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Wow, that is a big effort! I have had this on my list for a long time and still do....thanks for the report!

Trip: Argonaut Peak - NW Arete Trip Date: 06/14/2025 Trip Report: Climbed the NW Arete of Argonaut over the weekend with a party of 4! Haven’t seen any trip reports yet this year, so here is a relatively brief one outlining conditions. Our plan to split the climb into a Friday evening approach + Saturday climb did not quite go as planned, and ended up becoming my longest summit day yet at 21 hours… But we got the summit! Our timeline was roughly as follows Friday: 6:45 PM - Departure from trailhead 8:15 PM - Start of climbers trail 11:30 PM - Finally broke out of the treeline 12:30 PM - Bivy Saturday: 6:15 AM Start 7:20 AM - Slab crossing 9:40 AM - Top of notch 5:00 PM - Summit 8:50 PM - Bottom of rappels 11:50 PM - Back to main trail on Colchuck Lake 3:00 AM - Back to trailhead Notes on the route: -Navigating the off trail portion out of the treeline is nontrivial. We lost a lot of time trying to do this by headlamp, as we weren’t able to see the most efficient route out of the trees/slide alder. -For navigating the slab before the snow climb, we had one person solo it, then build an anchor and drop a rope for the rest of us. -I believe the snow finger going up to the notch where the climb starts usually defines if the route is still in. There was still a reasonable snow finger for us to climb up. -There’s a topo and route description floating around that describes the route in 5 long pitches, which we found generally as advertised. - We got off the summit in two double rope rappels. I hadn’t seen this mentioned in other trip reports, but the first rappel was the sketchiest rappel station I’ve ever used. It’s just a mid sized detached rock with webbing wrapped around its contact point with the ground. We backed this up with a gear anchor for everyone but the last to rappel. -Most of our trip after this was by headlamp. Thankfully I had been out there two weekends ago for Colchuck Peak, and was able to help plot a reasonably efficient path down Colchuck glacier and the boulder field in the dark. We dipped left into the moraine, then skirted the left side of the boulder field down until the lake. -The rest after this was an eventful if slow hike back to the trailhead due to navigating by headlamp + the fatigue starting to set in. Long day, but a fun climb! Has about all you can ask for in an alpine climb (could maybe do without the slide alder though lol) Route overview, including the bivy sites I saw on route Slab crossing Current snow finger conditions Top of pitch 3 Top of pitch 4/start of pitch 5. If using the topo map, I believe this station is actually ~10 meters earlier than recommended, and we needed to simul ~10 feet so that my partner could build an anchor at the actual end of pitch 5. Climber crossing the flakes on pitch 5 Climber crossing the flakes on pitch 5 Backing up the sketchy first rappel station Gear Notes: Full rack. Not all was needed for the climb, but was helpful in completing the climb in 5 long pitches Approach Notes: see report above

Does anyone have pics or memories of a potential single bivy spot on the summit of Mt. Despair? I've scrounged around but haven't found any images of the summit area.

Careful there @Lucas Ng, lots of steep looseness for a soloist! I know, my dad voice coming out, but I want to be reading your TRs for many years. Well done coming back safely, looks like a beautiful day in the hills!

My takeaway is don't get complacent if you're not the team leader or you're just less experienced than your partners. Research the routes, know the descent and if you have concerns, speak up. I wonder what compelled this group to intentionally plan to descend the climbing route (the day before) instead of the standard descent that did have fixed anchors.

Thanks for the company and I’m sorry about your ear which endured all my tales of my misadventures. Dang summit still eludes me, but I’m at peace with that. My crampons were not cooperating and it was too late once I figured them out. it was really nice spending time up there with you. Since those mountains are my home turf I will probably make another attempt some time. Goes to show how conditions can make it a cakewalk versus a more serious endeavor with a little temperature variation. Onward to more adventure.

What a crazy day of skiing....huge!

