Alasdair

Don't count on any of the routes being in unless it is cold and stays that way! The routes this weekend were good until about 10:00am sun. when the saturated snow started comming down. Furher finger was is great shape until it warmed up. The upper layers of snow are very water saturated and very heavy. Get an early start.

No the Coast Guard do not charge for rescues. I had a conversation with a crusty old Coasty last year on this topic. He was outraged that we dont charge climbers on Rainier, and I asked him the question of Coast Guard rescues. To him it is somhow different?????? Not only are they more expensive, they are more often the case of total stupidity by the person getting rescued. I dont beleive for a second that we should be charging for Coast Guard rescues. Like wise we should not be charging for climbing rescues.

Ok, great. Now that we know we are all going to get ticks in our pubes at some point in our life, does anyone have any info on the existance of Lyme disease in Washington or Oregon. How common is it? I also had encounters with ticks two weekends ago at Tieton River.

Any one have any Beta on New York Gully other than what is in Selected II. What is the chance of it being in now? Any suggestions on some more chalenging routes that might be in right now? Any info would be helpfull. Alasdair