Stefan

Good write up with the pictures!

Interesting trend on number of climbers registered. It notes a decreasing trend. I wonder if this has to do with fees imposed on the mountain. I am not familiar with the climbing staff, but has the Park Service decreased the climbing staff due to amount of less people registering? Or will the Park Service maintain the same amount of staff with 20,000 registered climbers versus 8,000 registered climbers?

What about the north face of South Hozomeen? Anybody done that one? Looks like about 1500feet.

Road 38 is closed right now due to small boulders and a minor creek washout across the road about 2 miles before the seasonal gate closure. This puts you almost 4 miles from from the trailhead. I expect them to clear this road by the time the gate is open.

Here is a condition report of someone who biked up the North Cascades Highway on Sunday 1/30 from Ross Lake gate: "The gate was locked at Ross Lake Trailhead, Mile Post 134, but I was able to bicycle 16 miles to Mile Post 150 (3600ft) That's a mile short of Easy Pass trailhead and 3 miles short of Mt Hardy approach. Easy walking ice and snow from 150 on (compacted by snowmobiles). I dropped back down the Highway to 2500ft and walked up East Creek Valley. All the south and west facing slopes are free of snow to 5000ft." Just thought you all would like to know.

I thought climbing was...well just that--"climbing". Why does one have to climb something "great"? It is a great activity, even it is class 3 or 4. I didn't know you had to chestbeat or do something great.

10,000 foot freezing level by next Thursday!

They are offering mountain bike riders on the trail on odd number days only. In addition, this road is not as flat as Monte Cristo, you have to push it to its end most of the way, but it will be better than Monte Cristo on the way back because it surely is downhill!

Peace out.

The forest service is recommendatating the current scenario: Gate at Dingford Creek trail for you and I, but the road will be open to the people who have private property beyond that. The forest service will maintain the road beyond Dingford as a trail, however the private people can maintain the road as a road up to level 2 of road maintenance so long as they pay for it. Basically, it is very similar to the Monte Cristo road maintenance. Except you will not be able to ride your bike as freely or as easily as you can on the Middle Fork Road. If you want to climb any north or northwest route from Lemah Mtn to Summit Chief you are looking at an additional 14 more miles because of the gate.

Then why do those badass Russkies eat Halva?

Ahhhh. But how you forget so easily. Remember, there were some Christians out there who voted for George Bush becuase he stood for moral values. I guess these same Christians believe war is a moral value.

You've never been to Argentina I can tell. Ooops! I bin to Mendoza. Lotsa meat there.

All of you forgot the most important ingredient. Girls. Squamish girls wear fur. On their legs. Dolomites. Drawback=airfare cost.

My guess it that climbers will be mum on this issue as they usually are. Even those climbers who like to climb that route on Mt. Garfield.

Great photos and trip report Paul! Good work on putting it together.

Glad to hear you are okay.

A colleague of mine would piss in his thermos bottle during the nights while on Denali. He would pour it out in the morning and reload the container with hot chocolate.

So how much money did you send before someone told you it was a hoax?

That's one way. If you include round trip you are talking 5-6 hours more in the car. Do you really like to spend 5-6 more hours IN THE CAR? I have also found the women in Seattle are better looking too. However, most of them have too much of an edge. If I was ever to go looking for another woman (I am currently married), I would choose some midwest girl--them be nice women.

I am not an iceclimber. Is it in the book? What about Comet Falls in Mount Rainier National Park? About 2 miles from the road. Has anybody done that one? About 300 feet high.

My DNR friend said thus: Crown Pacific is now Cascade Timberlands (a new company) Olympic Resource Management is managing the lands for Cascade Timberlands Olympic Resource Management is a subsidiary of Pope Resources. My friend continued by saying thus: Go to the web site: http://www.orm.com/ Select "Timberland Management" Select "Timberland Management" on the left hand side and then select "Public Use of Timberlands". Their policy states: "...We allow responsible recreational use of our lands where there is no public safety issue and such use is consistent with preservation of both the value of our assets and public resources such as water, fish, and wildlife. In general, these responsible uses include year-round non-motorized use of roads and lands unless specifically posted." In addition he laughed at the 7 year thing Bill mentioned. He said that was quite funny--and of course not true.

I have done that one too!

I have already done Hozomeen North.....and I don't repeat.

Never heard of the law. I will ask a DNR employee if he knows any status about it just in case the DNR wants that land....