All Activity

It really is too bad @Dansjolseth@hotmail.c....you guys obviously put a lot of work into that one. It is beautiful and well made, but unfortunately the lid had blown off. We suspected lightning, but I guess maybe it could have been something else? That is a lot of weight to carry in there!

Trip: Mount Higgins - From the South Trip Date: 02/06/2026 Trip Report: This lack of powder is starting to grate on me, but at least we have some backyard mountains that are still beautiful despite the dearth of snow. Mount Higgins (Ska-dulvas) is among them. Despite many trips in the area over the past 30 years I had never been to the true summit of Higgins. It seems like, in the past few years, many ascents have come from the south via FR 1891 rather than from the Round Mountain trail (which was the former "standard" route). Being that it was winter, and the 18 road was likely blocked by snow patches, @Trent and Adam and I cast off into our own unknown on a beautiful Friday morning. In short, this is a pleasant trip. About 2 miles of brush-free road (thanks to the locals for cutting this out regularly) past a gate led to a turn off into a beautiful old Doug Fir, just a the west edge of an old clear cut. Several parties before us left the road into the clear-cut, but I think it better to walk a bit more and hit the older timber before ascending. And ascend you will! About 4k straight up steepening forest (open, thankfully) to a rib of sandstone that breaks up into a boulder field right before the ridge. As short walk along that and boom, the summit! It took us about 3 hours from the car to the top. The views were grand, and maybe grander, than expected, extending all across the North Cascades to the Sound (Whulge) and Olympics. The North Fork Stillaguamish is no slouch, as beautiful as the two maidens that fought over Qua-hae-eths (Round Mountain) so many years ago. We had a peaceful time up high on Higgins, and delayed descending for almost an hour, enjoying the windless and weird warmth of an early February day. We hadn't hit snow until almost 4500' and didn't see more than about 4-5' of snow at the 5100' summit. It felt more like a late spring day up there, but I'll take any "winter" summit in the North Cascades! Adam and @trent heading for the summit ridge: Whitehorse (So-bahli-ahli) Skadulgwas (or Ska-dulvas): Adam chugging uphill: North Fork Valley and Whitehorse: Adam and @Trent on the summit: Looking up the NF Sauk to Sloan, with Jumbo on the right: Whitechuck and Glacier (Dakobed): Heading a short distance down to our lunch spot: Descending, with Skadulgwas and the NF Stillaguamish below: Beautiful Doug Fir and ferns on the lower slopes of Higgins: Brushed out FR 1891: Gear Notes: ice axe, crampons, maybe snowshoes in different conditions. Approach Notes: 371st to Valley View Road (FR 1891) for a few miles and then up!

I've heard good things about both, but all the clubs are only as good as who is currently helping teach. So, none of my intel is very current I'm afraid.... Good luck, there is a long history of good experiences with basic climbing courses! I got my start in 1999's Mountaineers Basic class, where I met my wife....and the rest is history.

Thanks in advance- Looking to get some experience on snow and take a basic climbing / mountaineering course. Don't really know anyone who has take either basic course at BOEALPS or WAC and wanted to see if anyone had any experience in the classes or with the groups in general? Is one class or group better regarded? Thank you!

Great work @Otto! I appreciate your service to this access. We used it to good effect this past year on Bullen!

Looks like the register we placed on Pioneer in 2003 has taken a beating. Machining it from a big piece of Aluminum was a mistake. Poly would have saved some weight and resisted lightning.

There is a new subtraction from the road at the same recent cave-in (2020 just above the new parking lot. This winter a cave-in removed about half of the remaining road at this spot. A barrier has appeared within sight of the parking lot. I doubt if many people will want to drive around this one. Otherwise, the Squire Creek road to Trail #654 is in unchanged condition. I rode my bicycle up there yesterday, Friday, Feb. 6, 2026. I found only two logs which will require a return trip with the axe. I removed many branches and rotten logs. As always, the principle is to remove anything that would require a bicyclist to dismount. It was my first training day of the New Year, so glad to get out and stretch. The new barrier, just above the parking lot: After: Before: After, with the big alder waiting for the axe: Before:

Looking for a couple more

I'm on the hunt for a set of Black Diamond C3 cams. I absolutely love mine but they are getting old and need to be replaced. Let me know what ya got!

This picture. Feels like it should be the in a Tin-tin like comic that features our heroes the professor and his refined but surly friend. Can any of you illustrate? I can write.

There is so little good rock out there, and even the stuff that is really isn’t that great. I’ve seen a couple rock outcrops in my travels but likely nothing really with it. I’ve heard tales of crappy rock for the desperate, like past lake crescent, not sure exactly sure but I think you might see something from the road

That's some great looking lemonade for this ski season!

I'm not sure the geology over there should give you that much optimism. But, lucky for you, I'm often a curmudgeon.

Tired of climbing Tyler peak and Cushman crags? Elwha walls are great but maybe something not so sandy? Bummed that the climbing at Chimicum is dead and gone? Well the time to find new Olympic crags is now, I’m looking for tall walls easy access and at least decent rock quality to breathe some new sport/trad life here on the peninsula. I’ve scoured the Olympics guidebook produced by Olympic Mountain Rescue, but that resource is outdated. Are there other obscure resources? Are there secret bolted routes that we can bring to light? Do you know of a honey-hole just waiting to be developed? Please give me anything and everything you’ve got and let’s get high (on the walls) this summer.

Looks like great conditions! Feels wrong to enjoy it while knowing it's not supposed to be like this but it is what it is. Thanks for the TR, will definitely try to make it up this year!

@Josh Lewis!!! Glad that the new camera could prompt you to come back into the fray. I hope you are well! Post up a TR of what you have been up to these days!

Gorgeous gallery and well composed! The Artisan is indeed in.

The first Jason Hummel photo (posted in March) has some good looking ice in it. Anybody have any knowledge or history if it's been attempted?

Nice looking work!

Nice! Certainly the right conditions for that!

I was hired as American editor for Mountain (UK) in 1991. I wrote a ton for Mountain and it's successor Mountain Review. I need to dig them out and see what I have. Cheers, Cam Burns

Trip: Black Spider on Wy'east - Arachnophobia Trip Date: 01/31/2026 Trip Report: Climbed Arachnophobia the other day. Good ice, a little brittle first thing. Snow is very icy which makes for some tiring front pointing. Not as sun baked as it might appear. Five long pitches does it. L side of schrund went easily. Thanks to G for being a great partner, and Kyle and Matt for going up the route first so I didn't need to leave the family just to have a look-see. Pictures... Luckily sunrise had some cloud cover. Starting up the ice-looking bits, after some snow-looking bits that were still icy Snow-looking icy bits on P2 Starting up P2 Leading P3 Looking down P3 Coming up to the final belay at a rock anchor Descending S Side Hoping we get some snow this winter. But while we wait the sticks are quite good. If you need more beta, please feel free to DM me. -Sam Gear Notes: Single rock rack (small cams and nuts useful, nothing bigger than 0.5), pins, 10 screws Approach Notes: S Side and traverse over White River and around.

Some backpacks and sleeping bags I've done in the past couple years. Have also built an ice screw roll, bike bags, and more. Great rainy day activity for the gearheads among us. Also including a quilt extension commission that I just finished up. Open to small projects and have reasonable prices

I may have known Jiri years ago from the Mountaineers. If this is the same guy, I remember him as being super strong and full of Stoke.