mattp

I you are going to camp at Lake Viviane, which is one of the most beautiful lakes up there and lies right below Prusik Peak, the mileage and elevation gain is the same whether you come in via Aasgard or Snow Lake. You get more high mountain scenery coming over Aasgard, but also more scree and more exposure to the weather if, say, it craps out on you and you head home in storm or something.

Erie is a great place and it has a variety of routes that are good. Many of the routes are oddly bolted, the trail system is confusing, and some of the climbs are discontinuous or very short and perhaps even contrived, but I don't agree that the trad routes are poor adn I think it is worth a trip or three. I don't consider it a "destination" climbing area, but it is often a good choice in marginal weather and I have found it great for beginners or climbers new to "outdoor climbing" as well as just a fun place to be. For moderate trad routes, try ZigZag's first pitch to the Undercover corner on the main wall, or Keep on Dancin' on the main wall east. The upper wall is a good top-rope crag and not a bad place to start out with a couple of trad leads to get a feel for the place. I have never had any problem with either "tourists" or other climbers, though I've had instructors or guides get a little proprietary about it at times.

I think the Bugaboo Glacier has retreated dramatically since I was last there, in 1981. Here's a picture of the outfall area, August 2006: and here is a picture of the snout, shot in about 1972 ()I can't place it in the current picture, but I believe it is near the left edge of the relatively unvegetated portion of the outfall area): Finally, here is a picture of the glacier as viewed from the lodge in about 1973. Does anybody have a similar shot from a current trip?

The Beckey route on Liberty Bell gets my vote. Yes, you'll hear 25 cc.comer's whine about how it is clogged with gumbies, or the approach gully sucks, and it is nowhere near 5.10, but it is a great climb, to a great summit, and you'll get a feel for the place. It makes a low-stress but fantastic outing, and there is more to it than the guidebooks suggest. Be sure to check out the view from the overlook near the visitor center after you get back down.

I climbed it in late September or maybe even early October of a year I do not remember as being an extraordinary snow year and the Kloke route was "in" then.

Lets see a show of hands from anybody who has had the airlines lose their luggage. Yes, I know it happens - but I can't remember the last time anybody I know had a problem with it. (The baggage handlers can be pretty rough, though, and you are likely to end up with something getting beat up, but fortunately most climbing gear is fairly tough.)

What happened to the Kloke route on Spider? It looks like there's no snow in the "ice" couloir!

The Cain Hut was great but, even more so, the Bugs were really great. I'm pondering a hit an run some time before winter sets in.

The smoke cut the sun's intensity to safe levels.

Smoked a cigar with my brother.

I thought the somewhat contrived nature of Surf's Up detracted from it slightly as the first two pitches avoid obviously easier ground to the right, the line then heads off right, and the ledges around the corner actually involve down-climbing. However, what you get is kind of like three climbs in one: interesting corner and flake pitches, followed by some fantastic crack climbing on a clean and exposed face, and then a few hundred feet of scrambling on top of the world. Anyone know about the "Super Direct?"

I've done both. Surf's Up is in my opinion a far better climb than the Kraus-McCarthy. The route description in the Atkinson guide is a little vague, though, and many parties miss the classic upper pitches. On pitch 4, we got off route briefly but found a bunch of retreat slings and got back on course; on pitch 5, we took the exit ramp to Surf's Up Ledge and the rest of the climb, but there was a party behind us that didn't notice where we did this and they climbed Surf's Up Direct.

I'm glad you guys liked it. I still may go back and tinker a bit if someone wants to help.

Pitch 6 of Surf's Up, high on the S. Face of Snowpatch Spire: Summit of Snowpatch; Bugaboo Spire in background:

Here's a composite shot of the South Face of Snowpatch; Surf's Up climbs the face out of view around the left skyline for four pitches and then finishes with three spectacular crack pitches up the top center of the face shown here. (From the bottom, routes on this face are about fifteen pitches long. A report of a new route done last year, and a bunch of pictures, is here.

Climb: Old Home Week in the Bugs-Surf's Up; McTech Arete Date of Climb: 8/14/2006 Trip Report: I just returned from six days in the Bugaboos, and it was great. I drove up with Jhamaker, and climbed with my brother, my nephew, and an old friend from High School; also in there were Armin, Claire, Tansnffl, CrazyJZ, and EdHobbik. Lurker Jeff and Crack were rumored on their way, but apparently got distracted elsewhere. I know it has been said before, but the Bugaboos offer some of the best granite climbing anywhere – though a relatively small cluster of peaks, they’re better than Darrington, Washington Pass, and the Stuart Range combined. Steal a car, hitchhike, do whatever it takes to go. You won’t be disappointed. I was last there in 1981; I can't believe I waited 25 years to go back! We had four and a half days of good weather, but wasted one hiking up to the hut and on another we took a rest day with a forecasted 90% chance of rain but it didn’t even sprinkle until 7:00 pm (then thunderstormed). The approach to the Bugaboo-Snowpatch col is getting a bit icy, but everything is in good shape. Here is the "top-out" of Surf’s Up: Gear Notes: The hut is fantastic. Approach Notes: 2 to 3 hours hike from the car to the hut; 1-2 hours from there to most of the routes.

The West Ridge on Pidgeon is one of my favorite climbs of all time. I think 50 Classics should have included it and the Beckey Chouinard instead of the NE Ridge of Bugaboo and Beckey Chouinard.

I second Hanman's priorities here. I'd also add that 9 out of ten of the old 1/4" buttonheads (many if not most of them are actually 5/16") are actually quite strong - based on the amount of effort required to remove them when doing replacement. I'd also like to clean up the Big Tree routes, to improve the opportunities for more moderate climbing and, in the case of Big Tree I, what should be a good gear pitch at about 5.6 now includes some grubbing about. I doubt anybody would object if you installed a new belay station on Charlie Chan's.

I had no problem with the Beckey Route on a Sunday last August, though admittedly there was a party immediately ahead of us and we had to wait a bit for them and, correspondingly, there was a party behind us who had to wait for us. On the rappels, too, there was some "communication" involved. However, I came away with no complaints. Watch out for how other parties may send rocks tumbling your way, try not to bombard the next group, and allow for third party delays, and you'll probably do fine. Its not as bad as the rush hour traffic that you probably deal with every day.

Yup. I'd say a good time was had by all.

Careful there, PP, or I'll add you to my suit. In fact, that does it. You're in. Will you accept service or do I have to send the process servers after you?

Nope. There are three elements to my claim: (1) I wasted my time. My post-count at 7,000 posts is my evidence. Res ipsa loquitur. (2) It was Jon and Tim and your fault. I may have a harder time proving Jon and Tim are responsible, but your frequent baiting of me, for which I am not responsible in any way, is clear proof in your case. (Maybe I'll drop Tim and Jon, and just name YOU. You got a deep pocket?) (3) I suffered damage as a result. I have at least one witness who will testify I'm suffering an elevated heart rate.

Good idea. I'm thinking about suing Jon and Timmy for wasting the last four years of my life for me. The ba&*%rds have been lying to us all along, saying our participation here is only a matter of personal choice. Maybe I'll name YOU as co-defendant.

Off White is right: why DO you hate America? Have you ever considered running for office, so you could actually do something to help fix our wretched society like maybe fix that wasteful school system that you complain about or straighten out those spendthrifts in the State government?