Stefan

Piss poor idea? Just making a suggestion. I think Mark and Heidi can decide for themselves what they do for their own time. More than likely Mark will probably suggest Texplorer to another person. No harm, no foul in asking Mark.

I know this is a wild shot, but why not try contacting Mark Gunlogson at Mountain Madness in Seattle (I think he is still there.) markg@mountainmadness.com If he doesn't go, maybe he knows somebody who would like to go with you. Maybe somebody like Charlie Fowler.

Sorry. My bad on your route write up. Great pictures. Private roads suck.

I have never been in there. Does the road to the lake require high clearance vehicles or can a small Honda Civic make it?

My partner fell into a crevasse hole one time on the way out. While the rope was taught I didn't have to self arrest due to the friction of the crevasse lip on the rope. About 20 seconds later while I was holding him taught (he said he could extract himself from his yells) I fell into a different crevasse (up to armpits). The only thing holding us was the rope taughtness on the snow between the two crevasses.

What really needs to happen is the Mt. Rainier Timber Company needs to add a road going to the West Side Road. Then the company could charge people using the road. The only problem is getting across the Puyallup River.

I split my weekends. I go when weather is bad. I change destinations. If you only climb in good weather, then I would have to consider you a weather wimp! Besides, it all evens out in the end.

Here's what you do with an SO problem who does not climb. Get out a calendar. Split your weekends evenly. You get this weekend, your SO gets that weekend...etc. On your weekends you do what you want to do--mostly climbing. Tell your S.O. that you want him/her to go with you climbing on your weekends BUT if they decide to not go with you climbing, then that is their decision. You do what they want to do on their weekends. You must give and take in a relationship. Your S.O. might enjoy just going to the mall on the weekends -- as ugly as that sounds, that may be important to them. It does not make it wrong, just different. If your S.O. does not want to go with you on your weekends, but you do stuff with your S.O. on their weekends, then at least you are doing the giving.

Weird. I was just by Old Baldy this morning looking up at Freedom (formerly Liberty) Ridge becuase this vantage is right in your face and noticed how cool it looked and trying to figure out where the last accident occurred.....

When I went to the Karakorum I had people with me who had been through the Khumbu, Annapurna circuit, Patagonia, and parts of India. (I have not been to those areas.) Each one of them said the Karakorum was by far the most spectacular of the mountain scenery becuase there were so many mountains that were so steep and they looked so much more intimidating than anything they have seen. However, they each said the trek was the toughest they had experienced though. It is definitely not like trekking from tea hut to tea hut in Nepal.

I would like more detail than you speak about. Specifically, elevations that you noticed. However, most people access the southern pickets from the well travelled climbers path from Goodell Creek.

Is this true? A two mile rope used in a rescue? Or....just a common journalistic mistake that happens all too frequently? Korean rescue on Denali

That is correct. We thought about looking at slung rock several months after the accident, but I have no desire to return to location. Nor does my partner.

When I fell, the rope was everywhere. In a rush, my partner had to use the rope to do another rappel further down. No one was focusing on how the accident happened or looking for slings, just on what to do next. Did he coil the rope or just drag it to the next anchor? I can't remember as well as my partner, we were too focused on a rescue. Another probable answer at the time was the rope breaking.....but since my partner had used the rope and brought the rope back home we knew the rope did not break. If the sling was broken at the anchor, or if the sling was down 30 feet around where I was (becuase of an anchor shift) then either way it still would have blown away becuase of the downdraft of the helicopter.

I went on two or three old slings.

That was me. Partner went back two weeks later. He could not find sling. We do not know if sling broke, if sling came untied, or if it came off of the rock. But I do know this, it was two or three previous slings I rapped off of. They looked good. I pulled on the slings twice to make sure they were solid--and pulled on the rope once when it was through the slings in the direction of the rappel before my partner rapelled. My partner rapped safely off of the slings. Then it was my turn.....

I have done the easiest route on Big Kangaroo. The earlier the better if you leave from the hairpin becuase there is A LOT of scree involved. Route is as Beckey states. The very last portion is a smooth slab that can be protected by throwing a rope over the summit and belaying by the partner on the opposite side if slabs are not your kinda thing.

....

About accidents on Liberty Ridge.... For some reason I have the perception that a lot of accidents come from people who do not live in the northwest. It's as if they take vacation, go to climb Liberty Ridge, and becuase of the limited time off, cannot wait for a weather window. Just a perception.

The climber who was a good friend of mine is doing fine for the time being. I talked to him and he is in the hospital with several broken bones. They are keeping him overnight for several days due to some fractures in the bones in his back (but no spinal separations). His wife said they are expecting a full recovery, albeit after some healing time. Best of luck man.

I have that one too! He recently gave me a copy! I love the maps in there and the added names. Good read and updates me on the mining history of the area for which I lack a lot of knowledge of.....

Hozomeen is access from Canada. You can access many peaks using Ross Lake, like Jack, Prophet, Challenger, and multiple others. But the one you are probably thinking about is Luna.

I have one in very good condition. Do you mean like an extra one? Sorry, not an extra one. Just a nice one.

I do not know how rare or out of print it is but I have the second version of One Day Winter Ascents by Dallas Kloke.... Has he done a third edition?

I have one in very good condition.