mneagle

Has anyone given soft shells (Schoeller et al) a try? I'm wondering how they perform under PNW conditions, how tough they are and what sort of care they require to keep them water-repellent. Or are they just another scam to leach every last penny out of gear-heads?

Do you mean Thorson? It's is a pretty quick/easy climb in the winter but the road is an issue. It's really narrow and last year had several large boulders that my Jeep barely negotiated. A cool route I was thinking of doing was a traverse from Thorson to Mt. Pershing. From the summit of Thorson it looked pretty straight forward.

The north chute on Constance is great when avalanche danger is low. I've done it twice round trip from the road in a day. The approach required shoeshoes but the chute itself was well consolidated. The South Summit of the Brothers is another nice winter climb that is best done in 2 days with a bivy a safe distance from the avalanche chute. I had to bail on a solo attempt of the Brothers traverse due to a necessary rapel and no rope but it looked like it would go in the winter, conditions permitting.

For ice-climbing, OR Fall Line gloves are Gore-Tex with excellent dexterity due to no bulky padding on the fingers. You can put different thickness liners in them depending on how cold it is. For mountaineering I prefer the OR Ice Mitts. They are superwarm with the single liners, so unless you're going to the South Pole don't get the double liners.

I worked in Livingston Montana for a month a few years ago and had a few weeksends of late season ice. Hyalite Canyon gets snowed in unlesss you have a snowmobile but there are still plenty of good places to climb. For the beginner, in the Pine Creek drainage the Blue gully would be an easy lead and the Green Gully would be a good first foray into WI 4. The Park Gate area near Yellowstone is accessible year round and very moderate. Once you climb the WI 3 you can then top-rope a thin WI V on the right. There is a guide to Montana ice climbing that you might find at Feathered Friends. You could also call Dale at Timbertrails (the only outdoor store in Livingston) and ask him to send you one.

Mark Twight and Ayn Rand are cut from the same cloth. Twight's "Justification for an Elite Atitude" article in Climbing magazine a few months ago sums up in the title what it takes John Galt 50 pages in Atlas Shrugged to explain. Both would have you believe that an enormous ego is completely justified and healthy, provided you are as good as you think you are. Both climbing and objectivism glorify overcoming great obstacles due to talent and strength of character. The people who seem to like Rand are those who see themselves as being John Galt and those that hate her are those that see themselves as the minor characters in John Galt's world or who find the idea that you can line everyone in the world up in a row from best person to wort as distasteful. My own opinion: provacative, but she's nuts.

If you're looking for rarely climbed routes, Darrington is a great place to go. The new Rock Climbing Washington guide has many routes that haven't seen print in a while but neglects a few gems and topos for the more obscure routes. It makes reference to the mysterious Brooks/Whitelaw guide that has been out of print for 10 years, but not out of reach. Go to the Darrington Trading Post (can't miss it) and ask for the photocopied rock climbing guide. They have a copy of the Darrington section of the Brooks/Whitelaw guide that they will sell for the cost of the copying, about $2.50 It has decent topos of the rarely climbed Witch Doctor wall and Blueberry Hill. In the 3 o'clock Rock section, check out Shot in the Dark, just left of Magic Bus. It's a great climb that was probably left out for liability reasons from the new guide. It starts out as a well protected arch to a 30 year old bolt about 25 feet off the ground then run it out on beautiful 5.8 knobs for 30 feet to another ancient bolt. (25 - 30 = don't fall at the clip) Then it' another 15 feet to a small alien and a TCU or 2 before the leaf encrusted, moldy slings at the 2 rust 1/4 inch bolts. After that it's some better protected 5.10 face/slab and a roof. We ran out of light and couldn't do the last pitch of 5.10+ but it looked pretty cool. The route is a tribute to the lunatic on lead bolting practices of old. As it is, it's a pretty dangerous lead, but a bolt kit to replace the old 1/4inchers and new anchors could markedly improve this, but of course don't touch the runout.

