Mt Baker (2008)

This one had a dream team. It was Girl Power on the lead rope. Rope leader, Joy Parobek, student Maggie Showalter, and Chief Climb Assistant Lisa Berntsen were on the first rope heading to the summit of Baker. It was a great day.

--Bill Hecker

Attempt on Bonanza

From Bill Hecker:

Adams with Lisa and Royce (2008)

Here are some pics from an Adams trip.
In order...
Lisa with a rocky background, near the Lunch Counter at 9,000'
Lisa and Royce at the Summit.
Lisa jumping in front of the camera at the last second.
Lisa being not cold despite the wind.
Royce wishing he could have some of Lisa's water.
The Mountain from Trout Lake

-- Bill Hecker

Glacier Peak 2006

The bottom photo is Lisa laying on a rock just before getting back to camp after our GP summit. She was very tired. Later that evening, Joel Edwards, Bill Hecker and Lisa joked about the students being all tucked in because they had a long day. How soon she forgot about her own fatigue after returning to camp and resting.

-Bill Hecker

2009 Little Tahoma attempt

Photo from Meany Crest from Margot Tsakonas

Ice climbing in Ouray

Lisa was someone who worked at a skill until she got it right - regardless of her knees (see previous blog post). She and two others were our guinea pig students for a learning trip to Ouray, CO for some ice climbing.

We started with basics of anchors and some lower-angle terrain.

It wasn't long before the group headed for the vertical ice climbs, and Lisa was game. One climb was pretty intimidating because the climber is lowered down from the top, past the steep ice curtain, and onto a bulge above the river. Several of us were watching from the nearby gazebo, and we caught these images of her working her way up.

Hallman (see previous post) managed a panty raid on another participant and strung them up like prayer flags from the balcony. She, Lisa, Susan and Mugs got even when they presented a Kiss My Axe thong to Hallman, served on top of a pizza. I'm pretty sure he still has it...

Lisa's ice climbing adventures in Ouray, CO (2006)

One of my fondest memories of Lisa B. was a trip to Ouray Colorado in 2006.  It was her first ice climbing experience after completing all the Intermediate field trips in 2005.

I remember how anxious she was one the first day.  After several hours of chopping ice with her tools, crampons clawing for firm footing and dinner-plate size chunks of ice falling towards her belayer, Lisa asked me for helpful advice.  Suggestion #1; put down your ice tools, using only your hands for balance.  Suggestion #2; trust your crampons.  To my amazement, Lisa started following my advice. Throughout the day, I heard many expletives, usually with my name added mid-sentence.

While we celebrated our first night with grande margaritas, we noticed Lisa hobbling around the condo.  She mentioned that her knees were bruised and swollen from bashing them into the ice, more expletives and again my name being mentioned in vain.  Even though Lisa gained confidence in her footwork, it was at the great expense of her knees.

We sure shared some great times together!  Rest in peace my dear friend… when it’s time for me to visit you, pick out a great “first assent” we can do together.

-- Mark Hallman