goatboy

I think nattybumppo is onto something here, for what it's worth.

Hey Wayne, I scraped my way up the NE Face ("Ice Shield") back in about 2001 or so. It was fabulous. The snow arete (top of the N Buttress route) was memorable. One of my best days ever in the Cascades! The next day, grovelling down the SE Glacier in a total whiteout, was suitably humbling as well.... Was I Stupid??? goatboy

What about the Pickets are you interested in? Northern Pickets (harder approach, arguably more spectacular area) are kinda different from Southern Pickets ("easier" approach but still not EASY - more rock routes with glacier travel than snow and ice). Something like McMillan Spire? Or maybe Fury or Luna? I think either Fury or Luna might be reasonable objectives for you to consider, not knowing what you're after, in particular...

Thanks for the update on conditions. Nice work climbing the route in thin conditions! GB

Long approaches and cross country travel in the Sierras.....entails elevation gain in open terrain, large timber, or granite slabs....maybe snow in early season.....but is nothing like the Pickets. The Cascades are known for tough weather and terrain. The Pickets are known as some of the most challenging terrain in the Cascades. I don't want to discourage, but I'm not sure I'd suggest choosing an itinerary like this so far in advance without having weather-dependent backup options! East side options (like the enchantments outside of Leavenworth) or the WA Pass area (outside of Mazama) might be very reasonable things to research as well.

True, true....whatever term we use for the gaping hole that can form in winter, I've seen an appreciable crack at the base of this route in winter (February) in the past and my observation here is that from what I can see from conditions this year, there doesn't seem to be much of one this year....All the dumping must really have filled things in.

That DOES look a little thinner than I have seen in the past... Not much of a schrund at the base of the route, though, from what I can see here....?

Wow! Nice job, great story, and amazing photos. It bears mentioning, on a board like this where many new and aspiring climbers turn for insight and information -- and where over the hill ones like me come to live vicariously-- that camping directly on the heather isn't the ideal situation from a Leave No Trace perspective. Having said that, I've done it too in the past when I saw no other options.

Okay, so not an overwhelming response to this idea. I've learned that this site is not cascadepokerplayers.com -- no real surprise there.... Turns out to be for the best, as the night of the 1st no longer works for Trogdor... What we've decided to do is get together the night of the 8th (either in NE or NW) to drink beer and play poker. If anyone here wants to play that night, just let us know. Thanks.

Lizard is correct. It's really an excuse to drink and play poker. But we figured, why not deflect some of the funds towards a good cause. The site didn't ask us to fundraise, in other words. We just wanted to.

I don't see why not, unless 16 people sign up and they ALL want ot go to the same place....so unless space limitations are a concern, of course you can choose which place to play. If you want to sign up to play, indicate if you prefer NW or NE Seattle, or have no preference. THANKS!

I saw that one coming a mile away... I realize it's asking a lot, but keeping this thread relatively spray free will help us figure out who's coming without having to pour through pages of spray to do so.... THANKS!

Open invitation to cc.com community: Trogdor and I are planning to host a ONE-night fundraiser poker tournament to benefit cc.com. We are both in North Seattle. Here's the vision: Schedule: One night of Texas Hold'Em on Friday 2/8. Cost: It will cost $12 per person to enter, $4 of which will be donated to cc.com. Winners can choose to donate more of their winnings if they so choose. The rest of the money will go towards prize money for finals winners. Location: Either Goatboy or Trogdor will host a single night tournament in North Seattle. Poker details: This will be no limit Texas hold'em. If you lose all your chips in the first hour, then you will be allowed to "rebuy" into the tournament (for another $12, for the same amount of chips you started with). Blinds will automatically raise incrementally every 10 hands. Why do we do it? To have fun and raise a few bucks for the website -- and meet some climbing poker players - or poker-playing climbers. Do you need to be an expert poker player to play? Heck no. It will be open to players of all abilities. It will be a bring your own snacks and beverage type of affair. Questions? Please PM me or Trogdor, or reply to this thread. To sign up, PLEASE REPLY TO THIS THREAD. Thanks -- we hope to see you at the fundraiser.

thanks for the update.

What is your level of skill and experience? Stuart is hard to get to in the winter, especially from the South, which is the side one might normally approach the Cascadian Couloir from. A snowmobile helps.... Approaching from the North is easier, though a snowmobile can be helpful there too for the eightmile road slog...not needed by any means, though I wouldn't go there in winter just to climb the Cascadian, honestly. Lotsa work for a LONG snow walk.... Though I imagine standing on the summit of Stuart in any season makes it all worthwhile! Tell us more about your experience and your goals for the trip so that people can tailor their advice to your situation.

move away from that goat! Now THAT'S witty and humorous. Sorry I missed your humor the first time. No need for metal or trigger pulling at this point. But just to be clear: Paul Allen owns the Blazers, not the Sonics.....that must be why your joke eluded me.

Pretty ill informed comment about Paul Allen moving the Hawks to OK city. Also, silly for this thread to degenerate into PDX vs. Seattle blather, and then for the person who instigated that to complain that it isn't in spray. Weak. Also, disappointing game, unless you're a GB fan. Hey kaskadyjozokeshack, good luck with your Packers from this point on. You'll need it. And yes.....go Blazers!

NC Basecamp is advertising "Eco Friendly Lodging" (on the left margin of this web page as I type). I am wondering what they have in place there that makes their lodging Eco Friendly? And I am also wondering how that is defined, in context of that ad? Thanks in advance for any info available.

I just got a very nice, small guidebook at the mtneer's bookstore in Seattle. It covers alpine routes and discusses how climate change has affected climbing in the alps. I will post the name of the book once I find it...

Never heard J Tree called over-rated before. Curious why you would think so. SMITH ROCK is a good call for a more local option that meets all of the needs you stated, without the long drives. CITY OF ROCKS will be under snow in March.

Hey Skagit Alpine Club, Thanks for putting on a great show in a nice venue. Thanks to Scurlock for the years of hard work that went into the "flight of fantasy" last night. I was amazed by his (very humble) knowledge of the range and all of the little features that he could identify off the top of his head, from every possible angle.... Seeing Waddington and the Coast Range was fabulous, but I expecially enjoyed seeing things closer to home from a new perspective. Especially things that I may never see otherwise (i.e. intimate looks at the Pickets in winter, Slesse in winter, Mt Baker crater on new year's eve, lookout towers BURIED in snow, things like that). Thanks again, GB

Hey Matt, Looks like I'm gonna brave traffic with Feck and Tansnaffle, leaving around 4 PM to hit the brewpub in Mt Vernon before the show. Let me know if you'd like to join us. We have room for one other person.

Hey Kev, That's silly to say that Blazermania never left. It actually left for quite a few years..... Jail Blazers, Bonzi, Rasheed, the dark ages of the Nick Van Exel era, Z Bo, Qyntel Woods...... The city fell DISTINCTLY out of love with the only show in town. Blazermania definitely left, as Rose Garden attendance dwindled and the owner sold the arena and threatened to sell the team too... Now, everything's great again. And I couldn't be happier. But you're a historical revisionist -- or just in denial -- to say that Blazermania never left! Just heard that McMillan is gonna miss the Utah game, as if it's not going to be hard enough!

Summer of 2008: The Summer of North Facing Objectives!!! Forbidden N Ridge or NW Face Buckner N F Couloir Goode NE Buttress Stuart -- Complete N Ridge How to get there? WINTER TRAINING with weights and running stairs!!!