TimL

Lost a red REI trekking pole on 8/13 either in the approach gulley to Sharkfin Tower right off the Quine Sabe glacier or at the base of the SE Ridge. If anyone happens to stumble across it please email me at Lucky14956@aol.com. Thanks in advance. Tim

Left Saturday morning and got to the Murrin Park parking lot by 10am. Rafael H and I wanted to warm up before we headed over to Nightmare Rock, the so-called heavy hitter crag of Squamish. We roped up for a 5.10a on Bog Wall then soloed a 5.7 OW and 5.9 a couples times. Then went to Exodus wall and soloed a couple 5.4's and a 5.7. After that I felt warmed up enough to onsight a 100 ft 5.11a crack called Perspective. Next, climbed Sentry Box 5.12a crack in 1 fall. I was bummed I fell but I started off on the route pretty gripped after watching a couple of guys take wingers then aid up through the crux. The short version of this route is 5.10a and is magnificent on its own. Also, the bolted flake below Granddaddy overhang looks really easy but is hard 5.11a. I think the route name is Barn Door. Even though the Mclane guide say most routes are between 35 and 40 meters, we found a single 60m is enough to lower off most climbs. Maybe Mclane was measuring from the road? Sunday we were woken up by the camp ground host nazi pounding on our window asking for payment. After paying the man and a quick trip to Starbucks we headed over to the Sheriffs Badge and ran up the first 2 pitches of Borderline (5.10b & 5.9). Rafael climbed the 1st 5.7 pitch of the Daily Planet. I then sat under the 2nd pitch for an hour and stared into submission the most amazing, intimidating and challenging pitch I've ever contemplated leading. Daily Planet p2 is rated 5.12a and is the best single pitch I've ever seen in my life. Located in a giant dihedral that splits the left side of the Sheriffs Badge the start of the pitch is immediate 5.11 b/c stemming, palming and thin tip crack climbing past 2 questionable fixed pins for 20 ft. then another 20 ft of the same stuff with nothing but a string of RPs and small nuts. After the first 40 ft I milked a fantastic rest and finally some good gear. The next 40 ft felt like 5.11- laybacking the thin dihedral crack thin to a horrible rest below the crux. For the crux you clip a bolt, double undercling on a flake, left hand up high to a crip undercling, smear your feet up higher on a sloping knob, then rock your right and over to a thin tip crack. From there another good undercling for the left hand on a higher flake leads to a bomber hand jam, pro and in 10 ft. the chains. Truly amazing climb. Unfortunately, I had 4 falls after the first half. Rafael freaked because he said he was nervous and intimidated by just following the pitch. After climbing the first 40 ft. he loudly declared all the pro as crap. I thought it just added flavor to a truly magnificent pitch. After Rafael came down I TR'ed the pitch almost clean with one fall then lowered off and then we headed off to Starbucks for a quick cup of coffee before the long drive home. I figure next time we'll finish the route but I was happy just getting a feel for the 1st couple pitches. Also, I must thank Rafael for his encouragement and positive attitude. Anyone up for the grades and interested in **** crack climbs then both Nightmare Rock and the Sheriffs Badge are 2 of the best places I've climbed in Squamish. This might be a good question for Dru. We weren't able to see the Daily Planet descent anchors that are supposed to be located on the main face below the last pitch after the 5.11a traverse. Has something happened to them or are we just going blind? Also, do you know where I could get a topo for the Fortress of Solitude?

Thanx for the information. Great report!

SK, Try Duty Dome next to Icicle Buttress. There are a bunch of fun moderate mixed bolted and gear routes mostly single pitch. You can either make a day of it or spend 1/2 day there and its pretty fun. Also, beware of Leavenworth 5.8 & 5.9's.

Has anybody been up or have any information on weather and climbing conditions in the Rockies this season? Since I know the Rockies are a big range, I'm searching for information for the Lake Louise area and the Jasper/Columbia Icefields area. Looking to possibly head up during the last week of August to go for several moderates in both areas. Basically, general climbing conditions information, has the weather been unusually good or bad this year, etc? I don't know much about alpine climbing in the area besides what the Dougherty's Select book mentions so any and all beta is greatly appreciated.

quote: Originally posted by fredrogers: A little too ghetto bling-bling with the bright red, but that dulled considerably with trail dust. Fred Rogers aka the mountain pimp daddy

quote: Originally posted by Geek the Greek: NEway, I guess for this reason I think the "bragging rights" point of sport climbing is redpointing or on-sighting, but the "bragging rights" point of trad climbing can only be on-sighting. I thought the point of all climbing was onsighting? Why can trad climbing "only" be onsighting? [ 08-05-2002, 04:15 PM: Message edited by: TimL ]

Matt or Forrest - What type of rack would you reccomend for this route if mostly free climbing? Doubles in cams to 2 set of nuts and RPs?

http://www.cascadeclimbers.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=3;t=000058 Post a TR after your climb. I've been wondering about the NF for a while.

Good job! This has nothing to do with Lexington, but are the bugs still really bad at the pass?

It seems like I've never been shut down sport climbing like I have alpine climbing in the Cascades. Except, a friend and I attempted Swim at the Upper Index Town Wall. The 1st pitch shut me down big time. I never knew a bolted 11d could be that hard. Then again its Index and I should of seen it coming.

