goatboy

Any wildflowers out yet? That Snow Lakes area can sport some nice flora... I'm guessing it's still a little early for that....

So, the new C4's are appreciably smaller than the older Camalots, I take it...We took an older model #5 up there and it was adequate for the entire pitch...Though I think we used a 4.5 as well....

So....if you didn't find anything good to build an anchor with...and you didn't look too hard.... did you build an anchor and belay someone, or not? Or were you just walking around up there? And my suggestion would be to LOOK in person.... Not trying to be difficult, but the question seems odd to me.

In my experience, biking up that road is a pain, but SO good for the cruise back down....

Having never done this route, it seems like much of it would be preferable with a bit of consolidated snow cover....true???

True...true....

True, true.... maybe someday that will happen... I wonder how much climbing I'd do if I lived in Marblemount...or Newhalem????????

I'm wondering if like me, people have peaks they're interested in climbing which, for whatever reason (distance, logistics, laziness, whatever) they always seem to not find time to explore. For me, the entire Olympic Range stands out as a good example. Never seem to find time and a weather window to get in there to really explore the place. Another would be the Mt Maude area. Seems so far away for whatever reason, though I end up in Mazama and Leavenworth ALL THE TIME... Nooksack Tower would be another prime example...or the Spickard/Redoubt area... Anyone else???

Shakespeare reminds us that a hand jammy, by any other name, would still be just as dumb...

wow - is it just me, or is 30 miles in sub-10 hrs kinda....freaky fast time? Nice work!

Sat: Didn't climb. Drank a bunch of IPA. Sunday: Didn't climb. Made cilantro-garlic burgers for wife's parents and my dad on Father's Day. Built fountain for front yard. Drank a bunch of IPA. Today: Back at work. I'm dumb.

Hey Off, I am guessing that the difference in the couloirs has to do with altitude??? The Sierras tend to be much higher, I think, so rather than melt, the snow consolidates in to ice down there, whereas here in the relatively low elevations of the Cascades, the snow simply melts completely away? Does that sound about right? I always see photos of things like the V Notch Couloir and drool, wishing there was stuff like that around here....

Chamonix? Leavenworth??? Bishop is a good call... I would personally love to live in Wanaka, NZ at some point...but the summers are short and the winters are long over there....

My personal nemesis: When the nipple on your water bladder pops off while you're belaying your partner across the knife-edge hand-traverse section of the N Ridge of Stuart and you lose your entire day's water supply as well as saturating your entire body in the process in the cold wind.... I have repeated that maneuver, or some variation of it, again...and again...and again....

What's the name of the unroped ridge traverse that you're referring to, Tvash'? Which hut?

BUMP

Nice images and way to persevere in the storm. Yeah, they could have left their wands assuming that you'd pick them up...but I find it odd that you would (presumably) encounter this group in person and not communicate about the wands when you had a chance, but then slam them later online and anonymously... bad form, in MY book!

Thanks for posting this. People are dumb.

My buddy and I headed out one morning in a dense fog to climb Sharkfin Tower. Disoriented and stupid in the whiteout, we missed Sharkfin (appreciably) and climbed steep snowslopes up towards the col just south of Boston Peak. There on the col, I consulted my altimeter cuz something didn't seem quite right....there, we were actually above the summit of Sharkfin (according to the altimeter) and I figured out that we were at Boston Peak instead. D U M B. Anyhoo, we decided to climb back down the steep snow in the mist, and we were getting ready to do so, there, leaning against a rock, was a grivel ice ax. Where's the coincidence in all this? Well, if you lost that grivel ice ax, I still have it...so let me know and perhaps you'll be able to fill in the first part of this story...

Interesting. Is there a recommended website which discusses the details in more detail?

I love that place. Almost died in a lightning storm there back in 1997.... but the rock the really great and very cool historical climbing area too... I recognize Flower of High Rank and The Traitor Horn -- did you climb The Open Book or Whodunnit?

Take a look in ANAM at the Tahquitz double fatality where a cordelette caused sequential failure of a three point anchor because it did not equalize the three pieces. Sliding X's or an equalette would not have failed, as simulated replications of the accident using the same gear that failed in the same placements and test weights showed Rhetorical question: Would you say that this was an appropriate time and situation in which to use the cordellete? Projected answer: Clearly not. So, does mis-use of a cordellette disqualify it from being a good tool to use in other situations?

Another way of asking this question: How many people who are currently making the cordelette their standard default anchor are familiar and competent using slings and/or the rope itself as anchor points, but are CHOOSING to use the cordellette because they think it's quicker and more effective? And, flip-side, how many people who are currently using the slings and/or rope as their default anchor are familiar and competent using the cordellette, but instead CHOOSE to use the slings/rope because they think it's quicker and more effective? My sense of this conversation, so far, is that the sling-advocated continue to do so because they have not learned different means. The slings have always worked for them, so they continue to use them.... I believe that the cordellette is in fact simpler and faster and would like to ask if there are people who are comfortable and familiar with its simple use who dis-agree?

Never done it -- but my friend described it as kinda wandery and poor rock quality.... I hesitate saying this because I'd love a second opinion, if you're game for trying it....but honestly, I haven't heard anything good about the route from 2 people who did it.... Anyone else?

Mikester, are you on Verizon or what? I've always heard that Verizon was generally the best for remote mtn cell service...