goatboy

That's pretty funny, given that I used to teach English in a former life . . . . Thanks, I believe I have corrected the spelling now . . . Anyway, back to Buckner . . . ???

Good question, pms . . . I can see how new snow would possibly blanket or contain loose rock, but wouldn't loose, unconsolidated new snow in some ways make the climb harder? I'd love to hear more about the relative merits of new snow -- I guess I always think of a steep route like this being benefitted by older, consolidated snow and alpine ice . . . Any thoughts???

I haven't seen or heard of many folks climbing Buckner lately. I know one party attempted the NF Couloir a few weeks ago and encountered what was, for them, insurmountable challenges at the schrund. Curious if anyone has any recent photos or experience up there that could persuade or dissuade. I have climbed the NF and am familiar with the area and the approach, etc. I have not climbed the Couloir route and am wondering if anyone else has been turned around by the schrund this season??? (I know, I know, "go look for yourself and use your judgment...") Thanks for any info.

Getting from car to ridge crest is the slow part, in my experience. We soloed a third of the ridge and simul-climbed the rest, making it from the top of the W Ridge Couloir to the summit in 30 minutes. The East Ledges Descent, if soloed, can take about 1.5 to 2 hours including the rappels . . . . Most of your time will be eaten up gaining all the elevation from car to ridge, I would say. The climb itself doesn't take that long if simulclimbed. This time of year, when snow is gone, the approach and descent may be even slower. I would guess a competent party of fit folk could do it in about 12 hours car to car.

Well written, amusing trip report. So much talent, no wonder the paparazzi were chasing you, eh??? Thanks for the photos and funny stories.

It's interesting to me, and more than a little bit hypocritical, to log onto a discussion website such as this one -- a place you go in order to hear other people's ideas, and share your own -- and then tell people to STFU. If you don't want to hear other people's ideas, then why in the world would you bother to log on, and double click on things that open up to show you other people's ideas? Wouldn't that be like paying for a ticket to a concert and then being surprised at all the noise and screaming at the musicians to be quiet?

I have to confess that I was the one who dropped the pencil in the summit talus . . . . I felt awful when I did it, actually. If someone could leave another one there, I would be redeemed. Thanks!

Hey y'all, Just wanted to point out that this climb would be a good choice in late season, now that the W Ridge Couloir is more problematic. I don't think it's a BETTER climb than the W Ridge, but part of the beauty of the W Ridge dissipates after to couloir gets ugly. Go get it!

I did comment on this to my friend when I was up there a few weeks ago . . . the Sill presents itself as a small horizontal patch of ice still clinging to the wall, but is much less imposing than in previous years . . .

Thanks for the TR. I agree with everything you say, but would still recommend the route for the exposure, the interesting knife-edge section(s), the awesome scenery, and the straightforward descent. If you rap the South Face, you can then climb the S Face, doubling your climbing! It's worth doing at least once . . . .

Where exactly is it located in NH? I drive by there all the time and crane my neck out the window as I pass -- I assume it's on the steep mossy walls on the North Side of hwy 20, visible from "downtown" Newhalem?

Hey Erez, My experience with the large fixed cam (a #4, I believe) is that it is useful to "french free" off of but has no remaining sling to clip into as pro -- so you'd have to finagle something to clip into it, or sling it as if it were a chockstone -- which is pretty funky, given the position and the location and the situation. I suggest a 3.5 camalot or two for the offwidth.

I agree that DUI is a serious offense and should not taken lightly -- but this link (and this thread) has nothing to do with getting around customs -- it actually has to do with acknowledging your crime and seeking official pardon (or "rehabilitiation") for it. Seems to me that that's very different from skirting customs -- it's working WITH customs officials. Do you agree with that distinction?

Car to car from South Side (Teanaway), Upper N Ridge only (with Gendarme), Descend Cascadian, 19 and a half hours for me and my partner in October of 2002. certainly no record but Christ, still felt like a good, long day to me!

I'm trying to imagine how a chopper could land ON the N Ridge of Forbidden . . . am I off base or is that very unlikely???

