Billy

I'm pretty sure that all those routes were done many moons ago by the resident hardmen of the day.

Hey NOLSe- Would like to hear anything about routes on the N side in winter. It looks like an attractive option for everything to be frozen up. Good access too!

Climb: SEWS and NEWS-East Butt/ NW Corner Date of Climb: 8/20/2004 Trip Report: Myself and Dick Pumpington headed up to WA pass last week to do some fine granite climbing. Not being able to convince any of our esteemed collegues Hal Burton and Mr Machiatto to join us, we went alone. After an auto epic with a failed alternater my mighty Saturn delivered us to pass and to salvation. On the first day we woke up when it got light, had some quick breakfast and hiked up the loose gully to the base of SEWS. The approach to a little over an hour. The first couple pitches of the route were easy to mid-fifth, and were very enjoyable. Dick took us up the fine 5.9 cracks to base of the bolt ladders. What great pitches those were, solid cracks, good pro and increasing exposure on the way. I took over at the bolt ladders and barely managed to free the moves. Kudos to whoever placed the new bolts! The alleged short pitch between the bolt ladders was no pushover. The second bolt ladder was intially tough to locate, as the bolts really blend in the distance. Also, the way the topo is written, it looks like the ladder starts right off the belay, but really you have to climb up quite a ways with minimal pro until you hit it. This pitch was fantastic with small crimpers and steep rock. The mantels were casual, maybe 5.8, not 5.10, especially if you compare them to the mantle on the Nutcracker in Yosemite. We then followed 2 wandering pitches to the summit. A classic climb that we both felt was way better than Liberty Crack. Some folks may want to consider this route as a good alternative. The next day we climbed the NW corner of NEWS. The flakes and liebacks on this route are outrageous. The 20 ft of offwidth crack kicked my ever-loving ass, but it was fun in a weird sort of way. It drizzled a bit on the climb, but the rock didn't really get wet. When we got to the top the sky opened up for a brief spell, and we were glad to be heading down. Another great climb. The West Face is on my future hit list. Gear Notes: Rack to 3 inches for East Butt of SEWS and Rack to 4inches for NW Corner, but we had a 4.5 camalot, and were happy to have it (I'm an off width weenie) Approach Notes: pretty short

Where are the closures actually? Where is milepost 171 and 126?

What was Ricardo wearing while he was sitting at the pool?

Climb: Eldorado-West Arete Date of Climb: 7/24/2004 Trip Report: Yea buoy! Jeremy, Misterbeer, Dick Pumpington, myself and our esteemed associate Mr. Machiatto went up to give the West Arete on Eldo a run. We left the parking lot at 6:30pm fri nite and hit a nice bivy at 5700 or so by 9pm. We all slept through our alarms comfortably, even though one of our party neglected to bring a sleeping pad to go light. We managed to roll out of camp at 5:30am, up and over the ridge, and across the slabs to Triad Col. A couple of members of the expedition elected to drop a Rumsfeld here, glad they had brought a few napkins from Mc Donalds. Climbing over Triad was a little tricky in one spot, but not too bad. The descent down the other side was in soft snow, pretty easy cruising. We then hopped talus and snow alternately over to a waterfall and then up to the base of the gully to access the arete itself. By 9:50am, we were up in the loose gulley on our way to the arete. When we hit the crest, we broke out the rope, stuffed some smokeless in our lips, and tied in. Mr Machiatto led the first block on the right of the crest mostly, to the base of the Gendarmes. We kept thinking that we were at the Gendarmes earlier, but found that we actually weren't. The climbing here was mid-fifth for the most part, with the odd 5.7 move. It went on for a long ways and we simuled most of it, with a few belays. Jeremy and Misterbeer followed behind us, but soon we lost touch with our friends, and cast off on our own. Next Dick took over and led us up through the Gendarmes, and around them. Now the climbing was getting good, and the rock quality was improving as we got higher. Still, you had to thump on everything you touched, so it took a while to be safe about things. This section as described in the guidebook looked to be short, but it was fairly long and quite "robust". I took over next and led up on the final steep step, which was slightly tricky routefinding, but the way just unfolded bit by bit. We finally hooked up with the 3rd and 4th class at the top, took of the rope, and boogied to the summit arriving at about 8:30pm. The light was fantastic and we could see all the fires adding the trippy feel after climbing all day and being low on water. Climbing down the snow arete on the East Ridge was ass tearing as all the peaks were lit up in red. When we got down to the glacier, we had a safety meeting, ate the last of the grub and cruised back to camp 2 hours after leaving the summit. We were elated, but still we had not seen or heard from our friends all day long, and worries crept in. Should we wait for them, or just take off, hoping that they would be alright? We spent the night and decided to see what morning would bring. In the morning, still no sign of them struggling into camp. We decided to pack up, head down, and give them one more day before we called them in. Turns out that they made it just pass the Gendarmes and had to endure a night out, and they came out a little later than us. Whew, what a relief! I have to hand it to Jeremy and Misterbeer for hanging it out there and sending it. It was Misterbeer's first route in the North Cascades and Jeremy's second. Kudos! Overall, the route was only mediocre rock, but the setting and the length of it make it a classic in the genre. Gear Notes: nuts cams to hand size ice axe/crampons Approach Notes: butt tearing

