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Do you have a favorite pre-2013 Dan Helmstadter where the photos aren't showing up? http://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/profile/24033-danhelmstadter/?do=content&type=forums_topic&change_section=1 link one here...there are number to fix, so let me know if there is one i should fix sooner. I think around 2013 or so he switched to Flickr, so those ones are fine.

chugging along, more fixed:

Seems like folks are settling into the new software. Good on you guys...

Rolling...more fixed. These TRs are treasure and you should appreciate them:

Trip: Mt. Rainier - Ptarmigan Ridge Date: 6/25-27/2011 Trip Report: On June 26, Pete Hirst, Eric Wehrly and I climbed and skied a variation of the Ptarmigan Ridge route on Mt. Rainier. We approached via the Mowich Lake road the day before, there were some navigation difficulties due to variable snow cover and thick marine clouds. The lower portion of the route held variable crusty snow and led to a traverse of a mixed ice/snow shelf. We traversed the shelf to an very exposed ice step, (Pete thought it was alpine ice 3+). We free soloed the step to gain Liberty Cap glacier, and made haste to clear a zone that posed a hazard of serac fall. We roped up and weaved our way up the heavily broken glacier, crossing several dicey snow bridges, one of which we belayed, protecting with a ski anchor. High and mid level clouds had rolled in and blocked the sun (the day had been forecasted to be sunny), we topped out on liberty cap chilled and worked. Ski conditions on the upper portion of the route were as to be expected for the raindawg -- variable ice/powder/crusts, the highlight being a section of steep powder midway down the tongue of the Liberty Cap glacier. On the way up Pete had installed a v-thread at the top of the ice step, and we backed it up with a screw then rapped the ice step. After traversing the mixed ice/snow shelf - we clicked into ski is. I had some doubt that the steep lower slope would not soften since the clouds had blocked the sun and FR levels were only forecasted to hover around 10k... But the lower slope was good enough, definitely on the firm side for the top half, then softening nicely lower down. We were stoked, but a little dehydrated, and drank like fish when we found a seep on our way back to camp. scouting bivy E MONEY back in the hood. money Emoney ready to rap, Pete starting traverse Pete thanks fellas

Trip: Spider - Arachnophobia Date: 12/3/2011 Trip Report: It started with talk of skiing powder, emails were sent, somehow plans were made to stage a mass assault on the North Face of Spider Mountain. When the dust had settled six skiers stood proud. The snow was overall variable, especially on the Face (we skied Arachnophobia, a line on the north face pioneered by Martin Volken and Peter Avolio), a fear inspiring ice crust lay buried at a variable depth under a blanket of powder. The upper bit of the face held much less powder and much more ice, we sidestepped this section with axe clutched firmly in hand. Speaking for myself I can say that I wiped sweat from my brow more than once during that section. Much ground and el. had to be covered in return to camp - then car later in the evening. Sunsets and moonlit vistas were seen, fun headlamp lit turns were had, and a bit of whiskey was drunk. This trip was special to me not only because of time spent with awesome friends, but also cause I had injured my knee climbing back in September, and haven't been out in the mountains since, till this trip. I am very happy that my knee is now pain/swoll free, I was worrying that going under the knife was going to be the only road to a healthy knee. The object of fear and desire The courageous Dr. Wehrly, AKA E$, Ryan and Pete behind. DT nears the top of the line Eric skiing, photo courtesy of Drew Back at camp, photo courtesy of Eric. Left to right Ryan, Pete, me, Drew. Antonio must be melting water.

Trip: Mt. Buckner - trifecta Date: 7/24/2011 Trip Report: Ryan Lurie, Louie Dawson and I left the cascade pass th in late afternoon on the 23rd and bivied high on the arm, briefly enjoying Z's under the stars before a 2am alarm (we had ambitious plans that only partly came to fruition). We made it to the Boston Sahale col by sunrise, a doubtful appearing scramble traverse presented itself, but after some careful route finding (thanks Louie!) we found a feasible route across the exposed chossyness to the Boston glacier. The route across the BG was straightforward and non technical, as was the bergshrund crossing to gain the north face... We found firm conditions on the face, ideal for frenching it to the summit where we snoozed for a few, waiting for the face to catch some sun and soften. The skiing was excellent, a tad on the firm side, but very few runnels or other late season shenanigans. We then put some effort into our original ambitious plan only to decide against it after a couple ours of expended effort. We then climbed the north face again, and Louie and I dropped into the North Couloir, where we again found fantastic corn, and we skied down to the bergshrund, which is presently a 20' vertical obstacle. We crushed the climb back up and dropped into the sweet sunny slopes of the south face. We regained the arm at a high elevation, packed camp and skied red diatom snow down to the pass, where we tried and failed to ski all the way down to the car, the long trail out was our route in the end. Ryan and Louie enjoy the sunrise at the col Ryan and Louie traversing to the Boston Glacier from the Sahel col Louie and Ryan ski to the shrund Louie sighning the summit register on Buckner ski porn

I am unbelievable stoked about this "project". Dan is a humble and good dude. I was so bummed about his TRs being messed up due to that image hosting site. Thank jeebus for the Way Back Machine! I'm going to keep at this till everyone of his TRs are restored. The most prolific and imaginative alpine skier this site has ever seen (and there have been some DUDES....Sky and Ross, etc )...curious if historically there is anyone to touch what he has done.

cooper spur's hard to beat, though being able to ski and/or having a snow-mobile is nice

My partner and I climbed Cooper Spur by traversing in across the Newton Glacier from Timerberline on Sunday. I don't know why more people don't do it this way. It was easy, scenic, and quick to access. Some details on how we did it. We crossed the Whiteriver Glacier at 8,800' and did a rising traverse up on to the spur below Wy'East at about 9,300' There was some minor rock fall here, but jogging across the 200' danger zone minimized the danger. From the spur, we made a nearly level traverse across the Newton Glacier at about 9,400'. There was minimal crevass danger, but we roped up for prudence's sake. At the north end of the glacier, we accessed the Cooper Spur beneath a minor rock buttress at about 9,600'. This spot gave us a place to unrope and take a short rest. From there we wound up and right on to the spur itself and then ascended to the summit without issue. In terms of timing, we left Timberline shortly before 4AM, made it across the Newton Glacier in three hours, and were on the summit shortly after 8AM. Granted we did not climb the whole Cooper Spur and avoided the lower, low-angled slopes. This was by far and away made up for by the fact that crossing the east flank is scenic and wild-feeling. Early season, before accessing Wy'East becomes dangerous from rock fall, this would be the preferred method for getting to Cooper Spur, in my opinion. The perception that it is on the other side of the mountain from Timberline is unwarranted. The spur actually has a NE orientation. The whole experience was improved by the fact that we were in the lee of the mountain the whole time; it was windless and almost warm in the sunshine.

the remotish approach from the n side is at least half of what makes this route cool (not to detract from the OP) - this time of year is kinda, when the cloud cap road is closed, perfect - one day of appraoch via tilly-jane to a sweet, lonely camp high up on the spur - then a cool solo ascent to a suddenly crowded summit, followed by another long, lonely descent to home... the north side is magical, though the crowded insanity of the s side certainly has it virtues