mattp

For pick--up partners, I find that I usually do well to look for parties of three. You still gotta ask about what their interest and experience level may be, but I tend to do much better checking out parties of three who are obviously headed off to climb something than asking lone climbers who are just hanging around.

Nobody bagged on Dwayner for being overzealous.

Lets see: were there two or three people in that "mass?"

That crook Nixon wanted to set up a national health insurance system and he was into appeasement with his China policy. What a scoundrel.

There is not yet a more favorable government place there but, like you say, time will tell. Can you explain what the big travesty about our Kosovo policy was? Did we kill more people there than we have in Iraq? Is that it? I seriously don't understand the constant cry of "remember Kosovo?"

He's right. The guy's most frequently attacking him are far from the strongest climbers around here.

JoshK- That's what I don't get. What is these guy's beef with Kosovo? (1) Not a single American soldier died. (2) The bad guy's gone and there a more favorable government in place (?). (3)It appears that we stopped lots of bloodshed. These statements don't apply to Iraq.

I thought it was kind of cool that you could drive to the foot of Johannesburg, and look up at that monster of a face - that and Shuksan are just about the only alpine things you can see from the car in the North Cascades. I'm sorry guys with all your bravado, but I don't agree at all. The temporary closure of that road is a temporary loss. If you wanted the same kind of "solitude," all you would ever have to do is to hike that same extra four or five miles, whether or not from that same parking lot. Open your minds, and you'll see that there are other peaks in the Cascades besides Sahale and Forbidden. The drive up and smoke a cigarette people, or the day-hikers who make it to Cascade Pass only, deserve just as much of a North Cascades experience as you do.

I find exit 32 plenty interesting for an evening after work. If we're talking about something along the lines of "pubclub goes climbing," which we did last Summer, it'd be a good choice (better after daylight savings go into effect). Leavenworth, Vantage, Darrington, or maybe Squamish would be better choices if we're talking about an overnight - and of course Smith was loads of fun last Fall.

Thad, if you hate to be a dick there is nobody forcing you to be so. In my opinion, a one-post interjection by Distel is an unnecessary distraction in this thread, but a snippy retort from you just makes it worse. Darin- A several thousand foot rise in freezing level is generally not a good sign but, as you point out, there will not be a lot of new snow. Particularly if it is clear overnight, and you make your climb early in the day before the sun gets anywhere near your climb (assuming you're not heading for something east facing), you'll probably be OK. On such a forecast, it might be a good idea to pick a route that is well within your abilities and from which you could make a speedy retreat if you find that it is getting warm on you.

Are you saying Catbird should take parenting classes?

Kit Lewis and Charlie Hampson could make a real pubclub out of our little group of wannabees. It was good to see these guys there.

Fleb, last year.

Last year's event was May 8. It was light enough by then that we could have a barbeque in daylight, even though we started at 6:00 p.m. The we had a slideshow later. The old "Climber's Picnic" organized by Julie Brugger used to take place in Woodland Park. I don't know about power, though.

The North Ridge is a pretty good climb, no?

Yes, we'll be doing it again this year. March is a little early to plan an outdoor picnic on a weeknight, though. Think May.

I've taken the Seattle Mountaineers' MOFA course twice, and was favorably impressed both times. I have also taken a wilderness EMT course, and it was certainly a better course, but also cost five times as much and I had to spend a couple of weeks in Denver. I'm not really quarelling with any of the criticism offered here, but in my opinion MOFA is a fine choice if you compare the cost/effort involved to what you get from it.

I do think it is true that Washington Pass never receives the snowpack of, say, Stevens Pass or Cascade Pass, but I think Josh is suggesting that there is less snow there than an average year. Although the DOT guy reported that it was an unusually low snow year, he went on to talk primarily about the snow deapth in the avalanche deposition zones as opposed to the total snowpack on Washington Pass. It may in fact be the case that the unusual thing is that we never really had huge midwinter avalanche cycles this year. It looks to me as if we may be on target for an "average" or slightly early opening date, but nothing extraordinary. The historical closure section of the WSDOT page shows openings as early a late march, and as late as May, but mid April appears most common.

Allright, Paul. Here you go. This is the way I went. I thought it was OUTSTANDING.

Paul: It is NOT the one up the center in your photo. Beckey mislabelled it in his older guide, and his "correction" in the latest edition still has some confusion about it. I can't tell if you are joking or not, but I mean no criticism when I suggest that you don't need an annotated picture. If you DO get an annotation from Michael, bear in mind that he pointed out that you may not need to climb cliffs and belay a short section low on the climb as he did. If the snow is gone, I'd look for Josh's trail. If there is still snow, I'd head up the debris like Michael did. When, perhaps 1,000 feet up, the valley has a cliff right in the middle of it, I'd suggest looking for a detour either right or left. We went up on the left and came down on the right. I did not think routefinding was much of a problem.

Paul - I'm not debating the "it would be cool" part, but you won't need the annotated photo if you try this route and a photo probably won't help much. Just walk to the end of "Mine Road," and continue to the creekbed just beyond. Turn right. You'll climb the right-hand of the two major snowy basins shown in your picture. Don't try this after the snow/avalanche debris is melted out of the lower gully. I know you like brush, but it just wouldn't be a good idea.

Dima- If you really want inexpensive skis, go to the used sports equipment shops and even the Salvation Army. I've got a pair of old downhill boards with Silveretta bindings on them that I use for approaches when I'm not planning to actually ski very much. In addition to old skis, I bought older (used) bindings, and the whole rig cost $75. They're heavy and offer poor performance, but I tested them at Crystal Mountain before I took them into the real mountains, and I can get down what I need to get down on them. The gear works OK for approaching climbs.

With high-clearance 4x4 trucks, we were able to drive no more than a quarter mile beyond where you did. I was a little discouraged when we got stuck - miles from the crags. However, we dug out, turned around, and started walking. With all the snow on the road, we ended up going to the closest thing: Three O'Clock Rock. The sun was blazing and it turned out pretty well! Sorry to have missed you - had we been around when you got stuck, we'd have helped you out and invited you and your dog to jump in one of our trucks for that quarter mile extra ride.

I was taught the same thing, Dru. However, while it sounds to me as if MtnEagle is probably right in suggesting there is little chance of reviving your victim whose heart has stopped due to rapid blood loss or blunt trauma -- especially if there is not going to be an ambulance on the scene within a few minutes -- what can you do? Do you want to be the guy at Vantage who essentially "pronounces" the person dead? I don't know what to think about all the posts concerning the possibilities for becoming infected but, within the constraints of however we resolve that question, I think most of us will want to try to do what we can.

Yes, the cliff does get sun 'till mid-afternon -- even the North Butress. However, "blazing" does not describe the suntanning opportunities at Three O'Clock Rock. The sun is relatively directly shining on the rock in the morning, but tangential and then gone as the day wears on. "Blazing" DOES frequently describe the sun on Green Giant Buttress (Dreamer), however. [ETA: In over 25 days of climbing at Three O'Clock Rock, I have yet to get a sunburn there.] If you are looking for "blazing sun," Three O'Clock Rock is NOT where I would go.