So Forrest, would you recomend descending through Triad col to approach the West Arete, if going for the one day? Or going the other way that Sean is suggesting?

Actually, they won't be adding more guiding to the mountain, they will just be redistributing the same number of user days between more guide services. You can read all about it in the climbing management plan. From what I have heard, if RMI is divided in 3, those 3 guide services would be the three largest guide services in America.

Anyone done any of the routes on Big Kangaroo? Any route suggestions?

Ryland- As Wayne sez-go gansta style on it. Its a great route. Bring some nuts, a few pins and a few cams. If you are a solid 5.11 leader you'll be able to free climb the whole thing.

What's up with the current fashionable obsession for Yocum?

The slope from the base of crater to the hogs is perfect for avalanches, east facing and just about the perfect angle. I'm surprised no one has bought it there before. Wumphs? Man you are nuts to be up there at 1pm....

I think on the last onsight it was done in 8hrs car to car.

I think it was done this past sept. That's what I heard, but you know how that goes.....

Nolse- did you see that water ice route that sometimes forms on the west face, just right of the N Ridge?

How fast did Kellog climb Khan Tengri?

Hasn't this thing been redpointed yet?

RobBob- The reason the Kyoto treaty is set up so we limit our pollution levels is that we have the power and the infrastructure to do so. The developing nations are just trying to survive. Have you ever been to Asia? Its a rough world out there. Our Kyoto response and meeting attendants have largely been determined by large energy companies CEO's etc. Just look at the names of the people who are attending the meetings on behalf of the US and check their affiliations. And with Junior Bush in the Whitehouse, we are probably going to stay that way. I think its a shame. It comes down to making money. Bush's little buddies are going to make bank, if we don't agree to limit our emmisions. How much money do they really need, and to what extent are they willing to keep polluting in order to do so? I would agree with you however on free trade agreements, in particular our MFN status with China. Until they really make a concerted effort in the human rights department, we should yank it.

C'mon Hal, you know what they were really looking at, the rims on you car aren't that great. What they were looking at was your bumper sticker from the Cayman Islands.

Yea- that east side of 3FJ looks killer, too bad its a ways in there. I was just hoping for a place that doesn't have that much of an approach, as I don't have a sled. Soda Peak is the best thing that I've found around for winter turns and the north side is about 900 ft vertical. I think Paulina would be pretty doable w/o a sled, just have to put yer skin track in the bowl and forget about the road. Unless you can hitch a ride with a sled. Black Butte might have enough coverage now, but the snow sucks ass at the moment.

Smith Rocks

Sounds good Wazzu.....best approach? How much vert? Thanks for any info. I'm burnt on the all the main areas, and looking for a new place.

Has anyone toured at Park Butte, or south of 3FJ? How about Maxwell Butte? Any good lines to be had in the winter at any of these areas? How much vert?

Has anyone been up to Pete's Pile? It might be starting now.

There are also some climbs on the West side of Willamette pass, unfortunately facing south on a high cliff band. Need very cold air.