Leaderboard

I took a look at the Squire Creek road on Friday, 5/9/2025. After clearing many branches and small logs from the old logging road, I found only one pair of fallen trees that block the way and force a biker to dismount. Too big for my tools at hand, it'll have to wait for some local chainsaw talent to clear it. Taking the boot-track to the South Face of Squire Creek Wall proved smooth and problem-free. Currently there is no cairn at the turnoff. The only snow is packed into the final gully up to the grassy saddle camp. There are a few scraps of snow blocks on the shelves below Concerto in C, but access is not hindered. There is a snow patch on the ramps to Primal Scream, probably gone soon. And as usual this early in the year, there is snow covering the first pitch of Skeena26, which can be hiked around.

Did a nice variation to the Reid a couple weeks back. The business was all in the first belayed pitch. A fairly steep full length pitch consisting of steps of rock, rime, and ice. Thankfully broken up by more gentle terrain. Required a mixed bag of tricks and pro. Sadly we only had screws and pickets since we intended to go up the standard left Reid route but saw this and did it on a whim. Some nuts would have been nice. There were steps kicked in going up to the base of the first pitch, but it appeared whoever put that booter in turned around without doing the climb. There wasn't obvious evidence of people having climbed it recently. Anyway it was really fun, though harder than expected! Looking up at the first pitch: Climbing the first pitch: Looking down during the first pitch: Approximate route:

Yes, sounds like anchor failure on EW couloir? Condolences to the friends and family impacted by this.....any details that those in the know can share would be appreciated to better understand what happened and what we can learn from the accident.

I found a mentor! im headed up the baker north ridge soon and then I will resconsider LR depending on how much I progress. Im so happy I got into this at my age.

From 'Okanogan County Sheriff Office' FB page: Okanogan County Sheriff’s Office personnel and Okanogan County Search and Rescue volunteers responded to a climbing accident in the area of North Early Winters Spire off of State Route 20, approximately 16 miles west of Mazama, WA, at approximately 1130 on May 11, 2025. A party of four climbers from Renton, WA, were involved in a fall while descending a steep gully. Three individuals were confirmed deceased at the accident site. The fourth member of the party self-extricated and contacted law enforcement. Snohomish County Helicopter Rescue Team assisted in extricating the deceased members of the party from the technical, mountainous terrain. The presumed cause of the accident is an anchor failure while rappelling, with more investigation still ongoing. The Okanogan County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the SAR volunteers and Snohomish County for assisting in this tragic incident. Our thoughts are with the family members and friends of those involved. I believe they were attempting to climb the EWC. Tragic.