Week 3 Matt Dooley SWS Mountain Guides

6-7-11
Today I was able to do some desperately needed painting on the front SWS company sign to make it pop with life again. I am able to finally paint with good predictable weather. While i am in the painting mood i also stained the picnic table out front. The table desperately needed some finishing. Almost every client that comes to SWS office sees this sign, and either sits at the table to fill out paperwork for trips or uses this table for gear check for there pre trip. Once done with the painting it is time to clean up the guide house.

6-10-11
My personal Millet pack arrives! Last week I sent out 4 tents to Black Diamond (BD) to be covered under warranty. Tents were up on Shasta and were shredded due to harsh winds. Today the replacement for Squall C, Storm Track A,D,E have arrived. I label tents on body and fly with sharpie. Make all the new tents new guide lines, tie special knots in guide lines, and bundle them up to be used on the mountain. New BD helmets arrived as well. Once again label helmets with sharpie, red tape, and SWS logo stickers. Crit Conrad was last years intern, and is currently a new assistant/lead guide this year on trips. Crit knows all of the company gear very well and showed me how to disassemble the MSR Whisper lite International stoves and fuel pumps. Went through seals, lubricants and replacing parts and what is most commonly wrong with the stoves in the field. This is important work, without proper working stoves and pumps guides will spend more time in the field away from clients, snow melting for water is dramatically drawn out and uses more fuel with a less than perfect performing stove, and most importantly cooking food is slowed way down.

6-11-11
Today I was able to get on the mountain with an ice axe clinic with my mentor Dave Cressman. Clients arrive and I promptly in the morning. I am now starting to get the hang of weekend mornings around the office. Paperwork must be filled out and I have to make sure all the information is filled out for safety. I have to fit crampons, and Ice Axes to all clients while doing the paperwork. It gets crazy in the morning. I sharpen up my skills with self ballet and self arrest in the ice axe/crampon clinic to eventually be able to go out on a summit trip.

6-12-11
Today several trips came back off the mountain. I am in the office with cold drinks for clients and able to help lead guides with unpacking and organizing to put gear in the back room. Clean building and do chores.

6-13-11
Today i cleaned JB's stoves as he was having some build up and gunk in the lines. More cleaning around the guide house.