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May 31, 2025 Cutthroat Peak: South Buttress - West Ridge (Shoulder Season Attempt #2) This was my second shoulder-season attempt of the South Buttress - West Ridge of Cutthroat Peak, and my second time bailing due to conditions. The first was back in October 2023, when we turned around after climbing the chimney in icy conditions and finding snow blocking us high up in the notch. This time, an incoming rainstorm shut us down. Alex and I had a lazy start, leaving the trailhead at 8 a.m., thinking we had plenty of time and daylight. The forecast called for partly cloudy skies all day. Since I’d been on the route before, I figured it was a perfect re-attempt to ease into alpine season. Alex was also getting back into trad climbing after a summer or two focused on running, so we thought this would be a great way to get her back in the saddle. We bushwhacked a bit trying to find a creek crossing, then made our way into the meadow and started the climb toward Cutthroat. Such a cool area, it really has that mini-Alaska feel. But it was hot heading uphill in my thick climbing pants. About halfway up, I started overheating badly. I ended up stripping down and hiking in my underwear... a first for me. We reached the gully, which was still snow-filled. After a snack break, we strapped on crampons and pulled out our axes. The snow climb was straightforward and fun, with a snow bridge and a bulge/bridge midway up for a little added spice. The bridge probably won’t last more than another week or two before it turns some rock/snow shenanigans. Off the snow, we roped up and reached the ridge crest by 11. From there, it was mostly mellow ramp scrambling with a few low-5th class moves. The wind was noticeable along any exposed sections, and about halfway up, it started getting colder. Low, dark clouds began to roll in. We checked the inReach forecast, moderate rain was expected by 3 p.m. Still feeling optimistic, we decided to keep going for a bit, knowing we might have to bail. Alex led the chimney and chockstone pitch and started getting comfortable on lead again. I took over for Pitch 6, leading flakes and cracks, which was super fun climbing. But as I belayed, I looked south and saw the nearby Southwest Cutthroat Peak getting swallowed by clouds. By the time Alex joined me at the belay, the clouds had drifted in below us. With visibility dropping and no knowledge of the West Ridge descent route, we decided it would be more fun get beers in town with our friend rather than get caught in bad weather. Descending the South Buttress was a bit of a mess. Lots of faffing about to find rap anchors through snow and brush. Visibility kept getting worse and it started lightly snowing. In trying to rappel as far down as we could to avoid the snow gully, we got the rope stuck and had to leave some gear behind. And we still ended up above the snow gully. Classic. Eventually, we put crampons back on and used our axes to downclimb the gully in light rain. The hike out went quickly, despite a fat marmot on the trail looking like it wanted to fight us. The rain picked up as we moved down, and the upper half of Cutthroat vanished into the clouds. At the creek crossing, we were soaked and tired and just walked straight through the water instead of finding a better route. We got back to the car around 5:30 p.m. All in all, it was still a fun and engaging day in the mountains. Maybe this route’s just saving itself for a mid-summer send. Gear: Single rack, slings, crampons, axe. Captain underpants Up the gully Bailing Downclimbing near the snow step/bridge AK vibes (sans road) Who needs a log? Bailed

I climbed Mt. Rainier in September 1969 with Phursumba as one of our guides. He was newly arrived at Rainier Mountaineering, as I recall. I worked at the front desk of Paradise Inn and lived in a dorm nearby so I was used to the altitude. I was in college, and other employees and I used to go up to Camp Muir every now and then. Phursumba was a bit of a hit with the girls who worked at Paradise, he was tall, handsome, kind and sweet. He made many summit ascents leading climbers. The day we employees climbed I don't remember any other climbing parties. It seemed we had the mountain to ourselves. We slept at Camp Muir and rose at 2:30 a.m. because we needed to be on the summit by 12 noon. This was to avoid avalanche danger from the warmth of the afternoon sun. Phursumba went up the mountain with ease. For me, it was the most strenuous thing I've ever done, but so worth it. Thanks to Phursumba and the other wonderful guides.

Thank you Nick! Means a lot coming from you buddy … seen you excel and boss the alpine routes ever since my first attempt!! 👊🏻✨

The problem is not religion or Nietzsche. It's people. People suck. I prefer to be a misanthrope. The outdoors is the place to be - and finding places there without people is getting harder and harder these days. Thanks IG! Fucking hell.

Detached much?

No pouting here Brian. Did you go to Olympia high or something? I just think is funny when you start making all these wild ass assumptions like you know me or something. You clearly don’t at all. And I don’t really know you other than you’re a right wing keyboard warrior. As any good librul I wish higher taxes upon you. Peace out for this weekend I got better stuff to do.

It's funny, I hiked the Grand Canyon earlier this month. NPS is building a GIANT pump house along the Colorado River near Phantom Ranch and installing a 10" pipe all the way up to the south rim along the Bright Angel Trail. Also a large pump station at Havasupi Gardens humming away in an otherwise pristine setting. NPS is getting ridiculous--compare the wilderness zealots at NOCA with the industrial scale recreation at Grand Canyon with the political grandstanding at Yosemite. Makes no sense. Pretty clear there has been no definable mission at Interior for a long, long time.

