mattp

You really don't need much info. The route is noted in the Beckey Book. I belive the first ascent was made by Tom Hargis, a guy who has climbed the Davis-Holland/Lovin Arms route at Index unroped, but you needn't worry -- it is not a difficult climb. The only reason I would perhaps not climb up that way is because it is an unrelenting 3,500' slope, good for skiing but it would be quite a grind on the way up. Sit around at the false summit until, say, 2:00 pm and the chutes should be plenty soft. Drop to the West directly from the false summit. If the surface is still firm when you have dropped far enough to see the lake at the bottom of the slope, consider how safe it is to be on skis.

Boys and girls and beer on the patio. We are told that Dennis Harmon is a real person, and not just a fictitious cyberbeing. Allison flashes everybody. More beer. Darkness comes. We go.

JayB - Though the Remorse start begins with some bushes and some people find the loose flake used to protect the traverse somewhat eerie, I find those initial pitches more fun than the original Outer Space start. I think you made a good choice to go that way. For an all around fantastic 5.10, try Davis Holland/Lovin Arms. -Matt

Cavey, I could tell stories about trying to provide information for him and I share some of your misgivings about Jeff's attention to detail, his methods and what I imagine to be his motivations -- but one thing I think you should recognize is that there is probably nobody who could assemble an accurate guide to all rock climbing areas in the state, Cascade scrambles, peak-bagger routes, and volcano's from California to Canada. As a guidebook author, Jeff's biggest problem is probably that he tries to do too much and that Falcon Books seems to encourage him to do so. Matt

It is a long way around the mountain from the bottom of the south route back to a trailhead for the N. Ridge. Check out the SW Chutes, a route I have skied in July and August several times and which should still be "in shape." It is a big drop, though, and you'd want to hit it on a warm day so that the chutes will be soft enough that a fall wouldn't be unstoppable. If you are going for an overnight, you can camp below the Avalanche Glacier moraine, and climb up via the Chutes themselves or head uphill and right to join the regular S. route for the climb from the lunch counter to the false summit.

You ask a good question and one that seems to bother a lot of people who send me e-mails asking "what do you mean by a small rack to 2 for such and such a climb". And it seems, sometimes, that they want a specific gear list which I can't provide unless I know how bold a leader they are and how creative they can be with their placement of pro. I more or less agree with Dru: for me, a "small" rack contains no duplicates or overlap in sizes between stoppers, tcu's and larger cams, and does not include every size even in the range that I am carrying. But it is not a completely objective standard: a "small" rack for an Alpine scramble would be much thinner than a "small" rack for climbing at Index, and even on any given climb there will be differences in personal comfort level. Although it is all relative, there is a limit to this theory of relativity: even though some people routinely carry triple sets of cams for a crack climb, a set of doubles would not be considered a "small rack" unless you were headed for Canyonlands or something.

I don't disagree with the posts above (it is probably not 5.10b, not "R" and not grade III), but if you are worried by the prospect of leading "runout slab" I believe you will find On Line to be "thought-provoking." While there, check out some of the other routes: like Shock Treatment (harder) and Fuddhatt/Kill da Wabbit (more varied climbing). On a hot day, expect to get completely baked.

456 N. 36th Street, in Fremont. It is just a few blocks from downtown Fremont, on the north side of the "main drag" that becomes Leary Way headed into Ballard. A neon sign has a picture of a couple in ballroom attire, dancing. Last time, we sat in outdoor seating just inside a fence along the edge of the sidewalk.

And he doesn't let the heat stop him either.

Have you checked out the granite around here lately? Everybody knows the Girth Pillar is nothing but choss as you can tell by just looking at that awful stuff in specialed's pictures! (But he's "ready to climb" never-the-less -- a true role model for all of us.) [ 07-09-2002, 04:31 PM: Message edited by: mattp ]

This bar is too small; that one's too smokey; the other is a meat market. Sheesh -- what a bunch of whiners. Do you complain about the mountains the same way? This one is too loose, that one is too small; the other is too bushy...sounds like Washington, doesn't it? Does it stop you from climbing? Should it stop you from drinking beer and getting to know your fellow bored office workers?

The ballroom was fine last time. And I think the parking there is slightly better than accross the bridge at the Nickerson.

I'd go with the first two of DPS' recommendations, though perhaps not the N Face of Burgundy (in my opinion it was a lot of work for five or six pitches -- though the last three were indeed excellent).

Maybe I'll join you for some housecleaning -- it sounds like it needs it! That rubber soul pitch was completely grown over with grass and blueberries in the seam, so pulling on all of that stuff it might have been "old skool" 5.7, but it fealt 5.7d and very scary to us! And there was an old belay/rappel station on a tree the thickness of Caveman's thumb -- we had it on display in Pro Mountain Sports for a while.

