Bronco

I think what Mike is saying is have your gear/food/clothing dialed in so you're in constant motion. Fuel while on the move, have important stuff packed where it's easily accessible, be thinking ahead to what's next so you're mentally prepared for the next transition and have the sequence of the next transition thought through. (need to put on my harness first, then crampons, grab an energy gel, flake the rope, etc.) I know from personal experience that I can become dependent on a more experienced partner and wait for his queue before performing certain tasks. This process starts in the planning stages of the climb. It may seem silly but by looking at a route description, you should be able to mentally go through potential transition points. Each person in the group should have a pretty good idea of whats happening next. Communication within the group should also be constant. Also, pack light. Scrutinize each item, you might be surprised if you think about when the last time you needed certain items. You say you consider yourself to be fairly fit. What are you doing for training? Back in the "old days" I considered myself a fairly fit 18 year old and was truly humbled by trying to keep up with a 70 year old logger who I was supposed to be helping pull some cedar blocks out of the woods. There is something innate to moving efficiently through different terrain that can best (only?) be trained by doing it. Try to get out with a heavy pack and get off trail, traveling cross country. You may look like some deranged mountain man but it has been very helpful to prepare me physically for mountaineering, especially since I have a desk job now.

Nice to see this route getting some more traffic, another one to add to the list. Steve is really racking up the FSAs as well!

Are they these shoes?http://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/1139454/LOST_Women_s_La_Sportiva_Mytho#Post1139454

This has got to be the most overused and tired cliche since the first ascent of the Matterhorn. Am I right or am I right?

THANKS OBAMA!!! (I crack myself up sometimes) Guess our Senior has one more day to endure: MUKILTEO TEACHERS TO HOLD ONE-DAY WALKOUT ON MAY 20. Members of the Mukilteo Education Association (MEA), the union that represents teachers who are employed by the Mukilteo School District, have voted to participate in a one-day walkout on Wednesday, May 20. With the walkout, classes in all Mukilteo schools will be canceled on that day. Union leadership has emphasized with school district officials that their action is not a strike against the school district or its students, families or the community. They explain that their action is being done as a way for staff to show solidarity with their colleagues across the state and to send a message to the state legislature about the importance of adequate funding for education. Although all classes will be canceled on Wednesday, May 20 as a result of the teacher walkout, some activities will proceed as scheduled. Classes at the Sno-Isle Tech Skills Center and at the Early Childhood Education Assistance Program (ECEAP) will continue as scheduled. Transportation to out-of-district programs also will be available as usual. Due to the one-day walkout on May 20, the missed day of school will be added to the end of the school year. As a result, the previously scheduled last day, Thursday, June 11, will become a full day of school rather than an early-dismissal day. The final day of school will occur on Friday, June 12, which will be an early-dismissal day.

Nice work, thanks for the report. I was camped at Thumb Rock in 2003 on a warm afternoon when the ice cap let a serac go. The cloud came right at us but the debris veered off both sides of Liberty Ridge and ran out onto the Carbon Glacier far below. I voted to descend but my two partners were able to talk me into completing the climb. I wonder if that route gets scoured off more frequently than most of us want to admit.

Love the look on the batters face! Had high hopes for the M's going into the season. Oh well, another year of suckage.

I don't have any experience with those Alps Mtneering tents but commend you asking about them. The worst I've ever slept was in a tent that was not specifically designed for mountaineering in a fairly mild wind. Have you looked at used tents? Look for used Walrus brand. It was bought by MSR a few years ago but they made great tents. I have no idea about this particular tent or seller but there's a lot of solid tents on Ebay if you look: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Walrus-two-to-three-person-three-season-tent-EUC-/121640603664?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c52585010

Sounds like a fun day out!

Thanks for the reminder to put a garbage bag back in my pack and for the TR!

