goatboy

Wow -- Cat Scratch really looks "aesthetic," huh? No wonder I've never been up that damn thing. Way to persevere and climb a classic route in shoulder season conditions for sure.

July 21-24? If you don't mind sharing, what was your itinerary (i.e. where did you camp each of those 3 nights?) I am having a hard time imagining an itinerary that spends 4 days and 3 nights, so just curious how you broke up the hiking to climbing to camping schedule. Good work on a great climb!

I'd like to thank the NCNP Rangers who monitor and post on this site, for a wide variety of things. First, congrats on having a fantastic job doing what we all WISH we could be doing, patrolling, roaming, and climbing the fabulous NCNP. Second, thanks for maintaining a helpful blog which updates us all on current conditions. Third, thanks for working with a vast array of people (some very experienced, some total rookies) and helping them all to encounter and enjoy the remote, rugged Cascade range. Fourth, thanks for working hard to both prevent and respond to incidents that occur in these inhospitable areas. Fifth, thanks for monitoring boards like this and offering helpful comments and links to recent patrols. Finally, thanks for working in service to our federal lands, which have been increasingly endangered thanks to shrinking budgets and terrible federal leadership by the people charged with managing and protecting these resources. Gratitude and respect to the NCNP Climbing Rangers!

Sad news here: http://www.seattletimes.com/life/outdoors/mercer-island-man-believed-dead-after-fall-through-snow-at-aasgard-pass/ This is becoming all-too-familiar this time of year, in that same site.

We have some thread drift going on here. Learning from the incident is one thing, choosing to bash or insult the grieving members of the party (who are college students) fundamentally lacks compassion, and can create reluctance for others to share their experiences and thereby create opportunity for learning. I would remind us to focus on being compassionate to the victims and focused on learning without name-calling.

One of my favorite routes ever in the range! Nice job. You made much better time than we did

Curious how you rope-soloed this, since so much of the route traverses? Did you have a ground anchor that you went back to clean after each pitch, or some other technique?

parallel thread on same topic http://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/1149154/Possible_Fatality_on_Aasgard_P#Post1149154

I glissaded into that same waterfall (and was swept under the snowpack and trapped in the freezing water) back in 1998. It was an incredibly humbling experience to go from a warm, sunny glissade to death's frozen door so quickly. I hit my head as I went into the hole and was dazed and somewhat complacent in my initial recognition of the seriousness of the situation. I tried to climb out of the steep wet rock and ice under the snowpack but was unable to do so. After I abandoned my pack (which had filled with 100 pounds of water) I was able to tunnel my way out of the snow, emerging way downslope from the hole I had fallen into, to see my partner peering (and shouting) into the hole upslope. I destroyed my fleece liner gloves clawing my way out of the snowpack. We built an anchor and I went back into the hole again to retrieve my pack, using a fixed line that allowed me to safely descend and climb back out again. It was one of my closest calls in the mountains and the key lessons learned had to do with not glissading carelessly, especially when you can't see the full runout below. It also leads me to warn others about this specific waterfall whenever I have a chance to do so. Condolences to all involved and affected by this incident.

The only route I've done over on that side was the NW Face: http://www.mountainproject.com/v/nw-face/107238596 Is this related in any way to what you describe? Hard to tell if you overlapped with this route at all.

Did anything ever come of this project???

Climber Dies near Fisher Peak Sedro Woolley, WA – A 46-year old male from Bellingham, WA was killed by rock fall on Sunday, August 9, 2015 in the Fisher Peak area near Easy Pass in North Cascades National Park Service Complex. Other members of his group responded immediately to provide first aid and initiated CPR shortly thereafter. One of the group members quickly descended the route to summon help and contacted an off-duty park ranger who radioed for assistance. Helicopter Express, contracted by the National Park Service, was dispatched with park rescue personnel, who recovered the body. Officials from National Park Service, Skagit County Sheriff’s Office and the Skagit County Coroner’s Office will continue to work together on the incident investigation. Rock falls are a natural and dynamic geologic process. Hikers are encouraged to wear helmets and hike parallel to one another rather than in a line. www.nps.gov My condolences to the survivors.

Great photos and strategy (high bivy) -- brings back some great memories. I did this route car-to-car many years ago and really enjoyed it for all the reasons mentioned. When we got to the point where a rappel was needed (right before the 5.8 pitch) there were no fixed rap anchors, so we had to leave some gear and a cordellette there. What is the status of that rap, now? I have had three very different experiences on the East Ledges, ranging from positive to terrifying. I think the micro-route finding and the general mindset/comfort you have with the exposure can fundamentally change your experience. It is not to be underestimated by any means.

I seem to remember that two ropes are useful to rap off of Sahale, can you comment on that?

Good job persevering and adjusting your plans as things changed. Would you do anything differently in the future?

This is a really extraordinary accomplishment. I have climbed 9 of those 10 routes (all but Overexposure) but it took me years to do it. I can't imagine doing them all in a day. Great work! Jesus. Kids these days!

The WAC is a great organization with a solid commitment to safety, adventure, and fun. I recommend them highly if you want to meet partners to get out with.

1) Have climbed. Torment-Forbidden Traverse, from high camp in Boston Basin North Ridge of Forbidden, with a bivy North Ridge of Stuart, car-to-car Triple Couloirs, Dragontail Northeast Face "Ice Shield", Mt Fury -- carryover from Luna Lake N Face, Buckner 2) Capable of but have not climbed. North Ridge of Baker North Face of Maude North Face of Shuksan NE Ridge, Bugaboo Spire Kautz Glacier, Mt Rainier SW Ridge, Mt Aspiring, Southern Alps 3) Admire but will never climb. NW Face, Forbidden Peak North Face, Bear Mountain Johannesburg West Ridge, Eldorado Peak Nooksack Tower

JDT -- much appreciated -- helpful comments. I have done it a few times as well and I think the choices you make at the beginning fundamentally set you up for a cruise, or a very stressful, loose traverse. In any case, you need to be willing to deal with grassy, downward-sloping ledges with huge exposure. It's never hard, but it's psychologically harder depending on the route you take. Thanks for the great report.

Two comments and a question. First, exceptional job -- great climbing, great photos, great trip report! Second, I believe that on Day 2 you climbed the Quien Sabe Glacier, not the Sahale Glacier. Question: When you say you picked out the easiest / best route on the East Ledges, I'd love to hear more. I have done it 3 times, 3 different ways, and had very different experiences each time, ranging from mellow to horrific. Please share any details you remember that might help others, or at least me, next time!

The Googles advises us as follows: http://www.nps.gov/noca/blogs/Boston-Basin-Conditions-July-7-2014.htm

When you say you climbed the "first gully": Did you climb the couloir with the small, single snowpatch in it -- or the couloir on the right with the long, diagonal snow?

That's ridiculously fast, as I see it.

How high did you camp?

Sounds like only a single pitch of steep ice climbing?