goatboy

Maybe we could open a thread that is "get well wishes" people could submit -- then you could print 'em up to go with the stuff you bring. Just an idea. Icegirl, if you like the idea and want to do that, go ahead and open the new thread. - Steve

I succeeded on climbing Forbidden my first attempt at ever climbing any peak -- any have failed on four attempts since then, getting a little FURTHER from the summit on each successive attempt due to weather (X 3) and no permit available for Boston Basin once. I have also made three attempts on S Face Prussik, failing each time due to rain or lightning -- once I was on pitch 5 when lightning came!! Bleak!!!! I suck in the mountains, I guess -- or just get pretty unlucky on certain ones, that's for sure.

I will take a gander at it and let you know what I see . . . I won't be there til July, though . . .

I climbed NW Face of Libert Bell (the Kraus/Rupley route) and enjoyed it as it was something different, but one of the middle pitches (I think it was pitch 3 or so) was fairly grim, 5.8 on super loose rock. It takes you up to the base of the final pitch, a stellar 165-foot long dihedral on good rock. This dihedral was clearly the highlight of the route. There are other variations on this route as well that I did not do.

Great info, helps flesh out Beckey's descriptions a lot. Soooo Erik, how'd you like to climb that N Face route sometime? I'll check it out while I'm up there but won't "snake it" from you. Steve

Jason, that's great beta, thanks very much. Surprising that the mounties climb it and don't leave their "droppings" (i.e. rap slings) all over it! When I climbed dragontail last year we hiked out right beneath the Witch's Tower and it looked like glorious rock, though a short route as people here have said . . . I would not hike in there just to climb it, but hope to incorporate it into a larger 5 day trip thru the enchantments (along with Prusik, colchuck, maybe dragontail) Thanks for the beta, folks -- anyone else? S

Hey Foraker, Welcome to a screwy online community. I can't get your link to open: "Web page unavailable" -- is the problem with the link, or with me? I just got back from NZ, by the way . . . S

I just found out that tieton is closed until May for raptor nesting. Good to know, as I was hoping to head there this weekend. Thought y'all might like to be aware of this closure, in case you weren't already. Guess I'll que up at Smith instead . . .

Soooooooooo, Not too much to say about this formation huh? Must be one of those "best kept secrets" I reckon . . .

Viktor just informed me via email that the route is currently rated "5.11+" in his new guidebook, going to press in a few days he says. Now I know . . . I can't lead that shit!!!!! - the humbled one

Cool, I just emailed him. Thanks, p.p.

Ditto E Face Minuteman, though there is a very loose and unenjoyable pitch right below the great roof/handcrack pitch. E Butt SEWS also great. Burgundy Spire is great and not crowded, usually. I enjoyed climbing "The Archer" on Black Horse Point. Check it out in Burdo's "North Cascade Rock" guidebook. Did not do "Pampas Drifter" on same formation, though it looked harder and longer. There are good routes to do on Kangaroo Temple as well, though frequently used by the Mounties... I also like the Cave route on Concord and "Rapple Grapple" on Liberty Bell. The North Face of Lexington is easy but fun. Noticed some variations around NW Face of Libert Bell, don't know what they were or who did them, but there was fixed gear and I believe I saw some bolts as well . . . There's so much good stuff up there!

I see several routes on this formation in Beckey's book, wonder if anyone has any beta on any of them. Hoping to go in there this summer and attempt something on the tower. Thanks in advance. Steve

How long is this snow section, approximately (at least, when you encountered it)? S

Sorry the picture doesn't just appear, you can click the link that says "attachment" by my previous post to make it come up. Rating? Since I couldn't lead it, I lowered off and never finished it, so I can't say. What I hear from folks here averages around 5.11. Certainly no 5.10a! I don't have his email address, but hopefully he'll check out this thread?

Like most people reading this thread, I haven't done the T-F Traverse. But I do like to carry rock shoes to move on long alpine rock ridges -- the security and efficiency of moving over class 5 rock in rock shoes is worth the added weight, to me, because I feel that I can climb so much quicker (and safer, assuming simul-climbing). If it were a ridge that went back and forth often between snow and rock, then it would seem more inefficient to stop and change footwear several times . . . But something like N Ridge Stuart or W Ridge Forbidden, I enjoy having my rock shoes on to move mo' fastah. On the other hand, I totally support the argument that light is right and if you can cruise it in your approach boots, more power to you.

