rat

speak for yourself... http://www.volcano.si.edu/world/volcano.cfm?vnum=1508-041

hey, why not add in nooksack tower for the blue collar hardman trifecta? i think jo'burgs probably the coolest of the bunch, though nooksacks the least "moderate" (by the n face at any rate) add the original route on the north face of mt. baring and you earn a "washington brush quad" pin.

this may help or hurt: http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/mbs/conditions/road_conditions_report.shtml bet you'll be parking on the baker lake road.

because most climbers are motherfucking dilettantes?

ditto all of the suggestions so far plus the harding route on mt. conness and the 50-crowded route on clyde minaret (not crowded). he said "this fall". fewer t-storms late august/early september. might want to mull over the permit situation if you want to do anything in the whitney or temple crag areas.

i wasn't thinking of going up for ice this late but was curious about the potential. thanks.

if you're talking about the peak to the west then yes, that's iron mountain. gordon briody told me he has done some roped climbing on it. i've scrambled up it while working in the area. it's fractured volcanic choss for the most part.

the chute is also known as "the funnelator" or "the lawnmower", depending on which group of locals you talk to. parking for this area will likely become a problem. the road is plowed by the church camp (not the usfs) for their winter use. don't block it. oh, and they certainly made money off that partial cut.

do any of you have info that you would like to share regarding ice climbing in the fort st. james/mt. pope area? looks like a helluva drive. thanks.

drury and the pencil have actually lost ice over the course of the week. plenty of routes to climb if you're willing to scratch and sniff. bring more rock than ice gear and watch for releases off the snow covered slabs. there is a route high along nason ridge that is also formed but has high avi hazard both on the approach and climb. it's visible driving along hwy 2 but most easily seen from the whitepine creek road. approach time is about 2hr. pitch 1 is about 100' of wi3, plow up the gully to a 150' cliff and turn this via easy mixed climbing on the left, continue up the gully to a final 80' pitch of wi3-4. rap the route from trees (best to rap over the middle cliff as well). i soloed this a couple winters ago and have been waiting to see if the middle cliff would ice up. it hasn't and probably won't. however, it will provide some good steep dry tooling for anyone will to "climb for location".

current/past temps for the northwest: http://nimbo.wrh.noaa.gov/mso/newrgl.php

http://www.idahostatesman.com:80/newsupdates/story/261407.html

http://www.nwac.us/products/SABSEA lots of new snow in der as well.

"p-s dihedral" + "eagle ears" makes for an excellent pitch...bring stubbies for "ee" or clip the bolts. "closet secrets" is in but much thinner than the guidebook photo...short screws and rock pro to 2" on 12/29. it didn't look like a person could yet snag "shreddie" from "prophet maker". "after the gold rush" is still in. we continued up to the wi2 smear above and right of the last pitch described in the guidebook. fun rambling. good to hear "3 ring circus" was climbed.

leavenworth: drury--last pitch unformed on wednesday 12/12. drip--nope. smear, silver tongue and icicle junction areas--mixed bag. careno crags--bag o' mixed. snow creek wall--not much ice as seen from valley but turf might be ok. left side of duty dome and peekaboo tower area--mixed. lazy boy gully--thin. rat creek climbs--thin. hubba hubba and flows to left and right--thin but definitely climbable on 12/14. chimney/fault about 200' left of hubba hubba--very nice easy/moderate (maybe a bit of filthy 5.8 in the summer) mixed climbing for 3 full pitches (the last one a bit contrived). pro to 4" and a few stubbies on 12/14.

winter 2007-2008: http://climbersaccess.ab.ca/content/view/47/38/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=64&Itemid=38 http://www.gravsports-ice.com/icethreads/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/315#Post315

sounds like a great first trip. however, here is the link to jmace's quote: http://climbersaccess.ab.ca/content/view/47/38/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=64&Itemid=38 sounds like the closure is still in effect. i think the fine is around $250can. walking for a few clicks in the ghost is a lot more pleasant.

proto-punk: patti smith mc5

don't let the midget jerk get you down. it's his nature to treat everyone that way....too many roundhouse kicks to the head from his lovely wife. cafe sensitivo won't save you from him. glad you had a good time. nice tr.

rocky mountain ski lodge is nice....kitchenettes to cut eating-out costs and aaa or repeat customer discounts. anyone tried the motels at dead man's flats?

the trail is the "independence trail". there are at least 3 routes on that face (aka "shitty little crag") that don't appear in guidebooks.

for the religiously correct tippler: jameson for the catholic bushmills for the protestant tullamore dew if you don't know and prefer not to get shot

near mammoth, ca. nice looking north face. rock is not supposed to be so good (for cali, that is). check secor's guidebook.

s slab and c crack....brooks and whitelaw had no b's when it came to obscenity.

glad to add some fuel to the fire. carry on.