plexus

I missed it the first time I ever went up there. Went to the road end, followed flagging, did some serious tree pulling and scrambling before it started raining and we all felt like idiots. Follow Bug's directions and you will be fine. Trust me, if you have to use your hands and are trying to tell you that what you are is a trail, you're not on it.

I've got Cloudveil Zorros and I use them often for spring alpine climbs and backcountry skiing. Weigh next to nothing and I have absolutely no complaints about them. The breathability is wonderful with them. I'm never wet on the inside even during full exertion.

You mean a rack of BIG nuts. Hats off to you Dru, that's a mighty big & scary endeavor you guys took on. After reading Beckey's "Challenge of the North Cascades" the description gave me pucker factor sitting on the couch.

I remember finding the approach being much, much tougher than the actual climb, especially with overnight packs. But God what a gorgeous area, especially camping on the ridge.

We sent one of my reporters to talk with her sister. They are going to give her bras every year on June 19th from now on.

If anything, soloing makes me more humble and reminds me how small I am on this 3-400 foot climb. I think many climbers would agree it's much more of an internal challenge than anything else.

Funny thing is I can never "plan" on going soloing, it is always a spontaneous thing when I am out bouldering someplace like the Flatirons, or other places.

At 14,000 feet too. Many visitors forget to take that into account.

In the words of Darth Vader: "Impressive. Most impressive." Lots of exposure with deteriorating snow.... makes you feel alive and mortal, don't it?! Beautiful climb and sounds like you had the perfect partner, somebody who embraced and was motivated by the challenge as opposed to being spooked by it.

Last Saturday was glissading down from the saddle of Grays and Torreys here. Was steeper than I thought it would be and picked up some pretty good speed. Digging the boots in and pushing more on the shaft of the ice axe didn't retard my speed at all as I saw some rocks coming close. I casually rolled over and started to arrest - which isn't all that effective when you're riding a large cushion of softening snow. Casted a glance down and saw the rocks were now indeed close. Did it with more earnest and came to a stop about 20 feet above the skin-removers. Whoever said it above, self-arresting on softening snow this time of year can almost be futile. That's been a majority of the time in having to pray to the mountain gods. Was prepared to roll to the climber's left if I couldn't slow down any. And glissading while still wearing crampons is just lunacy. I'd rather take the extra time to remove them and then put them back on.

The climb next to Cat Crack on Neat n Cool. BD #9 nut, fell about 20 feet cuz I was feeling confident and near the top. First fall and having a piece POP, was Index, two pieces popped and I was saved from grounding head-first (got tangled in the rope) by a brass nut. I still have that nut and carry it all the time on my rack.

Here's the latest that has crossed the wires at my work: Kinzer says a helicopter is standing by to bring the hikers off the mountain, but officials are waiting for the weather to break. After a winter of heavy snowfall that forced repeated closure of mountain passes, unseasonably cold conditions have continued long into spring in Washington's Cascade Range. Bacher says Paradise received 2 feet of fresh snow overnight, with 5-foot drifts at Camp Muir. Bacher says the three hikers were all experienced in the outdoors, and two had reached the summit of Rainier previously. Bacher says three doctors were at Camp Muir with the two remaining hikers, who are suffering from frostbite and hypothermia. Both were in stable condition. Bacher says the third hiker had been unconscious before dying at Camp Muir.

There is some nice stuff in the Gore Range, shorter but steeper. And yes, from a mountaineering perspective, a lot of the stuff here is boring. But you make do with what you gots. Tried downloading pics of the skiers on Torreys but the system didn't like me. You can view them by following the link to my sig.

Yikes! Glad you guys got down safely. I've dislodged a couple of near-widowmakers and those shook me up almost as much as it did the person it almost plunked.

A-Basin had two inches of new for its last day on Sunday. I saw about 6 people carrying their skis up the Dead Dog Couloir on Torreys Peak on Saturday.

I'll send you a PM when I get back from my mtn biking trip to Fruita this weekend.

Honestly, to me that is the best taste in the world. It means I'm out someplace remote, doing what I love in beautiful weather (well it has to be to get warm). Just like today walking back to my truck after a day of bouldering and a couple free solos, I wiped an itch on my nose and smelled the greatness of lichen-tinged granite splashed with chalk on my hand. Better than a bouquet of flowers. And nice climb. 11worth was a great place to go this time of year when I lived out there; you've just reached the end of your rain/snow threshold and just want sunshine and dry rock.

They are not.

Being 200 lbs, I'd go longer than 165s. The more width under foot means more stability as well. Do a search for some previous threads on the same topic, there is some good advice given.

Around Heather Pass down pass Corteo and Wing Lake is very nice. I'd second that recommendation. Also you could head up the Baker Lake Road and hit Anderson Butte, Mount Watson and Bacon Peak as well.

Definitely get a better vibe with Moab, plus more outdoor opportunities. You have sandstone and mountains that craddle snow until late August a short drive away. I'm envious. At least for me it's only a 5-hour drive.

Rappelling or being lowered off.

Don't think I would call the Casual Route on Longs a moderate.

I've actually seen one to the date five years ago. Coming down after climbing a peak in the Twin Sisters range, I was commenting how in our uphill footsteps, there were bear footsteps. About 10 minutes later there was a loud thrashing, a large black blur and then a sound I will never forget as a very large (for Washington standards) black bear climbed up 30 feet or so into a tree in a matter of seconds. I'm sure like many posters here will attest to, you find bears more often than not on less-used trails or off-trail. They, like many other animals, like trails and roads because it's easier to travel on (just like how us humans feel). So from my experience, right about now is when you start seeing them. Only places I have seen a grizzly are AK, BC and one here in Colorado (though I'll never say where because they are supposed to be extinct here).

Trekking poles are like women, I buy them.....Wait a minute!!!