Welcome Steve. Freedom of the Hills is a good general resource book but I'd also add Training for the New Alpinism by Steve House and I still dig out my old Extreme Alpinism by Mark Twight for various references. I haven't spent a lot of time in Mike Layton's newest book yet but it contains volumes of information on training, diet and moving in the mountains which is helpful. Summer weight puffy parka for sub 10,000 peaks in the PNW should weigh about a pound and be synthetic insulation IMO (not down). Hood is a matter of preference although it's cheap insurance in the event of an unplanned bivy or crappy weather. These types of jackets are available for around $100-$150 if you shop around. Examples would be the Arcteryx Nuclei and Patagonia Nano Puff Hoody off the top of my head. The layers you listed are perfectly fine. Add a pair of soft-shell pants and you have it covered for about 95% of outings. I went with cheaper and used gear when I started out but had a young family. It's really a matter of preference and means but I can say that there's been a few miserable experiences when I've wished I'd spent the extra money on better gear. That being said, it's a poor craftsman who blames his tools and some of my partners who have ratty coats and packs can (and do) hand me my ass on a regular basis. Good luck!

Might help to specify what binders are included. I've skied the Manaslu for 3 seasons and feel it's a great width and appropriate rocker for the PNW bc missions while being light weight. Also happy with the Dynafit skins.

Nice work, it looks like a weird but good season over there. I've always wanted to get on the North Couloir of Abiathar. Didn't you represent yourself as a new skier a year or two ago?

For a potential alternative Mt. Adams is relatively close, offers higher altitude and is less technical by the standard route. That being said, if you're a competent rock and ice climber and have taken a glacier travel course, you should be fine on Mt. Hood. Obviously a good weather forecast is important but I'd also recommend a weekday climb if possible. Good weather on a May weekend can be quite crowded on any route ascending the Hogback.

No but you could try to claim diplomatic immunity, right?

Lowell, thanks for your work on recording all of those descents, very cool to see them all in one spot!

You've changed MAN!

I think Keenwesh may be the first although I'm not sure when his dad started posting here.

There is currently a similar but free plan at www.gymjones.com you just have to register. I think the upper five plans on this page are free, I'm into the second week of the "operator" and while not radically different from other training I've done, it is nice to have a varied program that I have to check a box each day. You can check them out here: https://gymjones.com/training-plans A good place to start might be better definition of your goals, what are your climbing objectives this summer? Steep snow or 5.12 cragging?

Wow, how much does that route get climbed?

I thought it (walking the road in climbing or ski boots) was mandatory to get into the Cascade Softman Club.

Can you give us another hint?

Looks cold but fun, nice job! What's the story with the stick? Was Chuck hoping to have a camp fire?

I don't know you guys or your experience level so feel free to ignore this post. Sometimes things just compound, you were light on calories, sounds like you climbed slow, messed with protection and ropes too much, had route finding issues, didn't have good gear for a bivy. These things along with shorter day light combined to provide an epic. Any one of those things by itself doesn't cause the epic. Nobody got hurt which is great, good lessons and experience were gained. Maybe dial it back a bit and get more comfortable on easier terrain. I've had a few partners that were strong technical climbers but totally uncomfortable unroped on exposed but easy terrain. Knowing when you need to rope up is an important progression for everyone and everyone has a different tolerance. I've found it's also helpful to be thinking about potential bailout difficulties as you're climbing and you eventually will reach a point where its easier to bail upward and forget about the possibility of descending down the route. This is also good to discus with your partner before the climb starts as well. As someone who has pulled the plug on a few climbs, it's been helpful for me to listen to that little voice in the back of my head, it's right more than it's wrong. It's perfectly fine to back off of climbs you know you're capable of, just have to develop more trust in your intuition than in your ego. (i.e.- we should be able to climb this no problem so let's keep going despite moving slow) You guys (and I guess the guys who did it in 10 hours) were pretty slow. It's been 10 years or so but myself and 3 other guys climbed the NBC car to car in an easy day. We may have roped up at the top of the couloir. I know some freak who used to do it as a conditioning climb in 5 hours, car to car. Hope that helps and thanks for sharing the story, it's a good one.

Good story, thanks for posting. Anybody who's climbed much has been in a situation where they would consider activating a PLB if they had one. I don't have one but its on my "to do" list. I'm not sure I understand the sequence of events but, did you activate the PLB and leave it on while you summited and descended? Could this account for the false readings?