Kidney Stones at Sahale Glacier Camp

It usually doesn’t take me almost 4 years to get around to reviewing and posting images from a trip.

Especially a trip to Sahale Camp.

But this trip was…. special.

Started out just fine, late July, no clouds, three friends and a wonderful hike along Sahale Arm. What could go wrong?

The wildflowers were amazing.

We made it up the last steep slopes to the camp and snagged one of the last camp sites on a flat piece of rock, surrounded by a turret of stone.

Before long a mountain goat and kid arrived. They toured the camp several times and then departed.

The night brought clear skies and some pretty decent Milky Way shots.

The next morning we woke early and by 7 or so were about to start our trek back. All of a sudden I was very nauseous. I couldn’t tell if I needed to poop or throw up. I figured the freeze dried dinner didn’t sit well. There was a solid pain in my guts. I tried to do both for a bit with no luck and so we started down. Thankfully my pack wasn’t very heavy, no more than 25 lbs.

Descending the first section is a bit steep. I didn’t even get to the bottom of that first steep pitch before I needed a long break. I tried to drink, but I just felt more nauseous.

My three friends were cool, hanging with me and nursing me along. Another short pitch and a long break. And another. Time passed and it started to heat up. The pain hit me in waves. Thank god for the trekking poles, or I would have been a goner many times.

Slowly I descended along Sahale Arm. Being in intense pain in the midst of such glorious scenery was interesting. Once in a while I would look around and re-orient myself, picturing some near future , at home and out of pain. I didn’t stop to take any pictures, however.

The pain was so intense. Hopeful images of e-vac helicopters appeared in my head. Soon followed by images of $40,000 helicopter e-vac bills…

I managed to throw up a few times. I still couldn’t drink. I seem to recall chanting to myself as I stumbled on.

There is one last steep rocky section as you descend, just above Cascade Pass. I have no idea how I managed it, the temp was now in the high 80’s. By the time we reached Cascade Pass it was almost noon. I tried to drink and recover, but it was blazing hot. Any time I managed to drink, I contorted and vomited.

My companions were there with me the whole time, they were new to backpacking and despite my trying to hide how bad it was they could see that things were not good.

I started the long death march to the car, down the 47 switch backs, like a zombie. I vacillated between agony and giddiness which, I am guessing, is what real Zombies do.

Delirious and doubled over I made it to the car. I have a faint recollection of being in a manic, completely euphoric state on the ride home.

It wasn’t long before the undulating waves agony returned. I dragged myself to the walk-in clinic, and stood there, in rigid pain, waiting. The doctor came in saw me doubled over, read the symptoms, and pronounced kidney stones! After the CAT scan confirmed the diagnosis, he told me I had apparently passed the main part of a kidney stone whilst hiking out from Sahale!

They gave me a shot for the pain, sent me home with some pills and said if it happens again, come on back in!

So, yeah, I was not in too much of a hurry to revisit that trip!