Ascent of Mount Saint Helens in 1993-07

Climber: Bob Bolton

Others in Party:	Mike Shannahan and his son Earl Bolton Ryan Bolton others
Date:	July, 1993
Ascent Type:	Successful Summit Attained
Peak:	Mount Saint Helens
Location:	USA-Washington
Elevation:	8333 ft / 2539 m
Ascent Trip Report This was a very special climb because my dad joined a group of guys who all brought our sons, so it was a 3-generation climb for us. On the summit Dad was the center of attention as all the young crowd gathered around him to ask him questions. Some wag came up to Dad and asked him "Sir, do you mind if I ask you how old you are?". Dad replied, "Well, I'm 78 years old". The guy answered "Huh, I'd have sworn you didn't look a day over 77". We all got a good laugh and Dad still tells that story with delight at age 102 (as of February 2017). We had carried ice axes, and on our descent we were glissading every patch of snow we could find. Once while we were near the "trail", with lots of folks descending in the fog, Dad drew a big round of applause when he came shooting down one of those snow patches. An unforgettable day with my dad and son! The three of us on the summit rim. We didn't choose to go over to the true summit on this occasion.

Summary Total Data
Total Elevation Gain:	4593 ft / 1399 m
Trailhead:	Climbers Bivouac  3740 ft / 1139 m
Route Conditions:	Maintained Trail, Open Country, Snow on Ground
Gear Used:	Ice Axe
Weather:	Cool, Breezy, Low Clouds

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