I left a long trip report a few months ago at: http://www.cascadeclimbers.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/000642.html Hope it helps. If anybody has any other questions feel free to e-mail me at mneagle@u.washington.edu

Thanks for the input. I went with the M-10's after your advice and finding them on sale at Barrabes for $118. It came with bi and mono points in 3 days. Ole!

Another alternateive is the Esbit solid fuel stove. I got one down at the army surplus store on 1st Av. for $6. It weighs just a few ounces and takes up no space at all. It takes 1 cube to get 2 cups of water to boil, with each one costing 50 cents. I wouldn't try to melt snow with it. You could also just skip the stove and carry the cubes, but it would stain the rocks you burn it on. It does leave a sticky black film on the pans but it washes off pretty easily.

If you're looking for a partner, I'm definitely interested. My e-mail is mneagle@u.washington.edu

The SE buttress of Cathedral Peak is awesome. It's a long hike in but the Pesatin Wilderness is incredible scenery. It's stiff for its grade with pitch after pitch of 5.7 to 5.9 climbing on steep cracks. North face of Baring is a great grade V. The East Ridge of Inspiration is a stellar alpine experince. Don't bother with the West Ridge choss-fest.

We climbed Cathedral Peak a few weeks ago and I couldn't help staring at the imposing black face of Teapot Dome on the way. Becky writes that there are a number of worthy routes put up by Pete Doorish but doesn't give any of the beta. There are 2 domes on the mountain and the eastern one has an awesome looking south face with an obvious crack/dihedral right up the middle. Does anyone have any beta on these routes? Also, the SE Buttress of Cathedral Peak rocks! But before heading in, be sure to call the ranger station and see if the Chewuch Trail is open. That way was closed when we showed up, so we had to hike 50 miles round-trip rather than 36. It was a beautiful hike though and no fire damage was visible at all.

Anyone ever try Stuart's Ice Cliff Glacier this time of year?

I've climbed Constance twice in the winter and once in the late summer. The winter trips were far superior experiences. I've climbed both the North and South Gullys and the North is definitely much better. It's steep and strenuous but both times I've been up it the snow was firm neve. The time I climbed it in the late summer we went up the South Gully and ended up in the ER after I knocked a rock down that hit my buddy in the leg. Think scree nightmare. The approach up Avalanche Gulch is also much better in the winter as you can just snowshoe across the lake and up the gulch rather than scramble over a mile of loose talus and boulders. I would definitely do it as a day trip. It took me 6 hours car to car solo w/ a light pack. For Cruiser, the best approach is the standard one in the climber's guide. It's about 10 miles on good trail. I climbed it last september and made the mistake of not bringing crampons. Even with ice axes we had to find a very precarious route through the moat and 'shrund to get past the steep ice gully. The rock climbing is easy but exposed enough that I wouldn't do it without a rope. Just bring a few small stoppers for pro and you'll probably feel fine. We climbed it in one long day after bivying at the trailhead. I think the Olympics are an immensely overlooked opportunity for winter mountaineering. I'm sorry to see the cracks in the North Cascades turning into waterfalls, but I'm excited about the coming opportunities on the other side of the Sound. [This message has been edited by mneagle (edited 09-27-2001).]

I'm looking to upgraded my vertical ice equipment. I've been thinking about Trango Harpoons vs. Grivel Rambos w/ monopoints. The Rambo Comps are enticing, but I'm worried that the tiny rear points would not allow French technique on lower angle stuff. Anybody got any advice about these models or others? Thanks

quote: Originally posted by Dru: Didn't mneagle or someone else on this site recently (last few months) say they did the direct start and it was good?? I was definitly not the person calling the direct start good. I tried it a few years ago and agree that the first pitch is nice followed by a very scary and unprotectable section that we bailed from in favor of the bypass. We ran into a couple of Canadians who were descending after getting rained on the day before, but as a consolation hit the mother load of booty. They found a new down jacket, shoes, a bunch of Aliens and other gear strewn about on some ledges. They hypothesized that some poor guy's pack opened up and rained treasure down the mountain. The only thing that rained on us was...well, rain.

