goatboy

Hey Michael, I get it now ... your subtle joke went over my head the first time. I'm glad I "corrupted" you to use slides. They're definitely Mo Bettah! Fun to do slide shows too. As for your link, it didn't come up for me. ALso, when I go to "mountainwerk.com" it re-directs me to "Buy Domains.com" and says that your domain name is up for sale. I love your website and trip reports -- is it gone now?

Hi Michael, I took some photos of you on Orbit a long time ago and sent you some -- how'd you like 'em? As for your point about reading the text carefully, all I see is the caption stating that they're "carrying over the NE Buttress on a 3-day traverse" of the 3 peaks. It does not, to me, state or imply that they didn't climb to the main summit. Or are you referring to different text other than the photo caption? Anyone else have any input on this question? Thanks.

Hey Cascade Historians, On page 207 of Nelson's Selected Climbs Vol I (2nd Ed) there is a photo of Sean Courage and Andreas Schmidt on a 3-day traverse of Buckner, Logan, and Goode. Does anyone know more about their traverse? I am curious what strategy they used, what routes they climbed, where they bivied, approached from and descended to, did they use a car shuttle, etc. I am not intending to go do the traverse, necessarily, but I am inspired by their effort and would like to learn more about how they did it. Thanks in advance!

Does anyone know what route they were on on Tasman? And Joshk, what sort of permitting issues are you talking about? There were no such permitting issues at this time last year, so I'm wondering what has changed. Thanks, Steve

Here's a PHOTO from Summit Post Nice looking "rock" huh? Not as bad as Fisher Towers, but Christ . . .

Yeah. I climbed this thing in August of 99. It was desperate, and terrifying. Ended up leading every pitch, including leading the crux pitch (5.9 with fictional pro) twice over the course of a few days due to partner bailing after I lead it the first time. Returned a few days later with another partner and inexplicably lead it again. It was dumb. Summiting, however, was glorious. The views are great. I do not recommend it at all to people that I like. Still, I'm glad I did it.

I want to be the first to admit that I'm a total gearhead techno weenie geek, but I love this thread! This is the coolest techno trick I've seen in a LONG time! Thanks for sharing it. I love it when someone looks at something we all do all the time and envision it a different, innovative (though ultimately simple) way. Thanks! Steve

Thanks for the update. Good to hear useful information ("the snow was connected all the way to the ground") rather than "We went up there. Things looked good." Could you see the North Side of Stuart at all from where you stopped? Probably not, I'm guessing....

Notes on Aspiring: Definitely not "non-technical" -- there is some considerable glacier travel to be had, more or less depending on if you fly in to the Collin Todd Hut or not -- but the NW Ridge is a good route that is largely free of the objective hazard I described seeing on Cook. The "must do route" on Aspiring, in my opinion, is the SW Ridge route -- though conditions can make it bleak, as I found it last year. I have done the NW Ridge (on another trip) and highly recommend the entire alpine experience (plus it's closer to 4000 feet from the hut to Aspiring summit than 6000 feet from the plateau hut to Cook's summit). I love the Aspiring Region, though it doesn't quite pack the glaciated punch that Plateau does. S

Not to rain in the direction of the parade . . . But in my opinion, the Linda Glacier route is inordinately dangerous (due to massive seracs and icefall threatening much of the route) relative to the actual aesthetics of the climb itself (mostly a slog). When I was camped at the Plateau Hut, I assessed the conditions (very broken up glacier with lots of wandering and a fixed line to pass the bergschrund, the freezing levels (high), and the success rate of other parties (low) and determined that the mountain was beautiful but the route itself was not worth it. I would highly recommend some other climbs which can be done from the same hut, however, including the Silberhorn Ridge (Grade 3) and the East Ridge of Dixon (Grade 2+), both magnificent, rewarding climbs with great views and far less objective hazard than that one encounters on the Linda. I heard of a local fellow who was trying out to be a guide for one of the local guide services. He was told to pick a route on Cook and guide the trainer up the route as he would a client. He chose the Linda, got the trainer up and down the route safely, and failed the exam. The reason? He picked a dangerous route. Anyway, I don't mean to be all doom and gloom, but I do want to say that there are many other good, safer routes to do than the Linda Glacier route.

I second the Arthur's Pass vote. I hiked up Avalanche Peak and Bealey Peak (probably 2nd/3rd class at most), mostly on a trail, and enjoyed them both, as they were pleasant and afforded views of nearby glaciers. There are hostels and other places to stay around there as well. Have fun, what a great place to visit. Feel free to PM if you want more beta. Steve

Yeah, the Freak Brothers is a WILD looking formation. I can't Believe it's a Girdle is almost certainly an engaging route if you're up to it -- it's rated R or X for the follower, and I recall someone dying on it a few years back (it's in ANAM, forget which year). . . What a wild rock formation though! It's especially cool to check out the huge rock debris at the base, where the bottom of the roof separated from the main formation and casted off. Crazy.