Trip: Warrior - NE ridge Trip Date: 06/01/2025 Trip Report: After talking about it for several years, @olyclimber and I finally got out in the hills together to climb Warrior. It started, like all good Olympics trips, in the rain, wondering if the forecast for fair weather was ever going to materialize. Thankfully it did and @olyclimber and I headed out into the dripping forest along the Dungeness, marveling at how green everything was and how beautiful the waters were. It was going to be a good trip! Boulder shelter: Within a few hours we were at Boulder Shelter, one of the CCC era structures still in use today in the Olympics. @olyclimber , as his name suggests, has a long history with the range and regaled me with stories of his youth, scouting trips, and other entertaining adventures and misadventures in the Olympics. Before I knew it, we were under the cirque on the west side of Warrior, ready to leave the trail and head upwards to a scenic camp perched next to a tarn still buried under winter's snows. It was clearing off nicely and we decided to sleep out in the chilly breeze to admire our surroundings. It got cold during the night and dawn brought a hard freeze to everything, but thankfully our water was only slightly iced. It would be a very firm ascent to the col separating the two summits of Warrior, but thankfully the day was clear without much wind. @olyclimber ascending to the col: Inner Constance and the Rotten Rockenspiel: At the col we started the traverse NE on steepening snow, barely getting the frontpoints of our aluminum crampons into the hard neve. I offered to head on up and "have a look" while @olyclimber hung back. It never got really very dad friendly and I contemplated turning around at nearly every weird snow/rock transition. The abundant snow/ice on the summit rocks made it much more challenging than expected, but for better or worse I continued upward. @olyclimber wisely stayed back and enjoyed the sun at the col while I hemmed and hawed my way to the top. Constance and Inner Constance from the summit: The view west to Mystery and Deception from the top: The summit rocks. The easiest route starts left of the photo and works up and right. The direct route is supposed to be low fifth? We had some miles to cover and driving to do and so I didn't linger on the summit long, and we carefully descended the still rock hard couloir back to camp: Admiring Constance along the way back to camp: along with Mount Mystery as we descended from the high country and out the Dungeness trail: Thanks to @olyclimber for keeping the dream of Warrior alive for me these past few years and making the trip happen! We are quite fortunate to have so many adventures waiting for us just a few hours away. Gear Notes: ice axe, crampons, helmet Approach Notes: Dungeness trail past Boulder Shelter then up into cirque by small tarn, west of the summit. Climb prominent couloir NE to saddle between Warrior summits and then traverse steep snow to the NE until you can ascend up and right to gain the NE ridge. Follow up and right via exposed and steep scrambling. Best if snow free, which is likely by late June.

I think anyone that has climbed technical territory for a long while has been in this situation. I know some of you have climbed much more than me. You end up trusting a single suspect anchor because it is all you have. So far, if you’re reading this, we have lived. And as those anchors go, some are more obviously desperate than others. Yeah in ideal conditions always back it up. Otherwise you have my best wishes. RIP.

Forest service full accident report. Confirms presumed failure of single anchor point. https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/kxly.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/8/44/844567ae-de1f-463b-9ba0-3c157259fb33/6848c7bac1406.pdf.pdf

Planning on climbing Flyboys Goat Wall in September. Have all the gear. I can lead the whole way or we can switch off. Message me for details. Would be an amazing adventure.

Sounds like a certain type of fun!

I've always wanted to head south of Cinderella, nice work that is a lot of terrain. I never knew him but it seems Dallas touched a lot of lives for the better. Here's our story from a couple years ago:

Nice man, love the enthusiasm!! I always enjoy seeing the goats.

Trip: Mixup Peak - East route Trip Date: 06/10/2025 Trip Report: First day of summer break was yesterday for me. What I’ve learned from summer breaks is they pass fast, can’t just sit around. I’ve got a lot of things to get to but figured I’d set myself a standard by getting out the first day, even if my partners were busy. Spent Monday night at graduation for the old seniors and the mounties gear grab so got home at 9:30 and talked to my parents. Originally wanted to do an overnighter and bag magic too but couldn’t take a car on wednesday so I settled on just mix-up. Slept through my alarm by 30 minutes but was driving by 3:30 and and at the TH by 6. Later than I would’ve liked but wasn’t gonna do anything better with my day so figured I may as well give it a shot. Biked up the road in an hour and tossed it in the alder. 2 hours later I was at cascade pass with a lot of cobwebs in my face. Followed some goat tracks on the traverse over the cliffs and was soon moving up towards the U notch. There was one old track continuing to cache col but nothing super fresh. The gully towards the U notch was more melted out than I’d seen in any photos. Brought two ice axes and was glad to have em. Very doable with one tbh but if snow conditions were harder I would’ve definitely wanted both. Traversed around to the V notch and made a few 5th class moves before being on steep 4th class until I gained the hump. Was glad I brought a rope to rappel that. From here I was onto the slabby ledges and had a fun time working my way up. The summit was intimidating but I found a low 5th path onto the ridge. The final move pulling onto the ridge was steep and airy but I felt confident in my holds so took a lil breath and everything was okay. Summited around 12:30 and was very glad to see some rappel anchors with fresh-ish tat. Summit register was full but of the few random pages I flicked through, I found Jeff Wright, Fred Beckey, Martin Volken, and most notably, my freshman science teacher. Took a photo and he was pleased to see my find. Enjoyed the summit until 1 and then figured It was time to get off that god forsaken rock. Ooh but the views were pretty cool. First time looking at the middle cascade glacier, I could even see all the way out to dome. Gotta do the ptarmigan this summer I guess. Anyways, a couple rappels brought me off the summit block, then a lot of down scrambling, then 1 more to the V notch by 2:00. Wrapped around to the U notch and made a rappel down through the top section since there was an anchor already there. Was also this insane cornice thingy that seemed to be precariously balanced. Tried to stay off to the side because I didn’t wanna get killed by some goofy looking snow glob. Once at the bottom of the gully, it was a nice stroll with good views back to cascade pass. Saw a group of four goats at cascade pass which kinda scared me. 1 idiot teenager vs 4 mountain goats, I don't think the odds were in my favor. Lucky for me they ran up towards Sahale as I was taking off my crampons so it was a nice pleasant walk to the pass, where I arrived around 3:30. Saw my first humans of the day as a party was finishing the hike towards cascade pass and headed towards Glacier camp on Sahale. A nice stroll down the trail got me to my bike at 5, and by 5:15 I was at my car. I buzzed a hiker too fast on my bike which he was very unhappy about at first but then we made up and he turned out to be a reasonable guy. A bell on my bike might not hurt. Usually its cars buzzing bikers so was funny to be bikers buzzing hikers. Anyways, Twas’ my bad and we seemed to make up for it. I learned from it. Heres da photos for the populace Gear Notes: Rope nice for rappels. Crampons 'n axe ofc Approach Notes: aint so bad. Just walk n keep walking

