whiplash

Anybody climb zig zag lately? Last time we were up there it looked like someone has been putting up a bunch of new routes, just wondering if there any good. Shady Hallow area is worth a visit if you haven't been there before, nice 5.7/5.8 corner crack along with some sport routes.

The same thing happened to us on Mt.Challenger a couple of years ago. While we were sitting on the summit, a chopper circled our tent on perfect pass a few times, getting close enough that we were worried about it getting blown away. They then flew around the glacier and took off down the valley. Then on our way back down the glacier they flew back and did the same thing a second time. We thought maybe it was some kind of practice search or something.

Did the NR on Saturday, crossing the Coleman was straight foward, some soft snow on the direct approach to the ridge but nice steps, ice pitches are in excellent shape. Going down the Coleman/Deming was a slog but the long glissade's made it fast. Super fun route

The gate on Howard Creek that is closed most of the time for elk was open in the morning but closed when we got back at 6pm. The guard said it was open for the loggers only so we parked there and biked in. The climb was good, bushwacked up into the basin between Barbara and Nancy peak, snow cover made it alot eaiser to get up through the lower section. Took steep snow to a ledge about 100' up the south face, this ledge is about 50' below a nice corner crack with a gold face that you can see from the approach. Climbed 2 rope stretching pitches to summit. Down climbed ridge to the SE until we could scramble down a loose gully and back to our packs on the ledge

Climbed Barbara Peak yesterday, no promblems with Crown. You have to stop at the gate in Hamilton and get a permit. There logging up past the gate on Howard Creek, so had to dodge logging trucks on the drive up.

I was in the party of two that went up today, we didn't rope up, and it didn't look like the other party of three did either. We down climbed the south arete to spice it up a bit. It would be a fine solo now. Have fun

Bill, Where at larrabee is Desperation Crack? How was it? Didn't see your post till this evening or I might have joined you.

I second what Mr. Natural said. Finally climbed the north ridge of Skookum peak last sunday after 2 failed attempts. Seem's like you have to put your time in getting lost on the logging roads before you can finally get something climbed.

Last year when we were up there the summit rock pitch had 4 fixed pins on the lower section, we used a few medium sized nuts to protect the upper section. I'd say it's closer to 5.5 than 5.7. No idea what kind of shape the glacier is in.

Picketer, we went in there in mid aug. Used some of your beta on the approach, worked good staying on the north side of access creek for the bushwack. We took the middle couloir to the ridge, some step snow near the top, but not to bad. On the way out we hit the couloir in the morning and it was still icy, so we ended up being able to wallow in the moats all the way down the snowfields. It was muddy but easier that downclimbing the icy couloir.

Mt.Fury and Luna Peak via access creek. Perfect weather and incredible views.

Thanks guys for the info. Did you happen to noticed some slings in the moat that looked pretty new. One was rapped around a chockstone about mid way up the moat, the other one which was blue was closer to the bottom were you exit out of the moat. It was slung around a big flake that looked like it had fallen off from higher up with the sling already on it. The sling was all beat up and I couldn't move it, so I figured it wasn't tied were it was at. Spooky to think that someone might have rapped off that flake at one time and now it sat down in the moat with the sling still on it. Or I could be wrong as maybe all the rocks getting kicked down the moat scuffed up the sling and ended up getting packed in around the flake making the sling not move. Getting down in the dark must have been exciting, I think if we didn't turn around, we would have been in the same boat.

We were up there sat. There was only about 50'to 100' of visibilty all day. Made the route finding interesting not being able to see any of the mountain. TT-Saw your tracks in the moat going up to gunsight notch. Where did you go from there? We dropped down the other side of the notch about 100' and scrambled out a ledge about 50'. Started the first pitch here and went up trending left to a ledge on a rib that felt more like 5th class than the 3rd-4th in the guide. Next pitch we climbed up and left across a rib and into a chimney that ended up vertical to overhanging at the end, some mid 5th class moves got us out to a easy gully. Figured we were off route by this time. Took this up through some small trees to the ridge. Followed the ridge along through a dip and reaching the gray staircase. Kept going on solid, fun scrambling to about 7200'. Thought we could see the summit finally, but it was late and visibilty wasn't getting any better, turned around here and started down. Decided to just rap the route we climbed instead of trying to find the normal route and chance getting lost in the white out. Found some booty on the last rap, 3 biner's-one being a locker, and 2 nuts, looked like they had been there awhile. I second the helmet comment as the rock is garbage. Pulling the rope brought down massive amounts of crap. Have to make it back up there when we can see something!

We climbed the S.E. ridge of the summit pryamid on saturday. Just a few spots of snow left that you couldn't avoid on the rock, but it was melting fast. I thought it was a much better finish to the climb then the normal route.

Bivy right on the summit of Ruth. There's plenty of room for a tent or bivy sacks. Excellent views of Shuksan and Picketts. Last bit of Icy peak is a 3rd class gully if snow free, with a nice block at the top to sling if you feel like rapping off on the way down.

Was up on the west ridge last weekend, and we were able to bike the first couple of miles of the road from the gate before hitting snow. The rest of the approach we did with snow shoes.

It's 5 miles from were the gate is across the middle fork to daily prairie. There's snow left on the ridge, but you can stay mostly on the rock once you get up above the scrub trees.

We took five days last year in the end of June, first of July to climb it. First day we went from the Hannegan T.H. to the top of Easy Ridge. 2nd day made it to Perfect Pass. We also scrambled around the edge of the imperfect impasse looking for a route across, but ended up dropping down and around and climbing a gully in the center of the valley to Perfect Pass. (do a search on this website for Challenger, the route was talked about last year.). Summited Challenger the 3rd day and spent another night at perfect pass. On the 4th day we summited Whatcom peak first thing in the morning, and packed back out to the end of Easy Ridge. The 5th day we hiked back to the Hannegan T.H. This is a great climb in a incredible area. Good pic's nwclimber!

The glacier from perfect pass to the east ridge was in perfect shape, we had to walk around a couple of cracks, but other than that it was just about a straight shot. We went to the right of the 'schrund, but it was barely starting to show, then back to the ridge crest and climbed up a bit farther to the rock. It took a little over four hours for us to get to the summit from perfect pass. Good luck on the next try!

Were you the party of three that me and my climbing partner ran into on the Hannegan/Chillwack trail on wed. July 4th? We were on are way out from Challenger and you on the way in. If so, how did the approach/climb go? We are curious to hear from some other parties on which way they took to get across the "imperfect impasse" at the end of easy ridge. Summit day was the easiest day of the five we were in there, but it was definitely worth the effort! What a great climb!