I climbed it a few weeks ago. We approached by the Eldorado/East Ridge route. From the pass at 7200' descend left to the glacier pass, passing an enormous crevasse on the right side. At the bottom of the pass between Eldo and Dorado Needle there is a steep snow wall that we had to cut steps in. We descended the right side of the glacier without too much trouble. There isn't an obvious way to traverse across, so we just bushwhacked across the heathery slope until we reached a talus field and could finally see the spire. The snow field starts out gently but gets a little steep higher up. The moat was a little scary to cross; we set up a snow anchor and belayed across it to a small ledge where we de-cramponed and started climbing. Nelson's route description is pretty weak. Becky's is much better, which shows the 5.8 lie-back exiting right followed by a wide crack up the the large ledge where the 5.9 starts. It's a pretty short crux and protects well with a small stopper. Once you are on the upper ledges, traverse way right to a nice little stance just to the right of a steep, clean 10' crack to a ledge before the arching finger crack. The descent description by Nelson was fairly worthless. It says something about going north to easy downclimbing, but since it didn't say descend to the obvious col, we were confused where this easy downclimbing is supposed to be. Becky implies there is a route up from the col, so I assume this is what the correct descent is. We ended up rapping down the face, setting up very marginal anchors, one of which failed, but not until the 3rd inspection. Once on the glacier, it's a long descent down to a point where we followed a stream down the steep cliff band along the left side of the glacier. From there it's a long climb back through the passes to inspiration glacier. The rock climbing was pretty good, but it's a approach and descent that really stand out in my mind. If I was going to do it again, I may consider a bivy below the snowfield leading to the spire, unless you're really fast. Good luck. Anyone else out there have an easier time getting down?

I haven't done Perry's lieback so I can't compare. It's more technical than strenusous. It protects well with small nuts which held several falls from me while trying to work out the sequence. It can easily be aided through if need be. From the top of the 5th pitch of Borderline, there is a fixed rope that helps you get 15 feet up a wet section and then just walk to the end of the dirt ledge. From there it's 1 lead of mid 5th class climbing left and slightly up 'til you join Angel's Crest. It felt pretty straight forward to me.

I went to Squamish about 10 days ago with one of the FA's of Borderline and did an interesting link-up with Angels Crest. Borderline has 2 options lower down with the better one being the 11c. The other variation is a lot easier. There is a 5th pitch not in the guidebook that goes up the chimney (bolted; no Big-Bro's needed) and ends after a 10d bolted slab (all well protected). From there go left on a brushy ledge to the end and in one moderate lead gain Angel's Crest low-down, just below the 10a pitch. There were 14 good rock pitches and 3-4 sections of 3rd to 4th class. Near the top we took the 10b/c crack variation to the right that was great and deposited us at the base of the 10a crack 2 pitches from the top. We had a rack to #3 Camalot and had no problems protecting. It's supposed to be the longest route to the top of the Chief that isn't mostly 5.11.

One other thing, there are fixed lines all the way down Dolomite Tower. Anybody know what's going on up there?