I invite you to re-read my post and tell me what YOU think my point is. It has nothing to do with being a leading climber, or a professional climber, or a writer. How are things in the gutter, by the way? Oh, I have to go de-wad my panties!!!! I love the way YOU told me to chill, after your presumptuous diatribe against someone you've never met. This will be my last attempt at communicating with you on this topic. Thanks for the thought-provocation!

Glasgowkiss eloquently commented: dear ego, maybe if you put up some sicko alpine line, then they will contact you. just for a record- imagine every sizzle chest beating nibble nut trying to send them unsolicited stuff??!! it would turn into cc.com . this is a very good publication, with fantastic pictures and text to match. noticed minimum add space? tha's why i stopped reading climbing and r&i. if i want to read gear catalog i can get one for free from manufacturer. the quality of pictures and the text in these 2 publications are so lame it makes me want to puke. my advice to you fame seaking friend is to go, climb some sicko routes, make a name for yourself and then i am sure you'll be receiving phone call from the man himself. Whew, hoooooo AHHHHH! Guess he told me, huh? I am not a sick alpinist, and don't tend to "put up sicko lines." But if those are the criteria for getting published in that particular magazine, they should have said as much. What they DID say, instead, was very different, which was an invitation to the climbing community at large to query them about contributions -- when I did so, I was met with the "Who the hell are you to contribute?" attitude I mentioned. So my point is not that I'm a great alpinist worthy of their magazine, rather, the inconsistency between their solicitation and their reaction to people like me who took them at face value. Whatever. As I said, it's a cool publication and does have great photos and stories. I can't wait to read what Glasgow has to say about this post . . .

I have and will continue to do so! Thanks. S

Has anyone ever climbed any of them? Can you recommend a good guidebook? How about a good route, from 5 min to a 6 hour approach, ranging from 4th class to 5.11c, 1 to 10 pitches, with or without crampons, hook and Rurps optional, bivy gear a must? And who is this Beckey guy, in a sentence or two? Should I buy his book or Smoot's? Is Leavenworth a good place to go if I'm looking to ski some North Faces this Winter? How late are the lifts open? Do Cascade girls wear Gore-Tex or Cappy-lene? Briefs or Boxers? Thanks for your help, I haven't lived in Bellevue for very long . . . Sassy Mc-Alpine Tumble-pants, III

What does it cost to subscribe to the damn thing? There was a hell of a solicitation, initially, for people to send photos and articles and so forth for the magazine when it was new . . . Then when I inquired as to what sort of photos, articles, etc they might be looking for, Christian Beckwith himself replied to me via email, as if I had intruded on his perfect world, stating something along the lines of, "Thanks very much for asking how you can contribute, at this point we have some good people working with us, so we'll contact you if anything changes, buh bye." It was a bit of a turn-off, after he had solicited input from the climbing community . . . It is a very nice publication and features cool alpine routes and images and articles . . . . . just none by me! S

Adventureregal, do you mean the skill and athleticism of skiing, or soccer? My problem with the so called "Mountain" film fest is that it has gotten far away from mountains per se -- the soccer thing is a good example -- as well as some of the jumping out of airplanes sort of things they've shown over the last few years, or the epic sailboat trips, extreme unicycling, all that shit, etc -- not that those things aren't valuable, but wazzup with calling it a mountain film fest?

I'm down. I drove from P-town up to Seattle for the Mark Twight show last week. It was definitely worth the drive and effort. I don't quite have as much faith in the Banff M F F, but would rather see it sooner than wait til April. I'll see what I can swing . . .

Duh, I clicked the link and answered my own question . . . It's not here until April 21-22...

How about Portland? Is there a website where you can get the tour dates, etc? Thanks.

Great to see what a flurry of activity this southern california topic generates among NW-erners when the rain and snow start to fly . . . My suggestions and a few responses: 1) Beware the walk-off's (or treat them with respect) -- at times, they're as hard or scary as the climbs themselves. . . 2) Best bang for the buck -- Hidden Valley Campground or Hall of Horrors cragging 3) Illusion Dweller is a 5.10b, very sustained and long and cruxy at the very, very end . . . need a 60 M rope (or maybe two 50's?) to get off . . . 4) Lost Horse wall has great multi-pitch routes, including the Bird on a Wire climb mentioned above -- be prepared to climb slick, hard moves off the belay on the last pitch before getting any gear in . . . 5) Touch and Go is only one pitch, I believe . . . it's a glorious 5.9+ thin crack/dihedral 6) Bighorn Mating Grotto is cool but hard to find . . . 7) THE EXORCIST (5.10a) is very hard and sustained for the rating, but can be climbed and protected well as a series of boulder problems between good rests . . . 8) Pope's crack is pretty flaring and gritty, I thought . . . 9) Heart and Sole (on Echo Rock) is a wild, beautiful thin face leading up to a positive, locking lieback crack . . . 10) Hobbit Roof is short but so good! 11) Sidewinder is dangerous and hard now that some bolts are missing from the upper traverse -- I don't recommend it to people that I like -- 12) Bird of Fire (in the Isles in the Sky area) is a very cool, challenging 5.10 with an overhanging jamming finish . . . 13) Tax man -- sustained 10a crack 14) The routes on Intersxn rock (overhang bypass, etc) are super good, though crowded . . . 15) Beware Double Cross, hard for the rating and hard to protect first 15-20 feet . . . 16) Geology Tour Road has very cool, uncrowded climbs including the ultra-classic Perpetual Motion Crack (5.10d) -- very wild, overhanging, locking hand jam 75 foot long pumpfest! So good! 17) joshua Tree saloon has free taco night and cheap drinks on Wednesdays (or is it Tuesdays?) -- very worth the drive and effort!!!!! Have a great trip and post a trip report and some pictures!

