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caverpilot

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About caverpilot

  • Birthday 06/04/1972

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  1. That only applies to the Restricted Area portion of the trail on the North side. To anyone reading this post: You CAN bring your dog to the summit, on-leash of course!
  2. Have you experienced issues with Sno-Parks not being plowed? I've run into this issue at Cougar Sno-Park on St. Helens multiple times. Turns out, the work is done by contractors, not the state, and the state has no way to verify the work is being done unless reports are made to them. Previously, you had to find their number and call. However, there is now an online reporting form: http://www.parks.state.wa.us/FormCenter/Winter-Recreation-9/SnoPark-Onsite-Evaluation-Form-68 I've copied the form below so one can see what type of information they are gathering. Cheers! Sno-Park Name Geographical Area -- Select One --123456 Date and Time of Visit Date and Time of Visit Day of Week -- Select One --SundayMondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturday Project Type -- Select One --Snow RemovalSanitary FacilityTrail Grooming Verify Sno-Park Information Please note changes needed in the current sno-park brochure including driving directions. If none, please leave blank. Weather Conditions during visit Temperature during visit Snow Depth Around Lot Vehicle Count Number w/ permits Number w/o permits Estimated percentage of use by: Snowmobilers: Cross-Country Skiers: Dog Sledders: Snowshoers: Snow Players: Other (name): Signing- Condition of Trail Signing Clear signing from main road to lot? -- Select One --YesNo Bulletin Board (Emergency #, Nearest Phone, etc.) Trail Map Available at Trailhead? -- Select One --YesNo Parking Lot- Conditions of Parking Lot (Snow Removed, Users Parking Efficiently, Garbage, etc.) Sanitary Facility - Conditions of Sanitary Facility (Empty, Clean Surroundings, Etc.) Trail - Conditions of Trail Public Contact/Comment - Additional Comments- Equipment - Equipment Inspection (Damage, Condition of Paint, Parks Logo, grooming, etc.)
  3. My wife and I love our G3 Ion 12s! First time I've gone with leashes since my Silvretta 555s! Love them! When I was binding shopping, I was primarily looking for "apparent integrity" aka: show me the strength! I passed on any binding that had primary mechanisms made of plastic.
  4. Bring your skis!!! One of my favorite backcountry skiing destinations! Seriously, bring like a GALLON of FULL STRENGTH (100%) DEET! The clouds of skeeters there *can be* LEGENDARY!!! *can be means in 5 trips, all in May/June, I've seen everything from zero mosquitoes to us not being able to get ready at the TH since they were swarming us. Always bring at least your ice axe and helmet anywhere a slip could lead to a long slide, and if you're early enough, you may need your crampons. I like to sleep in however, so I've only needed them once in 5 trips, but I REALLY needed them then! Pro Tip: Park in Section 3 and climb past Corrigan Lake and the west side of the peak to the summit - saves you ~400 feet of climbing and the 'schwacking isn't bad. When in doubt, just head UP! Good luck and post your photos back here!
  5. The Rocky Mountaineers out of Missoula and the Glacier Mountaineering Society (Kalispell/Whitefish) do some winter trips up there. Rocky Mountaineers has a Facebook group you can try for info - I know one of their regulars (Forest Dean) does a lot of ski mountaineering in the park! Sadly I've only been skiing in the park on the east side... in October!
  6. The OP said he wasn't worried about routefinding or whiteouts - not sure why anyone thinks Muir is "better;" (>5K elevation gain, same quality snow, just as many people) you have just as much of a chance of getting lost/falling in a crevasse there as you do on Adams. As far as post-July skiing on Adams, yes, it's terrible, but it's STILL BETTER than NOT SKIING. I've skied from the summit in August, meandering through bathtub-sized suncups and avoiding the nearly 3-feet-deep butt TRENCHES formed by the glissade crews. Still had a great time. And? I didn't have to battle Rando-bros! Sure, I had to hike with my skis all the way to the bottom of Crescent, but I've never had a bad day on my sticks. A lot of posters on here are part of the Turns-All-Year crew, and I naysay anyone who naysays skiing in the summer. A bluebird July day could arguably be considered a better time to ski Adams than a potentially bad-weather day in May, especially if you're not familiar with the gear. (It's hard to work your bindings if your hands are frozen bricks!) Pro tip: The later you go, the more likely you'll need crampons / ice ax / whippets up high. Anyway, my two cents! We all know you're going to do what you want, regardless of what we say here. Come back and post about your experience once you do! Bonus? There won't be any lack of rental equipment available!
  7. On my only summit of Long's Peak, CO via the Kiener's Route (Grade II, 5.4) , following the awesome foot-wide ledge traverse of Broadway (with a 800 feet of air below you), I led a 4th class pitch just past the gully to the start of the only "climb" on the route (the 5.4 section). I spotted a slinged chock-stone about 60 feet up. Sandbag. Sucker bait. The chockstone was loose and scary as hell. I downclimbed to the ledge below, looking to lower off, my only option leaving one of my BRAND NEW camalots - so fuck it, I decided to push the chimney over the chockstone. Then we dealt with getting our bags stuck several times during the haul. Then, my partner in over-kill plastic boots could barely do the chimney. It took us several hours. It was something like 100 feet. While I was belaying him up the last few feet, a group of 5 people cruised right past... ropeless.... Turns out we took the first chimney, wheras the route description clearly indicated the SECOND (or middle) chimney!! Then, right as we finally made the summit, a lightning bolt struck the adjacent peak and it began pouring rain. Imagine our delight sliding on our asses down the now-smooth rock on the Keystone route! Scary as hell and we would've been off the climb save for getting sandbagged in the wrong chimney... LOOK AROUND THE CORNER!! Dude!
  8. I think it's a great idea for a first trip, considering the caveats above... July is too late... best snow is when the road is open to at least Morrison Creek CG, typically between mid-May and mid-June. (somewhat earlier now consistently with the burn below Cold Springs) I've skiied from Piker's several times in July and August for Turns-All-Year, but there was no corn snow and it was heavily sun-cupped, Type 2 fun. Still better than sitting on the couch!! In something like 7-8 trips I've found the skiing between the Lunch Counter and the bottom of the Crescent "Glacier" to be the best (whether you go down Crescent or over by the lava dome). Regarding experience, I taught myself how to ski-tour. My second "real" tour was Adams, 2 days after skiing from the crater on Mt. Hood (after summiting). You've got to learn somehow, somewhere, and Adams is a fantastic training ground, just steer clear of the north side crevasses while you're there. Bottom line: 1. No one will recognize you as a Jerry/Gaper cause you'll blend in with the 100s of them. 2. Go earlier than July if you can! Pro tip: Get a steak burrito to go at Everybody's Brewing in White Salmon. You're welcome!!
  9. Considering the sheet of ice photo that Water posted on social media, I'm not surprised to see this today! Apparently helicopter footage shows someone doing CPR... not good... and 7 stranded? http://www.kptv.com/story/37496370/search-and-rescue-crews-respond-to-fallen-climber-on-mount-hood (video) https://www.opb.org/news/article/climber-fall-mount-hood-rescue/ Rrrrrough!
  10. caverpilot

