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Trip: Chimney Rock - Free Friends Trip Date: 07/06/2021 Trip Report: God damn! This route is incredibly high quality and STOUT at the supposed pitch ratings of 5.9+, 5.10c, and 5.8+. It was a real pleasure getting up to Chimney again... better than I remembered. Full report with photos: SPOKALPINE Gear Notes: Doubles .2-4, triples .75-2. We used it all. Approach Notes: Sounds like the Western approach is the fastest option, and I've heard tales of being able to cross over to the East Face on the south of chimney rather than hiking around the North side. For this trip, we took the Eastern (Pack River) approach to enjoy the scenic hiking and try something new,

this must a record TR for you. You usually are not a subject in photos but this time you made it in 5 images. Good thing to climb with someone who knows and likes to take photos too. great TR.

You are EXACTLY right @Off_White. We talked of this. What a much cooler way to do it, though a bit longer. And you are also right that it has fallen out of favor to approach Torment that way. Though we did run into some guys this past summer who had gone in right ahead of us. Even the rangers I've talked with have never been up Torment Basin, including Kevork.

A very clever friend of mine rigged up this to conduct heat from the stove down to the fuel canister. It worked great for us up in Alaska and I will be building my own version patterned after this. But in a pinch you can use some hot water from your stove in the plastic cup. It also helps to keep your fuel warm...meaning sleep with it or at least keep it insulated and out of the snow.

The last time I climbed Chaval, I packed my tripod up to high camp. I am glad I did!

Thanks for the validation @psathyrella. Just for that, you get another today! Jailhouse Rock in Capitol Reef NP (discerning viewers may notice that I am not afraid of posting exact locations on cc.com):

New Job!??? Is the endless vacation over? This was a very, very good alpine route. And the ease with which the intimidating approach unfolded around the backside was a joy. Glad to have been there before it becomes another crowded classic.

TFPU, I feel I’m a few TRs short as well! I may have to go check out some of this obscurity!

Me and a partner were attempting the TFT and took the SE Face of Torment. We had let our guard down after pulling over the 'schrund and were still roped-up while scrambling up the SE face feeling like we'd passed the difficult problems. I don't remember if my partner kicked it off or if it was just the rope dislodging it but a bunch of microwave sized blocks started bouncing down above me. There was nowhere to run without pulling my partner off so I found a tiny little depression close by to press into and pull my pack up to protect my neck. Miraculously the rocks missed me and didn't chop the rope anywhere that we could detect it. I think it shook up my partner more than me, I remember him shouting my name like he wasn't expecting me to still be there with him. We did complete the Traverse quickly enough to get BBQ in Marblemount that evening. So I got that going for me.

Trip: Chiwaukum Range - Chiwaukum High Route Trip Date: 09/09/2021 Trip Report: This definitely isn't alpine climbing, and nothing exceeded class 3, but I think it is kinda interesting... John Berude and I completed a high traverse of the Chiwaukum Range in a single push. We started at the Lake Ethel Trailhead and ended at Hatchery Creek, summitting Big C, Big Lou, and Big Jim along the way. It was definitely the hardest high route thing I have onsited in a day and one of the best days I have had out there with the scenery and fall colors. It measured 32 miles and 14k ft gain, mostly off trail, and took us 16 hours. Full TR: https://climberkyle.com/2021/09/09/chiwaukum-high-route/ The most interesting part was getting between the Glacier Creek and South Fork Chiwaukum drainages. We utilized the pass to the east of Pt 7955. The south side of the pass looks improbably on a topo map, and there is indeed a cliff there. But one can follow ledges westward and through the cliff band miraculously. A beautiful morning in the Chiwaukum. Above Cup Lake. Some exposed scrambling on Big C. The beautiful Glacier Creek drainage. Looking back on the key ledge that gets you through the cliffs near Pt 7955. Vibrant orange near Cape Horn. On the summit of Big Lou. Nearing the summit of Big Jim. Gear Notes: Running shoes, poles, running vests. Approach Notes: Leave Lake Ethel Trail right before going down to the lake and enter the alpine! Hatchery Creek has over a hundred blowdowns.

