sportnoob

Curious if anyone has had a look at TFT? I know approach won't be easy but I got some free time coming up and looks cool

I'm always on the lookout for dawn patrol solo scramble / conditioner outings that are more interesting than just a slog. For a solo outing without skis (and sufficiently low avy risk) my go-tos are Red mountain and the north couloir on McClellan Butte. Is the east couloir on Guye worth checking out? I see here it's been skied http://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=647009 which usually means the steepness is enough to be interesting but not so steep as to be out of my solo comfort zone. Anyone recommendations on this one (good? To be avoided? Meh?)

My preferred approach for climbing steeper snow climbs is often to carry 1 piolet style tool (e.g. BD Venom) and 1 technical tool (Cobra). This is especially my preferred approach on volcanoes where I don't anticipate steep water ice, as I like the slightly longer piolet for roped glacier travel. How are folks who climb with this combination of tools attaching themselves to said tools in the modern age of tethers? So back in the day I would have one wrist-leash on each of these objects. It's nearly unambiguous now that the preferred method with modern leashless tools is tethers. But... I can't decide what I think is my preferred system for the "1 too, 1 axe" method. I've fashioned a single homemade tether to go on my Cobra, and still use the old-school leash (made of perlon cord) on my piolet. It's kind of annoying to me, the asymmetry. I don't generally trust myself to use the piolet without an attachment. I'm curious what others are doing who climb with one of each type of tool. Besides overthink the issue (as I am here).

Insisting that skis are the only reasonable mode of travel for a particular winter outing is the ultimate climber humblebrag.

Sounds like a great way for keeping climbers from putting bolts, fixed anchors, or the like on all public lands.

This isn't my ad, but I saw it looking for other ski stuff. Requests for Silvrettas pop up just frequently enough that I thought I'd share: Craigslist linky

Some climbable smears will probably be in on the some of the northern facing couloirs up high (with a healthy dose of mixed climbing). The question is will you be able to get to them, and at the right time.

I historically have used a Cap 4 hoody (or rough equivalent) as my next-to-skin layer for skiing, hiking, and climbing in the Cascades during the colder part of the year. I tend to run hot, and this is adequate most of the time trudging through the forest on its own. Occasionally I'm left wanting for more insulation while moving when it's cold out, but layering a windshirt or softshell on top traps a little more moisture / heat than I'd like. Additionally, sometimes I want a little more warmth than just the Cap 4 + shell layer when climbing (talking stuff like weekend warrior stuff, Chair Peak, Triple Couloirs, and the like). The internet blogosphere wants me to buy some Polartec Alpha insulation for this exact situation, claiming the stuff breathes well. That or just pony up for the R1 hoody as an alternative. I'm thinking something simple like a fleece vest that is made of that grid stuff to layer over the Cap 4 hoody I currently have - something like an r1 vest (which doesn't exist, but BD Coefficient looks similar). I've never tried actual climbing climbing with a vest. Does it suck? I don't see a ton of options on the market. Perhaps the designers know something I don't? Any perspectives from folks who do this or have tried it, and whether it sucks or not? I'm trying to save a little scratch relative to just buying the heavier R1 or the Polartec Alpha stuff since I only feel like this need arises on a handful of days. #Overthinking

Assuming you live in the Puget Sound area, your best bet for good ice climbing is a solid cold snap with a bunch of moisture on the front end of it. This will bring things into condition that don't always form; that's your best bet for "easy access" stuff beyond the typical things in western / central WA (Pan Dome area, Hubba Hubba, etc). I think it's hard to trace a mapping between the broader seasonal forecast and ice conditions, since they are so weather front - dependent. I like to say that the best ice climbing in WA is in BC. Engineering a weeklong road trip to the Icefields Parkway or Lillooet areas provides the highest ROI.

The folks I know who have OK experiences on the downhills (even moderates) with Silvrettas and mountaineering boots tend to be people who are lifelong skiers with skiing ability that is well above average. I tried it out and felt like I was one tiny mistake away from a tib / fib fracture the whole time I was going slightly downihll.

Kind of sick, when we make a family tragedy and death into entertainment. WTF is wrong with you? So for intellectual consistency and the right to cast stones, you must never consume any drama that is based on true events that happened to actual people, right?

