day.
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FTeam_approaches_Mount_Adams-8931_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=ac73568e97438cf4c50418c470af9cf2 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FTeam_approaches_Mount_Adams-8931_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=2b63c4618f5505b2dab6f21233489fdb 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FTeam_approaches_Mount_Adams-8931_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=1a7510f61a98dcf5ff0a8a09b6c0fb16 700w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FTeam_approaches_Mount_Adams-8931_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=477764c66ebe9c7a8771dc8ff53a4217 800w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FTeam_approaches_Mount_Adams-8931_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=f5de1abe008f74c877026eff22170eb2 1000w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FTeam_approaches_Mount_Adams-8931_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=9420ad65e7e6a6bce8a85d1792ef95a5 1200w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FTeam_approaches_Mount_Adams-8931_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=2590a852b5140e645cd2848172a209c2 1400w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FTeam_approaches_Mount_Adams-8931_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=c39c1ef1e41c773dfb8d17d5bf446f05 1600w)
The team approaches Mount Adams.
The next day was glorious. Climbing under a full moon, we started up Mount Adams mentally preparing ourselves for a longer than usual summit day. Ken and Lani reached the summit in the early afternoon, what a success! They arrived back in camp around 5:30 PM, ready for a hot brew and a big dinner. And then they were on to the next one!
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FClimbing_Adams_under_full_moon-8953_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=5a8e49a8040ec4158fc9d00f21b06241 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FClimbing_Adams_under_full_moon-8953_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=0a7f1d3ebd0602bcafda695dccaeb026 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FClimbing_Adams_under_full_moon-8953_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=7d17dee79b01de6b7e481f6b8ad459e3 700w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FClimbing_Adams_under_full_moon-8953_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=41a233470ee65f8c47452e542f4df24d 800w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FClimbing_Adams_under_full_moon-8953_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=bcb3540d550b5b96d65ca236690b2e07 1000w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FClimbing_Adams_under_full_moon-8953_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=91c5d7611d374f253fa340c42285b265 1200w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FClimbing_Adams_under_full_moon-8953_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=52ea8f4552d6509f43389b06ba0920e5 1400w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FClimbing_Adams_under_full_moon-8953_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=6eee2b2d45b38e96a2610be5ca9602a3 1600w)
Climbing Adams under a full moon.
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FEarly_morning_on_Mount_Adams-8959_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=db166e4019e5607b17929c2436710dd9 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FEarly_morning_on_Mount_Adams-8959_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=c74481183bf47f5d6f43f4a6b4b557f1 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FEarly_morning_on_Mount_Adams-8959_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=13566686a57683492724320f1482cec7 700w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FEarly_morning_on_Mount_Adams-8959_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=f38ca47257a3257c6383168b8877d916 800w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FEarly_morning_on_Mount_Adams-8959_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=4288157f2abb6a63a769c6df3c93f176 1000w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FEarly_morning_on_Mount_Adams-8959_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=4a6138e43d062f827499b2e056f7f7e1 1200w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FEarly_morning_on_Mount_Adams-8959_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=7f9e3cab07bed874a3af09bbe78740f8 1400w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FEarly_morning_on_Mount_Adams-8959_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=1406a251facda3cd0f943d793428650a 1600w)
Early morning on Mount Adams.
Arindam, Shirish, Raman, and Gokul were only staying for part of the Cascade Express, so the next day the team dropped them off at the Portland Airport before turning the Madness Mobile back north and heading for Mount Baker. With a little luck, the worst of the traffic was avoided the on the way north.
After a much needed late start, Ken, Lani, and Niels made it to Mount Baker high camp in the early afternoon and spent the rest of the day lounging in the sunshine and drinking tea. And the next thing they knew, the gang was standing on the summit. Ken is one fast 60 year old! We made it to the summit in four and a half hours, Lani and Niels’ fastest Baker climb they had ever worked! And then boom! They were back at camp and headed out to Baker Lake to camp for the night before heading into Mount Shuksan.