When the days get shorter and the snow starts to appear on the hills, I think of Dan. I hope is is doing well, wherever he is, and whatever he is doing. I really appreciate all the inspiration he gave us over the years, and hope to see more TRs from him in the future. This was the last one I could find: https://turns-all-year.com/trip-reports/june-7-2017-north-face-northwest-couloir-mt-shuksan

Trip: Cashmere Peak (8501') - South Ridge Trip Date: 09/11/2021 Trip Report: Cashmere Peak (8501') – Eightmile Lake Trail Approach – Sept 11-12, 2021 (Sat, Sun). The weekend weather in the Leavenworth area was looking good. I texted DanO and he was game for a climb. We headed for the Alpine Lakes Area, why not, everyone else was. We climbed Cashmere Peak (8501') over the weekend. We started the climb from the Eightmile Lake Trailhead off Icicle Creek Rd. Saturday: We headed out from the trailhead (3280’) at 7:00am. The trail is in good condition, lots of traffic. We stopped at Little Eightmile Lake for water (4400’) since we had heard the next section up the burn area was dry. Turns out there were 2 water sources we passed going up the burn area. We were ready to cross a lot of downed trees on the way up the burn area as reported in a recent trip report. Turns out many of the trees have been cut out of the trail since the August trip report I had read. We crossed maybe a dozen downed trees the entire trip. 11:15am we reached Caroline Lake. We headed up toward Windy Pass. We came across water around 6500’ on the trail up. We reached Windy Pass and started looking for a suitable camp spot arriving at 2:00pm (7250’). We decided to go for the summit since we had the time and the weather was looking good. We followed the trail along the ridge through some boulders and up to the base of the South Ridge of Cashmere. DanO decided that was good enough for him and would wait for me to summit and come back. I climbed the South Ridge of Cashmere. The rock was pretty nice quality Class 3-4 with some exposure, much better than dealing with the loose rock below in the gullies. I summited at 4:30pm, great views of the surrounding peaks of the area. We made it back to camp on the ridge at 6:30pm and enjoyed the beautiful evening. Sunday: We left camp at 8:00am and made it back to the trailhead at 12:15pm. This is a nice climb with an easy uphill approach on good quality trail with some fun rock on the ridge to the summit. Some Tips and Notes: 1. There are a couple water sources on the way up the burn area. 2. There are some downed trees along the burn area, but not that bad and fairly easy to pass. 3. Last running water access was around 6500’ on the way up to Windy Pass. 4. There is no snow to cross on route. 5. There is not much in the way of route finding until you are at the base of the South Ridge of Cashmere, just follow the trail up the ridge. 6. The South Ridge of the summit has good quality rock, Class 3-4 with some exposure. 7. There are several bivy/camp options along the ridge above Windy Pass, bring enough water the ridge is dry. Travel Time for reference: Saturday: Trailhead to Windy Pass Ridge Camp to Summit & back to camp – 11.5 hours. Sunday: Camp to trailhead – 4.25 hours Total Mileage: about 19 miles Total Elevation Gain: around 5400’ Gear used: Trekking Pole, Helmet. Up the Ridge from Windy Pass. Rocky Spires along the Ridge. Crossing the boulder field. At the base of the South Ridge of Cashmere. South Ridge of Cashmere. View into the Enchantments area. Gear Notes: Trekking Pole, Helmet. Approach Notes: Eightmile Lake Trail to Windy Pass to South Ridge of Cashmere

Thanks for spelling out with this traverse is really like. People were so in love with it, that when I did it I didn’t want to pop that bubble, but I had nothing good to say about it other than the north ridge Stuart is always really cool.

Yea we climbed Free Friends last week and approached from the Priest Lake side. Once you get to the saddle just before going up to Roothaan you can take a trail around the north side of the mountain that stays high and crosses to the east side of the crest just north of Roothaan. From there it is a pleasant walk along the east side of the crest to the East Face of Chimney Rock. Approach is only a little over an hour this way! Oh and the route is really good quality.

As in Leavenworth 5.9 == Index 5.7 or Castle Rock 5.9? I climbed it on Saturday and could not tell what was different. I took this pic from the start of the traverse (which is still 5.9, even on the Index scale). Maybe somebody has a "before pic" from the same spot?

Just curious if anyone knows anything about the first ascent of Supercrack on Midnight Rock in Leavenworth? Does anyone know of any legit repeats, or how Timson protected it without large cams? I am betting he sent it on large hex's but would love to hear the story from someone who knows? Any credible info send me a P.M. would love to chat about it....

I talked to Pat yesterday about this climb. He had big hexes and an old school #4 Friend. He said that somewhere near where the crack curves, there was a good nubbin inside the crack and he was able to get a nearly maxed out large hex and a maxed out #4 Friend. He ran it out from there to the top. You gotta remember that in those days, Pat was doing a lot of this kind of climbing in Yosemite. Lots of hands to big fists, and Pat has pretty big hands. It didn't hurt that he was STRONGER THAN S#IT! Pat said that someone had asked him about his ascent of Supercrack recently. Maybe it was one of you guys? Anyway, your ascent was PROUD. Great pictures. I always wondered what that crack was all about as I never went up there myself. SWEET!

Can't we all just sling trees and get along? sheesh

fuckin' lot of armchair qb's out there... Dane, good to see your healing up enough to talk shit... Props, jesse...