Stefan

I talked to a very nice lady at the Log House Inn at Marblemount. She gave me the low down on the USDOT operation at the North Cascades highway. Here it is..... They might be open for 1 lane operations on May 3rd. They tentatively plan for the opening on May 10.

I have done the traverse. We did not stay on the ridge proper, but went down to the basin east of the North Brother and then up. I did this many years ago and I think the last section was class 4 to the summit--but I cannot recall. We did use a rope. On the way out was one of the most epic rappels I have ever done. We went straight down from the basin east of the North Brother. Do NOT do this. We were rappelling next to cascading waterfalls on both sides of us. My recommendation is to go more to the north of the basin (left) as you are heading down and then follow the stream back to the camp. Brush is thick next to the stream, but doable.

Hmmmmmm..... This is what somebody else said on another website... Salish Group: Members Posts: 178 Joined: Dec. 2001 Posted: April 04 2002,15:15 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Twocoots, I just got off the phone with the Henry M. Jackson Power Plant at Spada Lake Rec Area. They tell me that the Rec Area will open at the start of the general fishing season, which is usually the last weekend in April. Access to upper & lower Greider Lakes will be open, but this is all from the Sultan side - the Granite Falls entry will remain closed. They said to call later for updated info, and if you need the number here it is:Henry M. Jackson Hydroelectric Project, (425) 347-5549, 31411 - 116th Street SE Extended, Sultan, WA 98294. Cliff And another person I spoke with said that mountain bikes are allowable......they just don't want people with big trucks on the road for 9/11 reasons.

I need some beta on how to do Mt. Temple from Nada creek. Is Beckey right in his description? Pictures? Any and all help is appreciated!

The trees are doable with a chainsaw. I was up there three weeks ago. The avalanche debris (mostly snow) was about 25 feet deep then. After that the road was covered with about 3 feet of snow. I would definitely expect 2.5 feet of snow on the road all the way from the avalanche debris and onward right now......

Look for a peak number on a map and go for it. There are hundreds of peaks out there not in Beckey's books. Check this website out...... http://howbert.netherweb.com/mountains/ As for climbing a rock wall without working your ass off to get to it, then you are out of luck. Everything's been written up.

And yet another update on the opening.... http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/regions/NorthCentral/Maint/Area3/nc2002/default.htm

http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/mbs/news/nr_mf_atm_ea_04082002.htmlHere is what they are planning for the Middle Fork of the Snoqualmie. This affects you if you want access to Garfield and the back side of Chimney Rock.

Keep me posted! Like I said in my email, my plans may change!

I have done the standard route on Big Kangaroo. As well as Mushroom Tower in an easy day. If you end up doing Big Kangy from the hairpin on whatever route you do, make sure you do it in June or earlier so you can do a kick ass glissade down. I did it without snow and it was a pain in the ass coming down the scree.

I would be very interested in going in May if you have room...... But check out this thread. Maybe climberbro has some information for you. http://www.cascadeclimbers.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=6&t=000023

I also want to get Middle Peak in a weekend winter outing......maybe I will try it as a an early winter ascent where I can take my mountain bike up the road without having to worry about "the key" for the gate. The peak just interests me. Do you know if the road is mountainbikeable? Nevermind. I just read the other posts [ 04-04-2002: Message edited by: Stefan ]

I am still planning to do Lindeman as a winter outing. Hanging Lake sounds better and looks better as well as Centre creek--but the problem is that the road is usually blocked by snow (Chilliwack road) well before the trailhead to Hanging Lake. (Dru, please correct me if I am wrong). The problem is access! I want the shortest walk to Lindeman! I don't even think I could get a key for that gate on a Saturday from the Fisheries people.The shortest way to Lindeman in the winter (without a key) is Nesakwatch. However, Nesakwatch is looking mighty tempting with someone I know having a snowmobile..........Stefan [ 04-04-2002: Message edited by: Stefan ]

I tried Lindeman in December, but we did not have all this beta becuase I didn't do my homework--we walked out in a downpour. I have decided to go up the Nesakwatch drainage and then traverse over to Lindeman from there. I would very much like a trip report when/if you do it. [ 04-03-2002: Message edited by: Stefan ]

TRUE STORY I worked at REI Headquarters for 6 years. I was truly the only dedicated climber there out of maybe 400 people. Some people climb here and there but not as much as I did becuase they had full time jobs (like I did) and family obligations. (People weren’t obsessed with climbing like I was). So an opportunity came in the climbing department at headquarters and I applied for the position. This was the lowest position in the climbing department. I did not get the position. Guess who did? A person who did not even know what a carabiner is! That person still works at REI and has never climbed a day. (I have inside knowledge that the person doesn’t climb.) Get this also: There are people in their water sports department who don’t canoe or kayak either! Am I bitter about being rejected? No. Things just always work out for the better. The salesfloor people are mostly climber uneducated people with a few people here and there who know their climbing stuff. A lot of them do backpack, but most of them don’t climb. If you wanted knowledgeable staff you would probably have to pay a higher premium for a more educated staff, which in the end would result in higher prices at REI across the board. I also know the staff at REI are lurking on this webpage.

Any ice climbing potential on the east side of Goose Egg mountain?

UPDATE: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/regions/northcentral/Maint/Area3/nc2002/

quote: Originally posted by dkemp: Comin' off Sourdough Ridge near Elephant Butte, alongside then crossing Torment Creek, and out via Stetattle Creek - strenuous and unpleasant. dkemp: Don't you mean Torrent Creek?

Worst Descent:Bedayn Coulouir of Goode!!!!!!!!!Bedayn Coulouir of Goode!!!!!!!!!Bedayn Coulouir of Goode!!!!!!!!!Bedayn Coulouir of Goode!!!!!!!!!Bedayn Coulouir of Goode!!!!!!!!!Bedayn Coulouir of Goode!!!!!!!!!Bedayn Coulouir of Goode!!!!!!!!! We even had ideal weather! DON'T DO IT! If you want to come down on that side come down the standard up route.

#1 Italian Dolomites (greenery,easy access,great cheese, beautiful women) #2 Karakorum (fricken intimidating peaks and routes everywhere, but a pain in the ass to get to)

The only thing that I think I would want out of the guiding side of Mt. Rainier is to make the contracts publicly available for viewing. I have heard rumors that people can't see the contracts--which does not make sense to me. I thought that all federal contracts are publicly available--except of course those contracts that are needed for national security.

On my way back to Highway 20 after climbing the NE Buttress of Goode here is what my partner and I saw on the trail about 7 miles from the road. It was about 85 degrees out. A 35 year old man wearing a full on Scottish sweater and jeans. He is hauling 2 suitcases. He drops them next to two other suitcases. All the suitcases have rollers on them. In his stash of gear he has a full navy sized duffle bag, several garbage bags full of something I don’t know, a footlocker, and a 5 gallon water jug full of water. No backpack. No horse. The guy has nobody with him. We get to talking to him and he says he is walking to Leavenworth. It has taken him 3-4 days to walk the 7 miles he has gone from Highway 20. It takes him 5 trips back and forth to bring all his gear forward along the trail, and he does it in increments of one mile. I found out the NPS interviewed him when he got to the Stehekin road. They were very suspicious of him and looked through his stuff. He had no drugs and all the stuff he was carrying was his worldly possessions and he was just on a summer romp through the woods.

Road has snow blocking all vehicles 50 yards from the highway. You can take your snowmobile up it though.

I know someone who is climbing Mt. Pissis right now as we speak.....

Did you guys know that the average human head weighs 8 and half pounds?