AllYouCanEat

I believe once the NPS catches you, you are put on a black-list. I have been caught a few times and during those times I was sent down the mountain. Oh, they can also give you a ticket. Ha, you want to know my strategy, stay off the main routes. Climb where there are no people and tread lightly and fast and take resposibility for getting hurt and be prepared if you get lost. In other words, don't expect a heli or a rescue team.

If you are going up the main routes, eg ingram direct, disappointment cleaver, and emmons glacier just follow the herd. If you have never been climbing I would start on Adams, baker, and hood. Rainier can be a walk in the park and then again it has worked the best of us. I would get a guidebook...

Thanks for all your guy's wisdom. I appreciate it. I have decided to hang out for a month and during that time I plan on finding a job. I need to learn what the real world is like. Hell, school is not the real world -- I play too much. I have been playing my whole life. Anyhow, my skis never last more that a few months, I am getting a bit cold in my sleeping bag, and my tent leaks. Hell, playing is expensive and since the market took a **** I can't afford it. I want new "STUFF"! Keep it coming...

I am in school also, but I graduate in 2 weeks with my finance degree. I want to take some time off, but I don't have any money. I also don't have a place to stay or a job. Should I just go ski, climb, and kayak and forget work? Or should I work for 3 months at a crappy job and then quit and take the summer off? Or should I get a job and keep it? Anyone been in this position and (be truthfull) what decision did you make?

A few friends and I skied from the summit of Shuksan new years day. The ski from the summit of the pyrimaid was thin and icy. Without a rope the top was kind of tricky and everyone else turned around 30 feet from the top. We didn't use a rope but I would recommend using something. You can ski off the climbers left shoulder off the summit, but climbing up that way was hard. There was very little cover. Below that there was only a few big cracks to avoid and the snow was wonderful. Good luck...

Yea, that was us, the snowboarder and the two telemark skiers. It is too bad the weather turned on you because it would have been a great climb...

I climbed Baker Saturday from the car and skied from the summit via the Coleman, Demming route. The route is nice except for some covered crevaces (saw a guy fall, ran to help him, but his partner was able to pull him out. He was lucky, but I think his arms are a bit sore today. After that I had the mountain to myself and was glad for it). The snow was really good if you stayed on the skiers right of the ridge and wind your way through the crevaces. Oh, on Saturday you could drive almost right up to the parking lot.

Has anyone been up to Mount Baker in the last 2 weeks? The Colmen Demming route or any more interesting routes.

I don't pay fees, not because I am ultimately against them (though I maybe), but rather because I am a student. I simply can't afford them. Per year I would have to buy a forest service permit, snow park permit, national park pass, and each time I climb I have to buy a permit to camp and to climb. To clarigy, they charge us to get into "OUR" lands, to park our cars, to climb, and to camp. These fees disturb me because I wonder how they are being used and who they make the wilderness inaccessible too (the poor). Another thing how in the world does Mount Adams incur fees that justify $15 (something like that, but I wouldn't know because I have't paid) per person. They haven't improved the roads nor trails for years and last I looked nobody died on it. Hell, I think the only volcano you aren't charged to climb is Glacier peak. Well, I guess I am against fees and maybe the only people who pay them are the lowlanders and the ones who believe it really does make a difference. I pay my taxes and figure that should be enough, but now Bush is in office and so I imagine the fees will only increase. Anyhow, weren't the fees only supposed to last a year or two (forest service fees)? AlYouCanEat...