Team Geared Up

Informative site. I was introduced to a sport there, speed climbing on alpine mountains. Dan Howitt is the founder and still leader of US and World officiated alpine speed climbing. With official records on 4 of the toughest peaks in the US, the glacier volcanoes Rainier, Shasta, Adams, and Hood. All timed by independent timing officials he hired, such as Oregon Peak Adventures http://www.oregonpeakadventures, Climb Max Mountaineering, Ft. Lewis Army Rangers, Oregon Army National Guard, Adams Mountaineering Inc, Shasta Mountain Guides.

Howitt’s still has the current Shasta official record: north face in 4:14 from the Northgate Trailhead to the summit

Dan’s Rainier official record 4:59:01sec from the Skyline Trail beginning at the parking lot to the summit.

Dan’s Hood official records:
Timberline Lodge to the summit: 1:56:39sec
Government Camp to the summit and back: 2:58 to the summit, 4:47 roundtrip (no sliding in decent)

Howitt’s Adams official record: 2:39min from Round-the-Mountain trail to the summit.

Dan Howitt also hold multi-official records in the Columbia River Gorge peaks like the endurance extreme Defiance, Starvation Ridge, Ruckle Ridge, Larch Mountain, Wyeth Trail, the top peaks in this steep mountain range. These are non-alpine peaks.

I’m friends with some people at one of the timing companies noted above, Oregon Peak Adventures. Dan Howitt’s Hood records are truly official and just outstanding and impressive, real feats of skill, courage, endurance, strength, and sport.

Others should follow his landmark efforts, and I don’t think anyone in the past has, actually, ever beat his times. Most of us at the Mazamas think Dan has set a new course on Rainier, Shasta, Adams, and Hood, and no one has stepped up to respond. Howitt’s official records stand alone with great quality and distinction.

Bill

Awesome man, I checked out his summit photos on various sites, so cool to see him on the top of Mt. Rainier setting the speed record. Official too, wondering if this will be an official sport some day, where the true record holders will rise up and the frauds apparently like the imfamous Chad Kellogg will fall away.

sweeeeeeeeeeet
Avery J

Dan is quite distinguished around here for setting a kind of new course of legitimacy in this sport, speed climbing, or alpine speed climbing. He’s also shown what’s involved in timing these climbs, the difficulties, problems that can come up on these very tough (seriously tough) peaks like Rainier especially, and Adams, Hood, and Shasta. Great job Dan!

pretty cool

nice