goatboy

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.

Nice work! How was access in regard to the bergschrund, crevasses, etc? Did you solo to the NE Face, and did you rope up on the face? How steep? Thanks for any info.

Hi, I like mine but recently got a lighter pack. I have a used one (about 5 years old) which I'm happy to consider selling you if you like. PM me if you're interested. Steve

Special Ed, Would that be Colchuck LAKE or PEAK? If its Lake you're referring to, I've seen that flow (drops down from Jabberwocky Tower drainage, I believe) below Colchuck Balanced Rock, in April. It was FAT and blue in the spring. What did it look like when you saw it? Thanks.

Good topic, but lets give the original Conan quote it's due (he is the governor now, you know): "Conquer enemies, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentation of the women!!!!" Could that quote apply to climbing as well, after all?

Please post a link to their ad here -- it will help folks find them! I want to say I am acquainted with these guys and recommend them very highly as good people and great climbers with a mix of professionalism and humor. THanks Steve

Well, it looks like you were on route to me. The yellow line ("correct route?) marked on the topo seems like a lot of rock climbing on exposed, loose terrain as opposed to dropping down and traversing, as we did. We rapped (off a purple sling) down from Torment onto the glacier (where you bivied) and encountered a huge schrund there. Then it was traversing on snow, doing a few hundred feet of 50 snow with poor runout, then up a rock rib (loose, unpleasant easy fifth class) to regain the ridge crest. Then it was highway cruising on the ridge to a large gendarme which we climbed up and over, then it went on to gain the west ridge of Forbidden standard route. Sounds like you were on route to me -- the "shortcut" shown on your topo, to me, seems like it would be a lot slower, all things being even. THat's my interpretation of the topo and my memory of the route. Nice work on a beautiful climb. As for the unplanned 2nd bivy, better safe than sorry. "If you take bivy gear, you will bivy . . ." S

Where in the world is this wall?

I have replaced all of my oval/d biners with wiregates and will happily bestow them upon you for cheap, especially if you live in the PDX area and can come get them. This would be a great deal for someone looking to put together an aid rack and needing extra biners. They're all good, belay-quality biners. PM me if interested. Thanks, Steve

no doubt, redoubt! My bad.

So what's the fastest you've ever climbed the W Ridge of Forbidden (please specify if you're talking car to summit, camp to summit, camp to camp, whatever it is). What's the slowest? Did you use any special strategies to get you there this fast or this slow? This thread may bring out some interesting patterns or learning for folks, I believe. Thanks in advance for sharing. My record slow time: 23 hours camp to camp when I was learning how to climb. We epic-ed and got back to the tent at about 2:30 AM, long after headlamps had died. My fastest time: 1.5 hours from top of W Ridge Couloir to summit, soloing about a third of the ridge and simul-climbing the rest in one long block.

Crackbolter, I like the idea of keeping a record of slow and fast times, for amusement and inspiration as much as for a guideline for climbers to gauge their own times -- but since such records can change so frequently, it seems to be better done via a website format rather than a printed book that only gets revised/updated once in a blue moon. Perhaps this website could start keeping track of such times in a separate thread or forum? I would love to see a spray-free place where folks could post what they climbed, what manner they climbed it, and any other special strategies they used (like stashing a bike for the descent/approach, whatever). Having said all that, I think the recent empahsis on speed-climbing for its own sake is a bit scary, as it can predispose people to compromise safety by competing against others instead of against themselves. I think I'll start a "pilot" thread on record times (slow and fast) for one climb and see what folks have to say. I'll do it in the Climber's Board right now.

Hi pms, Thanks for your response. I think your question about what time ranges could be revised/improved is worthy of a thread of its own rather than being buried here in mine, but in response to your question, I think that most parties could climb from the edge of Eldorado Glacier to the summit in 2-4 hours. My suggestion, for future revisions, is to clarify in the text which glacier is being referred to, as there are multiple possible approaches and multiple glaciers that one could be at the edge of. I wasn't sure if you meant the edge of the eldo glacier or the edge of the inspiration glacier, from the text. To summarize, I believe it should read something like: "2-4 hours one-way from the toe of the Eldorado Glacier; 1-2.5 hours from high camp at the base of the East Ridge." Thanks for being receptive to comments! Steve

yeah, thanks for the responses. Do you think the authors intentionally "pad" the time, assuming that people in the know will re-interpret it based on previous experience? If so, it's confusing, because as mentioned above, some of the times seem to be "padded" and others not . . . Prussik Peak West Ridge (3-5 hours from base) seems pretty long, to me, but the time estimates for The Beckey Route (3-5 hours from car) seems right on for most. I realize that some folks will solo sections that others will pitch out, others will simul, and so on . . . and time estimates are merely ballpark figures to use as a gauge . . . but who would really take the 10 hours listed to get up Eldorado? Any other thoughts? Thanks for the comments. Steve

Let me start by saying I love Jim Nelson's climbing guides and read them falling asleep each night. Having said that, I wanted to ask about the time estimate given for Eldorado Peak's East Ridge route. He says it takes "8-10 hours from the edge of the glacier, 1 way" for Eldorado. We found it to be more like 2.5 hours. This, coming from the edge of the Eldorado Glacier to the summit. And I am by no means an especially fast climber. Anyone else have a different interpretation of what he means here? Is it a simple typo, or am I misinterpreting what it says? Thanks in advance for any thoughts. Steve