Yeah that was a great trip guys. Classic Choss Dog Millionaires! It’s important to realize that you can still have lots of remote flavor in the Cascades and not be that far from the road, but with that said it’s certainly a chore getting into BULLEN. Seems like good potential for Repulsive 69 list- lots of Brush, Wet Slabs, Loose rock, Steep snow with dirty moat moves, and uncertain creek crossings. What’s not to love on a JG trip? I see the glorious line in picture 7! Forget the Internet, FB, Trip reports and Gaia tracks, pick up the Beckey Guide and find yourself an adventure.

Looking for a shelter for getting out of the rain during the day on an upcoming trip, something along the lines of a flat tarp (2+ ppl) or Mid-style tent (3+ ppl). Cross-posted on MountainProject already. thanks!

Yeah, so good!

Yeah, seems like his suggestion of trail work and re-vegetation, coupled with a public apology would be enough. Still, I get the importance of making an example of someone so people take things seriously. Still, seems like there are much worse things they could go after.

Great timing catching the avalanche! 👍

Trip: BULLEN! - via Squire Creek/Bullen Lakes Trip Date: 06/01/2025 Trip Report: "I felt as if we had joined Sisyphus and his rock in Hell." - HERMANN F. ULRICHS on first ascent of Mount Bullen I mean, who hasn't read the passage above in the Green CAG and decided that they just had to climb Mount BULLEN? Or, maybe I should ask, "Who has?" No matter, @sepultura and @therunningdog were not asking many questions, and that was a good thing for me, since otherwise I am pretty sure we would have diverted to a more "normal" destination on Memorial Day weekend. And by "normal" I mean a mountain with more than one TR on the internet. Which means, after this TR, BULLEN will be officially "normal". Glad we got that all squared away for the masses sure to descend this summer As it was, we didn't see another soul the entire way in or out of the mountains, not on the Squire Creek trail and certainly not in the brush. But we did find several routefinding challenges on the timbered rib above Squire Creek to keep us entertained. And some head scratching to get from the ridge down to Bullen lakes. And some wandering and wondering to find a suitable campsite. But this is what we came for, right? Right guys? I won't spoil the adventure for you, and smooth out the rough edges of your trip to Mount BULLEN!, don't worry. But just know that you can do it without a rope! Which is good, since we didn't have one. Sometimes the crux of these North Cascades blue collar adventures isn't above treeline. But what BULLEN! lacks in technical climbing it makes up for in ...uhhhh... fun? Just make sure you go with partners as entertaining as I had. If you play your cards right, you'll laugh, you'll drink some whiskey, you'll banter like old times, you'll marvel at your luck finding such solitude on a busy holiday weekend, and you'll come out to toast your success at the Red Top. Because, is there any more to the Chossdawg life? @sepultura and @therunningdog on the Squire Creek Trail. Let the good times roll!: It is important to get in touch with your feminine side before caressing the choss: We were pretty excited when the snow covered the brush: Then less excited when our feet began to squish: The prominent couloir on the left is the ticket in early season, or so it seemed to us. We camped on these large boulders near Bullen Lakes: @therunningdog on an interesting section rounding the south shore of Bullen lakes. @sepultura does his best to stare down BULLEN!: We paused to watched this avalanche roar down the North side of the North Finger of Three Fingers: Dakobed and Pugh: SE to the headwaters of the South Fork Stillaguamish and the Monte Cristo Range: Whitechuck, and our tracks coming up and over from Squire Creek: @sepultura eyeing the last bit to the summit. No brush, no problem!: Cumbre!: Three of the OG Choss Dog Millionaires on the summit of BULLEN!: Heading down: @therunningdog is always ready for his glamour shotz: @sepultura prefers his to be action shotz: Suffer together!: If you climb BULLEN! you really must celebrate at the Red Top in Darrington. To do otherwise is just poor form: I'll get some captions in later this week.... Gear Notes: ice axe, crampons, leather garden gloves, helmet (though we opted not to) Approach Notes: Squire Creek for awhile and then follow your choss urges upwards and then downwards to Bullen Lakes, then around the lakes to the south, and then up. Retrace your steps back to the car, since you won't figure a better way most likely than they way your choss urges guided you in originally. It seemed better in snow, but I'm sure without snow would feel more blue collar.

Those are quite the photos.

I just want them to arrest and incarcerate people who cut in line during my commute home from work. String them up, tar and feathers.

What a waste of resources to go after a guy like that criminally.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14792543/amp/Michelino-Sunseri-Grand-Teton-national-park-mountain-strava-court-trial.html 😂😂. Damn imagine getting cited for cutting a switchback based on your Strava track!