Awwww Porter, c'mon. Just when we were starting to have a good dialogue, you pout & get all bitchy. A common problem with progressives--and products of Olympia Public Schools. Truth is, I'm not "religious" at all. But I do believe in God. And I will take a Representative Republic over a theocracy or your mob democracy any day of the century. I just think America works best when it adheres to its traditional values. It's difficult for you, I get it.

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No that I not what I describe. It is called being agnostic. But after hearing you explain yourself in this thread I do understand you more. You’re a religious man. Well indoctrinated at that. You prefer theocracy over democracy.

100% agree. And yet the Washington State Senate Majority Leader, Jamie Pedersen, has lectured parents again and again about their limited roles if their kids are 13 or older. Ditto, Chris Reykdal, State Superintendent of Public Schools. Democrats just removed key parental notification rights regarding gender reassignment, SB 5181. Signed by Governor Cuck Ferguson. Maybe it's time to let public schools die off.

What you describe is nihilism. And according to Neitzsche, if God is dead then all bets are off. We can do whatever we want without consequence. He died in 1900 and, as he predicted, 20th century faith in government resulted in the biggest bloodbaths in human history. When government supplants God, nothing good happens. This explains why leftist, progressive and liberal governments tolerate, or even lead, attacks on believers and traditional family. Because these two institutions are its only real competitors. Truth is, atheists don't bother me--but far too many of them behave like anti-theists. And their proselytizing sounds a lot like the words they claim to despise.

Whether there is a God or not, or whether one's view of God is different from another, I think there are some fundamental principles we should be able to agree on. We don't let children buy guns, drink alcohol, or drive cars. Making permanent decisions like sex-change operations seems pretty obviously to fall into the realm of inappropriate for young, undeveloped minds. And a gov't dictating that parents must support such decisions or lose their children seems blatantly wrong. I don't need a concept of God to know that.

The establishment clause states that separation, it does not mythologize it. But then that is like all law, subject to interpretation. You clearly have your own interpretation. who do we answer to? Clearly that is an individual choice as well, in practice. I don’t answer to your god, or do I? Or is it you answering to mine? I am not so arrogant as to say I could answer any of this. I answer to my family. I answer to trying to be kind to others (I don’t always succeed). I don’t answer to some mythical deity. I always welcome the truth. If your god wants me then he will have to convince me he exists.

Proud! Nice work man. Love to see that the persistence paid off!

Full disclosure: I have not been on Luna or done the traverse to East Fury. However, based on other experiences in the Pickets, my first thought is that as snow cover melts away and choss/scree is exposed the ridge becomes a more appealing option. But that could be off-base.

No to both questions. The myth of separation comes from the Establishment Clause in the First Amendment: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. If there is no God, then to whom do we answer? The state?

I respect your religion though I can’t say I share your god. You’re believing for both of us I guess. Is your god in the Constitution of the USA? Isn’t there something about separation of church and state?

My friend and I are looking for one or two partners with glacier and crevasse experience to join our Rainier attempt by the Emmons glacier. We're planning on climbing 6/19-22. If weather's perfect, we obviously wouldn't need all of that time. We have climbed in the Alps and on Rainier previously. We are competent at glacier travel and crevasse rescue but want the security of additional team members. If interested, please PM me here or email me at joeyd1233 at gmail dot com. Thanks, Joe

Whose God? Ours. The One proclaimed in the Declaration of Independence, the Pledge of Allegiance, and most State Constitutions--including Washington State's. Kids, we agree. I don't even think parents should have the right to alter their children--much less their public school teachers. Adults? Like you, I don;t really care--until they start stealing my granddaughter's trophy or scholarship and make absurd demands that I "properly" gender them. I choose to not participate in a fantasy. Sorry, O'Brien, but two plus two does not equal five. Men cannot become women. They don;t menstruate. They can't have children. Re Yosemite NP, well, what's bizarre is hanging a giant banner proclaiming that "Trans is Natural." But my complaint is entrenched government meting out different responses to different interests. The first amendment doesn't include defacing national parks--or impersonating a federal LEO.

Whose god? The one appointed by the government? I’m with you about children. I’m old enough I can’t seem to adjust to all the “what people choose to be called” thing. I’ve tried, but failed almost every time. But what adults choose to be or call themselves, I don’t care. bizarre leap you’re making there to call for firing all Yosemite NPS because a third party did a protest. They are removing the flag. Are they supposed to line up the protesters and shoot them? What is the First Amendment?

That's easy--when parents and teachers start mutilating God's beautiful children. Or when a man demands I call him a woman under threat of career--or even law. That's when.

Sure is. Other people and what they do to their bodies is difficult to understand. When should big government step in?

Trans Is Natural! Well, except for all those hormone injections and scalpels and stuff. It's a mixed up world, a shook up world...

Your energy level puts a fine point on how old I am @Lucas Ng! Great looking trips and some good decision making (though I'll buy you a locker if you need one). There are a lot of summits and life ahead!