Joe_Poulton

Ah, beautiful! Just imagine, A partial ice age here on the west coast and the Gorge will go from a Wind Surf'n mecca to the Vail and Silverton style mecca...Multnomah Falls, not just a straw but a thick, solid pillar of fate. I heard that it mostly froze completely back in the '70s, maybe we're on the verge of that kind of year? It would be nice to have a ice playground here! Peace

Well, Ok... I thought the person who could close a topic was the person who started the topic, guess I won't be closing it...huh

For your Alpine Rack get the longest sewn runners you can buy to reduce rope drag on those zig-zag routes, with a 1-2 pickets/snowflukes and an ice screw or two. Make sure you get 2 pulleys for crevasse rescue and go up only with someone well versed in this. A glacier is no place to run around with someone who does not know how to self-arrest. Get a lot of tubular webbing. For your Trad rack go for lots of Hexes, chocks (DMM Walnuts, HB Offsets, BD Stoppers). Get a variety of lengths for your runners. Since you might lead straight up above a ledge for about 20 feet, so you want short quick draws. Then you might begin to zig-zag and you'll have to have medium to long runners for reducing rope drag. Then a sport rack is obvious, but I suggest you get used to leading trad before sport that way when you are a 5.10 sport climber and want to start trad you don't take a fall and have your gear pop out of the rock because you thought you could climb it, and you didn't really know how to place the gear properly. You can even practice to lead on a top-rope that way you can test how well you are placing your gear. Take it easy, Joe

Well, I think that was a good string of thoughts for all of us. If no one adds to this over the next week, I am going to close it. Thank you everyone. This web site is well worth it.

I would have to say that Leuthold is a no go for a beginner or being roped up, unless you are certain that there is no avalanche danger. Because the rope will most likly hold you under in the event of a slide. Yes, it has been skied, along with Sandy Glacier Headwall.

No one "conquers" a mountain, the mountain permits you to climb it. If the Mountain does not want you to climb it and you think you are climbing to conquer it, the mountain will kill you. Be smarter about climbing. Climbing is the art of letting the features of the mountain show you the way, not an endeavor of forging a way. I do not mean to offend, but just don't think the mentality of "conquering" something is healthy. [This message has been edited by Joe Poulton (edited 04-12-2001).]

Back on May 22, 1999 I climbed Leuthold with my buddy Matt, we started at 5:20am from the lodge and got to illumination rock at 7:00am. Where we took a 30min break diciding to leave everything at the Saddle. All we took was my panny pack with te camera, water bottle, and some beef jerky. We just had our two tech tools and crampons to keep us connected to the mountain. To climb it unroped you must hug the west face of the Castle crags, and watch out for you extremities, I got nailed in the elbow and thought I broke my arm. Then continue hugging the Castle Crags into the first couloir continue up this couloir (which would be the closest one to the saddle). Then somewhere above the cliff of the middle couloir, the couloir that hugs Yokum Ridge connects with the one you started in. Make sure that after this point you continue hugging the right but at any fork go left. The last major fork would send you to the gerdarmes if you go right, only do that if you want mixed climbing during the winter or a very cold spring or fall night. We summited at 12:40pm (noon) the climb took us 7hrs 20min. Make sure you do a snow pit at the saddle! Watch your step in the running rivers of snow! Good technique and speed are the keys. [This message has been edited by Joe Poulton (edited 04-18-2001).]

My Dad climbed the Kain route back in the 70's, but I was wondering if anyone has recent info on glacier retreat/advance and possible changes in terrain since the 70's, I plan on climbing the North Face either this July or next Summer. Also, does anyone know if the Stump/Logan route on the Emperor Face has been repeated? Thanks

Does anyone know avalanche/travel conditions for the Nooksack Tower, How is the Log Crossing of the Nooksack River? I am planning to climb it April 28-29. thanks, Joe P