Reading your post made me feel really old, since my reaction was a kneejerk in the curmudgeonly direction - the oft repeated "...if you have to ask, then you're not ready..". Especially since the "...looking to get on genuine alpine routes..." implicitly suggests you think that a lot of climbing around here isn't "the real deal". I usually only see that attitude with newer climbers - folks who thumb through the Nelson guides and think to themselves "meh, that one is only a grade III" (I know - I remember thinking that way when I was starting out and didn't know shit about shit). OK so now that I'm done denigrating your post and reading into it way too much, here's some real suggestions. August in North America is basically alpine rock season only. It's primetime for the Cascades, so I would just stay local and bang out a ton of routes and get honed / fit. If you have itchy feet to take a road trip, then I'd put the Bugaboos and the Wind River range near the top of the list. The eastern Sierra would be close behind. A trip in June that is geared towards preparing you for all-around climbing in the greater ranges is probably big volcano routes (such as the oh-so-pedestrian Mt Rainier) or lower elevation stuff in AK (e.g. Ruth Gorge or near Kahiltna basecamp), though I think of that as being more of a May objective. Check out Joe Puryear's Supertopo Alaska guide for ideas. I have no advice to offer for Canadian snow / glacier routes that time of year though I'm sure there's good stuff. Please don't die, and consider the paradigm that alpine climbing rewards humility and focus on process. Savor the stepping stones as worthy and rewarding objectives in their own right (rather than just a springboard to the next big thing), and you're more likely to have memorable experiences and stay outta trouble.

Can you clarify the model type and/or show pics? I don't see a "picket" jacket on their website.

I was taught that a single deadmanned picket or ice axe with the snow compacted around it is sufficient to be an anchor for crevasse rescue in firm summer snow conditions on Mt R or Baker (e.g. no other pieces in the anchor system). I've always felt somewhat uncomfortable with this (kinda like an anchor of a single bolt on a rock climb), especially because shit's already hit the fan if you're hoisting someone out of a crack and I don't want things to go from bad to worse. In conversation with various folk I hear a wide variety of opinions - ranging on a spectrum from bomber anchors that take time with a cordelette, to quick and dirty stuff to get your injured partner out as fast as possible. There's much writing out there on these systems, yet they tend to gloss over the anchor part (likely because it is so condition-dependent). The best writing I've seen on the issue is the NZ article from a few years back. I know snow conditions are everything when it comes to anchors. But for firm summertime stuff on the big local volcanoes, what's your game plan for such an anchor? Is it different for firm morning snow vs afternoon mashed potatoes? Am I kidding myself that such conditions in a specific season can even be generalized? Is anyone using a hammered picket top-clipped or two (presumably one of the fastest options) anymore? Those of you who like something more substantial than a single deadmanned hunk of metal, have you tested out how long it takes to construct? I'm trying to decide where I come down on the speed / safety continuum on this one. Crowd sourcing maybe isn't the best way, but it is a data point. For clarity - I'm assuming a single rope team where a mechanical advantage system is necessary to hoist someone out of the crack.

I dunno anything about those Alps Mountaineering tents, but they look like something you'd see on the shelf at Fred Meyer and could be cheaply made. A famous member of this boards used to advocate for Wal Mart pup tents, though, so I shouldn't discriminate based purely on looks. "Cascades in summer" is a broad category. Many would argue a 4-season tent isn't necessary for climbing applications, and I generally agree with them. If the weather is truly puking and bad, you're likely turning around and going home (or not heading out on your trip in the first place). This assertion may not be true for longer trips (or more generic backpacking trips where rain wouldn't necessarily cancel), but holds for most of us weekend warriors doing outings of three or fewer nights. I think of tent sites in the Cascades as lumping into roughly three categories: 1. High camps on volcanoes (Rainier, Baker). High winds are a fact of life. This is the one place where I'd want something a little more robust. 4-season tents are nice here due to their sturdiness in the wind. That said, you don't need a MH Trango or some such stuff here. You could suck it up and rent a tent from REI for this since it'll be overkill for just about anything else in the area. 2. Exposed camps in the rest of the range - Eldorado, below Shuksan's north face, in general cols wherever. Wind can be an issue, but generally going out in stable weather and careful site selection keeps you out of the worst of it. Any 3-season shelter is generally fine here. You'll find TR's of folks camping under tarps, tarptents, lightweight single-walls, and the venerable classic REI Half Dome at these places. Nothing special necessary. 3. Anything else lower elevation and moderately sheltered. Examples include campsites below treeline, in valleys, or basins. Again, anything purporting to be a 3-season shelter is fine here. If your goal was a tent for use solely in climbing applications around here, a lightweight single wall (e.g. BD Firstlight, old BD Lighthouse if you can find it, Mountain Hardwear Direkt2) is likely to be the most common recommendations from experienced folks. Sorry they're not cheap. The budget option for anything short of the big volcanoes is a Black Diamond Beta Light or some other flat tarp, and some practice. It's spartan, and unforgiving of laziness (poor site selection or pitch technique), but a good option.