The biggest on my list is Clean Break on Juno Tower. Tried it once last year and turned around because of bad weather then tried it again this year and got to the base too late for a day climb. It will go here soon. Its to good of a route!

Last time I went past panty rock in Leavenworth someone had donated some undergarments. Was the you LG?

My favorite type of climbing is being able to walk to a route, be it alpine rock or ice, sport, big walls, mountains, etc., and onsite the sucker and get down in time for beer. All to often I hear of people and myself taking several attempts to bag a climb or send a route. I know this is all part of climbing and nobody can be 100% successful but I think it just sucks. So it almost feels like a sweet revenge to be able to go back to a route and send it after not climbing it the first time. Climbing in the Cascades has proved this to be true fairly often even with easy routes. Anybody have good stories about attempting a route, not getting it for various reasons and coming back and sending? I know of people who have tried Big Four 4 or 5 times without making it to the summit. Myself, I’ve tried the North Ridge of Stuart 2 times and both times have been weathered out in the morning when “perfect” forecasts have been predicted. Spray away!

[ 08-02-2002, 04:24 PM: Message edited by: TimL ]

Didn't Uemura dissapear trying to solo Denali in winter? If I remember correctly, people thought he might of fallen into a crevasse and perished. If so, its obvious his system worked well.

I think what would be more interesting to find out is why the weather system came is so quickly and why the weather people weren't able to predict such a large system? Not that I'm trying to point a finger at the weather folks, but it would be interesting to know what sort of conditions facilitated such a rapid deterioration. [ 07-31-2002, 01:49 PM: Message edited by: TimL ]

I saw the same thing as Lambone did on Saturday evening. As the sun set, the only difference in the weather in the Stuart Range was the wind picked up a little. Actually, it was a very beautiful evening. Everything else was completely normal with no changes in the low hanging clouds over the Cascade Crest. I never thought the weather would turn as bad as it did without any of the normal Cascade indicators. The wind that hit LB at midnight hit us around 3. At 5 the summit of Stuart was clouded but I could clearly see the the Colchuck Lake area and Icicle Valley. By 5:30 is was pea soup. It was a very sneaky, quick moving system. And the wind was horrible. I got intimate with the glacier a couple of times after being slammed by the wind while retreating. LB's party made the correct decision and walked out alive. We've already had enough drama and life lost in the Cascades this year. No need for more. Besides, its only climbing and its supposed to be fun. [ 07-31-2002, 01:22 PM: Message edited by: TimL ]

Experienced climbers have just knowledge to get them in a bad situation regardless if they know how to get out of it. Besides, most expereince comes from bad judgement. I'm sure thats something we all can realte to. Go figure.....

Well said Trask.

No epics just Cascade punishment. Left Saturday morning for the N Ridge of Stuart. Saturday evening had an awesome bivy on the rock outcrop between Goat Pass and the N Ridge. Because we were going "light" we carries no sleeping bags just a bivy sack and some extra cloths. My partner remarked before hitting the sack, "What nice weather, it'll never rain tomorrow", as I was stuffing my pack as I always do before bivies. Call it Cascade paranoia. About that time a party passed through our camp heading up to bivy at the notch in the N. Ridge. We let them know of the 1 party already up there but I guess turbo dude and his chick wanted to get a head start on us in the morning. Whatever, we'll pass them in the morning I thought. Right about then a cold when started from the NW and clouds started to emerge on the Cascade Crest. Quite odd, but the weatherman said Sunday would be a perfect day. As the sun set I had a feeling it was going to be a cold night. Throughout bouts of shivering and getting up to go and watching my pee shoot horizontally out onto the glacier I knew our chances for climbing the next day were diminishing. It seemed like forever before 5 came but as I poked my head out the bivy sack I noticed the Great Gendarme was cloud covered. Thirty minutes latter we were in a total white out. Being the optimist that I am, we shivered in our bivy sacs another 2 hours waiting for the weather to break. At 7:30 when horizontal rain started pelting us, we threw in the towel and started though the whiteout toward the car. After a couple near misses with small rockfall on the glacier we humped up to Goat pass, dropped onto the rock glacier where I almost got hit by another falling rock, trudged up Stuart Pass then walked the long path out to the car. Although we didn't climb anything, I'd say it was a good Cascade character building experience. The upper N. Ridge looks really fun and easy. The Gendarme didn't even look bad from the glacier. I can totally see how this would be an easy day route for a fast party. Maybe next time.

I've found that you get what you pay for when buying cams. Metolious cams are really good for the price, range and durability. Same thing goes with Black Diamond except I've found they are more durable than any other cams I've used in terms of wear and tear. I'd say drop the money and buy the good stuff. I've never used DMM cams but HB, Treango and Clog cams are my least favorite.

Has anyone completed this traverse starting from the WestRidge/South Face of Prussik. I know people who have traversed to the Monument but what peaks do you traverse after that and by what routes? Where do you exit the traverse? Thanks for any and all beta.

Ray, Just clip the keg to you harness and body weight hail the pig and additional kegs.

I don't ski but the conditions on the CD route last weekend were pretty straight forward. Might have to weave a couple times and take your sticks of to cross huge avy debris from the ice cliff before the CD saddle. It should go just fine. Have fun.