Here's an image of me flailing on the "10a." Hope Viktor gives it a more appropriate rating in the new guidebook. I would love to see someone actually send this thing in good style. I didn't. IPA at Gustav's sure was good though. Anyone know when the new L-worth guidebook is coming out? Viktor?

Mostly 30-degrees, steepest part is in the 40-45 degree range as I recall -- the route starts off steep, then kicks back in the middle above the chockstone, then steepens again through the upper part where it narrows. The upper part of the route is the most aesthetic part. Yes, I'd think one axe would do fine for many folks, thought I've seen people use two tools for this route. I'd take one. Hope you have a good trip and post a trip report. Steve

I have alphas -- I like them a lot -- the insoles that came with them are paper-thin crap -- but I replaced them with "SuperFeet" insoles. I got the green (winter) insoles and have found them to be fairly warm and effective. Steve

I have climbed this route in May and June, and actually never encountered ice, per se -- but have encountered lots of firm (and some fluffy) snow. I'm sure ice is possible, but I just haven't encountered it. I'm curious who has seen ice on this route, and at what time of year. Both times I climbed it, the chockstone was buried in snow, and not even visible. We walked right over it. I would say the actual crux is climbing the snowy rocks (quite easy when dry, but slick when wet/snowy) exiting the couloir and attaining the summit area. Beware the very corniced snowpatch overhanging the East Face at the very top of the couloir!!! I've seen footprints leading out onto it before . . . This is a great climb in an awesome position. Approaching via the hairpin (rather than slogging up the blue lake trail) early in the morning gives good firm snow to hike up on and a great glissade back to the car . . . Mo Fastah mo bettah! See attached image of route if you like. Have fun, Steve

Nice work on Guinness -- I heard beer is better without ice anyway, and Guinness is better room temperature (as it was that day) . . . Nice to hear that my message "worked" for some of the truckers. See you again sometime in the moooontins. But probably not THIS weekend, given the freaking rain! I had enough rain in canada in January. Whatever. To PDX-ers: Hope to meet some of y'all at the show tonight. Steve

Hey Erik, Clearly you would never be one to write absurd things on someone's vehicle . . . I can understand why that would be offensive to you. So, how did it "get crazy?" The drytooling I saw going on was enough for me . . . As I recall, you took off to hike up and bypass the rock, did y'all get on the route? It was noonish when we bailed . . . We got RAINED on the next day, by the way . . . what a weird trip. And I'm STILL trying to find out when the PDX slideshow is tonight . . .

Dear Know Fear, Thanks for advertising your slideshow on the night of the 12th (see EVENTS) but I didn't see any mention of when it takes place. Please inform. Is there any charge or anything to the general public? Thanks, Steve

Interesting question. In the original scenario, you never designated if the entire rope was stretched out between you and your unconcscious second. If so, that complicates things. If you have spare rope, as you often might when belaying, you could conceivably escape the belay (tying off the unconscious second with a munter mule knot or what have you) and use the slack (coiled on the ledge beside you) to rap down to them (or maybe at least close to them) to assess their situation. If there's no slack to work with, then maybe think about lowering them until you have some slack in the rope OR down-aiding to figure out what happened to them. If there's a mechanism of serious injury (i.e. you incurred or observed massive rockfall right before they went unconscious) then that's info that might influence what you do, eh? Thanks for bringing up this interesting topic. Steve

Yeah, the link-up would be good . . . I assume you're referring to the two routes in Nelson's book, the NW Corner and West Face. What are your thoughts on how you'd do the link up? What order would you do the routes in, and how would you get from the top of one to the other? Especially since they share the same first pitches... Seems like climbing one in its entirety, doing the long-ish descent, and then climbing the other route followed again by the standard descent, would be a lot of time. Is that plan your vision, or would you foresee rapping off one of the routes to access the other? Just curious, having done both routes but not linked them. Steve