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FKen_and_Lani_admiring_big_crevasses_on_Baker-8969_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=4dbd21db8ad6de7cd8c645730c08ef53 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FKen_and_Lani_admiring_big_crevasses_on_Baker-8969_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=99b37e16bcf1817b103514b7677a1d7f 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FKen_and_Lani_admiring_big_crevasses_on_Baker-8969_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=95150635db87cb4bb68d9b3b0cebb1c1 700w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FKen_and_Lani_admiring_big_crevasses_on_Baker-8969_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=8b85a32d8de16e51e7ac17b9d1222fef 800w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FKen_and_Lani_admiring_big_crevasses_on_Baker-8969_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=1e96a6aa94bc4d61cac5289ea2b67a78 1000w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FKen_and_Lani_admiring_big_crevasses_on_Baker-8969_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=7b88d12c4707b520c349f30f79b2357d 1200w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FKen_and_Lani_admiring_big_crevasses_on_Baker-8969_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=9eec313b7c62bcf38e0e0180ff9d49e7 1400w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FKen_and_Lani_admiring_big_crevasses_on_Baker-8969_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=944a4079c51b4c578784bea9e4e92fac 1600w)
Ken and Lani admiring big crevasses on Baker.
Ken and Niels charged up the Shuksan approach trail and again spent the afternoon at camp enjoying beautiful views and drinking hot brews. And who would have thought it, the next morning those two were standing on top of Mount Shuksan, gazing at Baker’s summit thinking that not that long ago they were way over there on top of that one.
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FKen_scoping_route_on_Shuksan-8979_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=2dbebfa626d3a20c611529026262b3f0 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FKen_scoping_route_on_Shuksan-8979_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=3e0d554245c815334f9b75241384d5cf 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FKen_scoping_route_on_Shuksan-8979_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=a9efdcc5e4410e5764cf5b100ce0eb4c 700w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FKen_scoping_route_on_Shuksan-8979_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=b75b0dd1f45f1b2f52d2c282022cae15 800w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FKen_scoping_route_on_Shuksan-8979_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=cfa9e9a75cc27970a778d260ef49a54a 1000w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FKen_scoping_route_on_Shuksan-8979_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=363355e7279ecc083d10d723096423df 1200w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FKen_scoping_route_on_Shuksan-8979_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=3f410d0fc13d0483d008996a8ddc2428 1400w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FKen_scoping_route_on_Shuksan-8979_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=f6ee40a0c6fcec9efaa9fed5fe1f2c39 1536w)
Ken scoping the route on Mount Shuksan.
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FKen_climbing_SE_Ridge_on_Shuksan-8990_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=6ec8d2731c86537642c62ab69cf9752c 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FKen_climbing_SE_Ridge_on_Shuksan-8990_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=a5d1d48920980ed95025b0978c79df7f 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FKen_climbing_SE_Ridge_on_Shuksan-8990_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=dfabd490a204fa7f263770c5b6fb5427 700w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FKen_climbing_SE_Ridge_on_Shuksan-8990_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=91212be68ee6b8acbc5455320cf6a492 800w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FKen_climbing_SE_Ridge_on_Shuksan-8990_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=1563ad96e7499fccf8c8ce66b43a9d74 1000w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FKen_climbing_SE_Ridge_on_Shuksan-8990_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=eee94465cc8f2a4a772f53b8aa1b0e02 1200w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FKen_climbing_SE_Ridge_on_Shuksan-8990_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=0545eb1d8aefdc5cc60cc1ea2cc55400 1400w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FKen_climbing_SE_Ridge_on_Shuksan-8990_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=21d9d41ad78daa58b0a00248d87b7b88 1600w)
Ken climbing the SE Ridge on Shuksan.
Ken did an impressive amount of training to prepare for the Cascade Express. He is a retired meteorologist who used to do a lot of climbing, but eventually his family and work took priority and climbing got put on the back burner. After retiring, he decided to go big and do five peaks in seven days in the Cascades to prove to himself that he could still climb. Four times a week, Ken would don his backpack filled with 50 pounds of sand and hike 1500 feet up his local hill in upstate New York. His training has paid off immensely! Word around the Mountain Madness office is that Ken “crushed” his last climb on Eldorado.
Now Ken is resting up and getting ready for his last climb on Glacier Peak. Good luck Ken! You got it this one too!
~ Words and images, MM Guide Niels Meyer