Kearney clearly has my vote. The criteria mentioned by Oregon AAC include pioneering spirit, style, LNT, and something about "mongo see mountain, mongo climb mountain." Like Fred, Kearney is a noted NW local and pioneering mountaineer. He has done mnay first ascents in the range, and continues to do so. Like Fred, Alan is a guidebook author. Like Fred, Alan is a strong (some would say stronger) proponent of LNT and wilderness ethics. His slideshows and guidebook illustrates this point. Like Fred, Alan "sees mountain, climbs mountain." He has also pioneered routes and exploration in Patagonia, the Coast Range, Alaska, and other places. I appreciate the contributions of the other folks mentioned, and believe they should possibly receive this award another year -- but none of them deserve receiving it BEFORE Kearney does. Thanks for the opportunity to share my thoughts. GB

hey mvs, long time no see. Sounds like you must have encountered a few friends of mine as you came down off of the Johannesberg weed-wack outing. I climbed Buckner NF 2 summers ago and we found some very nice alpine ice -- about 60 meters worth -- at the top of the face. It would take screws nicely, though the angle and conditions were such that we simply soloed it. We also bypassed the schrund on the North Face via the rock rib traverse to moderate snow on the left (East) side, regaining the NF proper abover the schrund. My two friends (the same two you met) tried to climb the NF couloir yesterday and encountered schrund problems that they were unable to surpass. They stated that the NF looked good, however.

Lambone, I shot 100 slides, but alas, no digital. Will try to scan some slides once they get developed. klenke, I was HOPING to see some snow on the ridge (as pictured in Nelson's guidebook) but it was long since gone. There is a lovely bivy site on the ridge about 1 pitch up, but it would be dumb to stay there this time of year (no snow for water). It would be glorious if you were more of a man than me, and willing to carry all your gear up there. Have a blast!

At the risk of sounding like someone who lives in the mountains and is clueless, What happened on 7/16?

Climb: Triumph-NE Ridge Date of Climb: 7/22/2004 Trip Report: I am tired. Wednesday, Joe and I hiked up to the nunatak camp on the Triumph Glacier in about 5 hours of uphill fun with some token downhill sections (drop down about 500 feet to get the Thornton Lake, then drop down a few hundred from the little notch to get to the nunatak campsite). Black beans and cheese for dinner, yum. Thursday morning: 5 AM wakeup 6:15 On the glacier heading for the ridge We took grassy ramps from the glacier to the ridge crest, avoiding any of the "hard to protect mid-fifth class climbing" mentioned in Nelson's guide. 7:15 We started off soloing the route, with the intention of roping up if necessary. The Skagit Gneiss on this route was un-believably pleasant to climb on, solid rock with lots of incut edges and handholds right where you need them. What a pleasure to move freely over so much terrain, and feel so secure. The exposure was unrelenting, especially off to the climber's left, the overhanging East Face, which drops straight down to the crevasses far, far below. We ended up at the 5.7 crack, eventually, and roped up for that. I never placed anything bigger than a blue tri-cam, so no #3 camalot needed (all we had was 4 stoppers and 3 tri-cams anyway). Moving through the steep heather at the top was fine, but would be DESPERATE in wet conditions, as the ledges are all sloping down into the exposed East Face. We summitted at 9:50. The descent was straightforward, though rappelling (8 times) and soloing down took longer than the ascent did. 3:30 Packed up camp and slogged all the way back to the car at the trailhead. Note: We used bikes on the 2 miles of flat trail (an old road) out of the parking lot, which I have since learned is illegal -- but it sure did speed things up!!!! I was back home in Mazama by 9:30 PM. Summary: An absolutely extraordinary climb, with spectacular views (of the Pickets, Mt Baker, Eldorado, and on and on) and incredibly aesthetic rock to climb on. The approach is longer and harder than it appears to be, and I could have happily made this a 3 day trip rather than a "climb it and de-proach" the same day. Having said that, I'm glad we did it in a two-day push. I am so glad I made the effort to get up there and climb it. Gear Notes: Crampons useful for glacier. Ice ax for a few steep sections 1 60 M rope adequate to descend NE Ridge. Very light rack