Yes, we did put up the Superfly pitch. I have not seen it covered with mud, but the cedar needles are a mess and I suppose it could use some wire brushing. It is hard, but on a cool day it is not .11 plus. The Antifly is not just friction, like the Superfly, but involves a lieback and a few small edges. In my opinion, the best pitch on the route is the next one. The buttress to the left has a couple of routes that join a few pitches up and I'm sure somebody has climbed more than 4 pitches but I can't vouch for this.

I climbed the Kloke route on the N. Face and descended the S. side in October a few years ago. There was a dirty and somewhat scary 5.5 pitch at the bottom of the couloir, and a little bit of ice on the route but mostly firm snow. The descent down the south side was borderline frightening -- at least it wasn't steep, but the "rock" on that side of the mountain is about as bad as anything in the Canadian Rockies so that, for the entire downclimb, we had the feeling that a slip was not altogether unlikely and that if one was not able to "self arrest" very quickly, it might be curtains! The October colors made it a very beautiful place to be, but both the north and south sides are probably easier earlier in the year -- and now would probably be a good time, even if there is a cornice at the top.

Contact the rangers, but I bet early August is your best bet. Weather and snow conditions do turn many parties back, but I bet most of the time the conditions on the North Face are no worse than those on the Kain Face.

quote: Originally posted by Dru: Soloing - You always hike at your own pace... A tremendous plus for volcano climbs in particular. You can maximize your comfortable pace and stop only when you need to change a coat or fill the blue bag or whatever.

For a time, I made a habit of completing one large climb alone each year and I found it very satisfying. However, not only was there the obvious difference of having nobody to hold the other end of a rope or to help out in the event of an injury, but the lack of having someone to share decision making and route finding and even just the lack of companionship made things much more serious. Overall, I enjoyed those climbs and I felt that it made me a more self-reliant and confident climber, but there would come a point on most of the more serious climbs when I would find myself questioning whether it was truly a good idea to be there by myself. I've climbed with people who bail out or who come unprepared or have other annoying traits, and there are some people who I don't climb with because it just isn't worth it, but in general I find it more fun to do a challenging climb with a partner. A day hike or scramble? I still find these entertaining as a solo venture sometimes and I consider the added risk to be worth it.

Smoker has correctly stated what has always been the standard recommendation for the figure eight -- use it as a follow through knot with tails coming out opposite sides. I have never heard of anybody using it the "wrong" way, as they do when tieing the overhand on two rope tails to make a euro death knot instead of a water knot, but I can imagine somebody looking at the EDK and thinking it would be safer to use the figure eight. Thanks for the information, all, but I think I'll continue to use the EDK. I dress it carefully, tie it tight, and leave about 12-16" tails. One thing that hasn't been stated here is the reason why some prefer the knot -- that it has a very flat profile on one side so it pulls over an edge much easier than any other knot, and also that it is very easy to untie even after it has been used for a dozen rappels. An alternative knot that I find easy to untie, though doesn't have the flat profile for pulling over an edge, is the square knot - with the tails backed up with double fishermans. Do any of you tech guys have information suggesting this might not be a good idea?

I'm more-or-less with Off on this one – both of his posts. So Scott said something offensive. Sure, he ought to be ashamed of himself (maybe he is) and an apology would be most welcome. And I agree that children are special so there is something particularly offensive in his remark. But get a grip! Haven't many of those complaining about him posted disgusting, hostile, pointless and juvenile personal attacks on this board? It is difficult for me to see how one can expect even a modicum of civility as long as the spray on this site is dominated by crap along the lines of "listen here, dick face, stick it up your pussy-ass" and I think Scot's remark was really more like the norm than it was unlike it.

It was a small turnout because guys like Figger Eight are all talk but no action (and no show). RURP? Erik? ChucK? But Off White was there, once again asserting that his name is genuine and not just an avatar, Dr. Don lectured on the topic "ethics in the new millenium," to which Mountain Ranger and I listened intently and AlpineK served as moderator. Allison represented the fairer sex, and that's about all there is to tell. By the way, we didn't call it a night until nearly midnight so you, Ehmmic, would have been welcome.

Are we giving up on Hanks? (I'm just wanting clarificaiotn, I have no problem with E-9.)

Off - you are showing your rookie status. I bet if you show up, you will find us. Hint: pubclub usually has a mix of ages, whereas almost no other group in the bar ever does. If that doesn't work, put on your helmet and we'll find you.

Off - you are showing your rookie status. I bet if you show up, you will find us. Hint: pubclub usually has a mix of ages, whereas almost no other group in the bar ever does. If that doesn't work, put on your helmet and we'll find you.