Anyone have any recent knowledge regarding conditions of the Stuart Glacier Couloir? Curious if there appears to be continuous snow/ice or if it's still intermittent rock and ice. Any other info is appreciated as well (i.e. what conditions are like on south side approach from Ingalls Pass). Thanks a lot.

Hey Pat O, Thanks for the observation -- While I did fault Wayne for dumping gear in the Pickets, my post leaned on Twight (of all people?) who is guilty of bragging about the same tactics on Denali, then denying it in a Patagonia catalog for sponsorship. I appreciate your graceful way of pointing out the inconsistency in my message, and of stepping up to speak on behalf of your friend, with whom you have a whole lot experience than I do. Self aggrandizing? Well put. As for Wayne sending his mom up there to extricate the gear he stashed, he did state on the microphone that he left the gear there not sure if he would ever go back up there again to reclaim it -- whether or not that's what he meant to say, I don't know. I was posting my criticsm based on what he said. Thanks for offering a more informed view on an accomplished climber. If one is willing to give a slide show to a paying audience, especially under the auspices of the American Alpine Club or any other national climbing entity, he would be wise to consider not only his climbing skills and prowess but how he is influencing those not as experienced or talented as he is in regard to impacting the wilderness, respecting one's partners, and the value of humility in a community full of ego. I hope someday to climb as well, or as bravely, as Wayne, but more so, I aspire to be a respectful partner, a caretaker of the alpine, and to remember that there's many climbers out there that are better than myself. I wish Wayne the best of luck in his future expeditions, and also wish him more awareness of how he's coming across to his audience. - Steve Smith, PDX OR

Thanks for putting on the show. My review is mixed. The climbing was extraordinary, but some of the apparent attitude that went along with it left me wondering. Some things I remember from the show: 1) boombox music made narration hard to hear, and the music didn't seem to contribute much to Wayne's storytelling style (someone stepped up and turned it down, eventually)... 2) Weird graphic flow chart showing all of the different ways that wayne classifies different types of climbing -- hard to read, impossible to digest in a single glance, seemed like a rhetorical move intended to impress the audience... 3) A beautiful panoramic slides of the Southern Picket Range (this photo had a copyright icon next to someone's name, apparently not taken by Wayne) . . . 4) A very cool slide showing peak names for all of the peaks pictured in the previously-mentioned slide . . . 5) A nice, though very random, smattering of slides from all over the place, including the himalaya, dragontail peak, alaska I think, all over the place . . . the triple couloirs shots and the photos of the N Buttress of Fury were excellent . . . 6) Moving into the heart of the show, the Southern Pickets, Wayne explained that he climbed it with Colin and "this other guy," who he referred to as "this other guy" for most of the evening... seems that Wayne didn't really care so much about his partner as doing the route itself. 7) The images of the lads summiting peak after peak, and holding up a corresponding number of fingers . . . 8) The Crucifixion Image of the three on top of a summit at sunset, re-enacting the Crucifixion via shadows on nearby rock wall . . . very creative and cool shot . . . 9) "These guys didn't know me very well because once I get my mind set on something, you better get out of my way." 10) Caching stuff in the Pickets, including food, when he wasn't sure if or when he was even going to go back to get it . . . also shooting fireworks off in the wilderness . . . seemed somewhat unconcerned about leaving no trace in what is one of the more pristine wilderness areas in the N Cascades . . . I was incredibly impressed by the drive and determination of Wayne and his partners. I had a harder time with his emphasis on his own climbing skills and the importance of the route itself versus his respect for his partners and the importance of them. Mark Twight, among others, has stated that it's much less important what you climb than who you climb with. Alex Lowe claims that the best climber on the mountain is the one having the most fun. Wayne's show demonstrated phenomenal climbing accomplishments and determination, though it seemed to fundamentally prioritize the route itself and his own success over the relationship or respect for his partners themselves. In this sense, it didn't seem that his goal was to inspire others as much as to promote what he has done. I don't know Wayne and may well be mis-interpreting, but that's the way his show came across to me and the other folks I went with.