Thanks, glad you liked them! I just uploaded a few more photos: Big air and gendarme! Simulclimbing to the summit, past the last of the difficulties: Looking down the NE Face (rappels take you to the grassy ledges and rock ramps which comprise the traversing descent)

Climb: Forbidden-East Ridge Direct Date of Climb: 7/14/2004 Trip Report: Samantha "Little Wing" Goff and I set out for Marblemount mid-week to nab a permit for Boston Basin. In the past, I've made two attempts on Forbidden E Ridge and been shut down (first time by rain and whiteout, second time by inability to get a permit due to overcrowding). As we drove West from Mazama, the rain began to fall around Rainy Pass. We were undaunted, and soon the weather cleared. Arriving in Marblemount, we were dismayed to find that the Basin was full of guided parties (over 25 people registered for that night). Bummer. We contemplated fleeing back East, but then resolved to do a non-traditional climb, starting from the Cascade River Road. We drove to the road closure at Eldorado Creek and started biking up the road, soon arriving at the Boston Basin pullout. We camped nearby, and enjoyed a few Rainier beers chilled in the raging creek above our camp: 2 AM: Woke up and drank coffee, ate mashed potatoes with cheese and hot sauce 3:15 Left camp by headlamp 6:00 arrived Boston Basin 8:30 arrived at Gendarme marking start of E Ridge Route We roped up and siimulclimbed, mostly staying on the ridge crest and drinking in the spectacular views and "unrelenting exposure" that Nelson mentions in his guidebook. At times, the route would veer off the ridge crest, as shown here, traversing above the NE Face on steep, solid rock: As we climbed higher, the views continued to improve: (Note Samantha revelling in the shadows in the lower right hand corner) We had an opportunity to get vibracious climbing the 5.8 gendarme, which was surprisingly steep for the rating, but enjoyable and well protected: Soon, we were on eay terrain again and speeding toward the summit. We topped out around noon and enjoyed some food and water before turning our attention to the NE Face descent. I found it to be pretty straightforward, if a bit loose and wandering. The key to this descent, for me, was simply micro-navigating and linking together lots of easy grassy ramps and ledges -- essentially zigzagging up and down as you traverse rather than trying to go straight across. We were back at the gendarme where we started at 3 PM, twelve hours after leaving the campsite at the trailhead. At this point, fatigue started to set in a bit and we definitely took our time getting back down. Having bikes stashed helped a lot, and we were back at the car around 8 PM I believe. It was a great climb in a fabulous location. I definitely recommend it, though I must admit that I liked the West Ridge better. If you've done the W Ridge before, then the E Ridge provides an enjoyable, more challenging, less crowded alternative with a convenient descent back to boots and ice ax. Thanks to Little Wing for a great day in the Cascades. Gear Notes: Stoppers 6 Cams (up to #2 camalot) 12 slings Ice Ax No Crampons needed Approach Notes: Road is now OPEN again. Trail is snow free. Boston Basin melting out quickly. Not too much snow left down low, lots of running water and high water levels at creek crossings!!!! "I been vibracious for YEARS....."

Scariest Whipper: Climbing at nameless roadside crag in Idaho -- Came unclipped (due to me adjusting my daisy chain carelessly) at hanging belay and CASTED OFF, freefalling about 6 or 8 feet until stopping, almost miraculously, on a body-sized ledge -- he only horizontal feature between me and a 100 foot fall to the ground.

Great add'l photos, Aaron. Yeah, regarding the picket or no picket question on a climb lik this where you are on rock for the vast majority, but there IS some steep, exposed snow -- how about taking just one simple deadman (fluke)? It's more compact than a picket, lighter, and easy to place in soft snow . . . but almost useless in hard snow.... Just a thought. I think if I were to do it again I'd just take one fluke, two tools, and a 60 Meter 8.5 mm rope, and a very small rack of rock gear with lots of slings for simulclimbing.