After 3 years of staring at the pictures in Becky, my fiancee and I finally climbed the North Face of Mt. Baring. Anyone who is into adventure climbing read on, weak hearted stop now. The approach to the gully has no trail. If you find yourself on a wet, dangerous slab, the correct gully is above you: go left, up and then back right. The brushy ridge has no trail and involves several hundred feet of major bushwhacking. From the top of Rockfall Point, the rest of the route is straight forward and Becky's descriptions were right on. We made it to Dolomite Camp at the top of the first step about 11 hours after leaving Seattle. The pitches up the 1st step were enjoyable 5.6. The traverse is exposed, but protects well. At Dolomite Camp the museum of Golden Era artifacts begins. There were some old mason jars, an old pot and the remains of a wooden frame backpack. The bivy spots there were good and a large snow patch is still there which has running water coming off of it. It's big enough that it should last through Sept, lightening your water carrying need considerably. The climbing from there was great and again Becky's descriptions were perfect with the exception of overestimating the length of the 4th class pitches. Using the photo in Becky taken from Dolomite Camp, it's easy to scope out the second day's climbing. There are a lot of old pitons all the way up to help keep you on route. The climbing was solid and a bit runout, although the cruxes protected well. The piton traverse is about 10a and takes good gear in addition to the rusty pitons. The bolt belay is backed up by a new 1/2 inch bolt. The 2nd 5.10 pitch is about 10c and climbs past 2 pitons in the crux. We hauled packs on the 2nd pitch. Hauling packs on the traverse looks like it would be difficult. There is another snow patch with a running stream on the decent. Overall it's a satisfying climb with a distinctly remote feeling. The bottom section is mostly an endurance test while the upper pitches are enjoyable, tough rock climbing, but don't expect it to be like climbing Davis-Holland.

The "Fee Demo Program" is supposed to charge for "recreational use of land". If you are there for spiritual, work, educational etc uses then the fee doesn't apply. This is why writing a ticket and leaving it on a car without seeing the occupants is an easy set up to fight in court. You can claim you weren't recreating but were praying in the woods. The cops know this. The time I got a ticket, it was in the Icicle Creek parking lot, where a cop walked up to me, commented on the beautiful weather and had we been enjoying it. I told him in a friendly way we had indeed enjoyed it, climbing Outer Space. At which point he promptly wrote a ticket. At that point, having admitted to recreating, I couldn't fight the ticket in court. In the cases of tickets left on cars without seeing the occupants in which the people attempted to fight it in court, the charges were dropped. This is because they are afraid if they lose the case that the whole program will dissolve. As it is, enough people are paying the fines without fighting them that it's in their interest not to fight the few dangerous cases and just drop their fines. The recommendation I've read is that you should leave a note on your car, saying you are in the forest for some purpose other than recreating.

Their web page is: www.wildthingsgear.com I've had one for a few years and it has worked great from craggin' to mountaineering in South America. Super light and tough.

I climbed Burgandy Spire 2 days ago with my girlfriend. The turnout is on the right 3.8 mi after the WA Pass sign. If you see the Cutthroat Peak trail sign, it's one turnout behind you. There is a great trail from the turnout that hits the Early Winters Creek and continues on the other side about 15 feet to the left. Instead of crossing Burgandy Creek, the new trail goes lefdt and parallels it. We stopped to pump water and still made it to the basin in under 2 hours and to the col in another hour. The trail out of the basin goes up straight towards Vasiliki Tower and then cuts right through a few treed ridge lines to come out below Burgandy Col. Nelson says the altitude at the col is 7950, but my altimeter said 7700. The summit is 8400 in the book and on my altimeter, making me think it was a typo in the book. The first several pitches to the big ledge are obvious from the visible rap stations. We took the original route, up to the left, making a slight variation climbing on the right side of a 5.9 dihedral just above the belay before climbing up and left to the arete, clipping the bolt and setting up a belay. In Becky's huide, he said the original party went left and threw a rope over the 2nd tower. I took a look around there and found a cool 30 foot 4 inch crack that was at least hard 5.10. Instead, we went over to the west side and down around the next spire to go up the 5.8 chimney. It's hard to protect but better than the 4" 5.10 crack 5-6 feet to the left. We rapped off the west face and diagonally down towards the north face after passing a rap station and continued down 2 more rap stations to the climber's right of the route to the sandy ledge and then down the gully to just beneath the col. Rope drag was a big problem near the top, which accounted for our total 6 pitches. Use double rope rappels. There is glacier 10 feet below the col but no other running water after the first stream. Unless you are planning on doing both Chianti and Burgundy, don't bivy, just do it in a day.