    Oregon

    JayB nails the issue - LACK of open gas stations in rural Oregon. Which is probably the only place you're gonna see self-serve. Case in Point: Oakridge, OR, gateway to Diamond Peak, Crater Lake, and some sick mountain biking. My mom lived there 15+ years, and almost every single morning she would head to the Post Office and see people sleeping in their cars at the pumps. Certainly these people aren't idiots (well, some of them are); they have smart phones, etc. You just don't expect a town the size of Oakridge (with multiple gas stations, a brewery, hostel, outdoor gear store, etc) to NOT have 24/7 gas. Well, that's what this bill is all about. Personally, I'd RATHER pump my own. Why? Well for starters, my '99 Outback would click-off with about 4 gallons left to go. So the only way i could get those fuckers to "top it off" was to make sure they filled it as slow as possible...you know, on the first click. Pain in the ass. Plus I don't run gas down the side of my new car. Or take 15 fucking minutes to get to me / get back to me. I could care less about the cost - GOOD LUCK not buying the gas you have to have... spoken like the road warrior I truly am - I put over 300K on that Outback in less than 10 years!! spray spray spray spray spray some more!
  11. North of I-90, south of Canada - I'll drive all the way there... I'm an experienced backcountry skiier but we are still shopping to replace my wife's skis, so something along the lines of a "hike" would suffice... just really want to get up there and check 'em out but it's so vast I have no reference point... If I was still living in Portland or Missoula I wouldn't have this issue; I'm just such a noob when it comes to anything north of Rainier... Thanks!!
  12. I'm new to Seattle and am looking for winter day-hike suggestions in the North Cascades - I'm a little deconditioned, so something less than 15 miles r/t and around 3000 feet of elevation gain should do it! Bonus if I can reach the trailhead in a Subaru Bonus if the trail goes to the summit or has awesome glacier views Bonus if bringing my dog is not a problem!
  13. RIP Warren!! I stopped watching his flicks in 2006 when he sold the rights to his name and voice to Time-Warner (and then they subsequently became long ads for Vail resorts...) but everything before then, especially the old black and white films were amazing!!!
  14. Good news folks, Mt. St. Helens is changing their permit system this year, I would say for the better - 10% of each month's permits will not go on sale until the last day of the *previous* month. Now you can procrastinate even more! http://www.thenewstribune.com/outdoors/article196468889.html
  15. Wow, dismal snow conditions! I love that mountain, especially when it isn't guarded by legendary mosquitoes!!! I've skied most western aspects, but now forgo the trail for 'schwacking straight up the ridge, which avoids the flats and allows one to ride all the way back to the car, yes, even on snowboards! Attached is a general route; if you're able to go by Corrigon Lake it adds some sweet scenery! Cheers and thanks for posting!! Diamond Ascent Route
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