Fairweather

Trip: Ptarmigan Traverse - Date: 9/1 thru 9/05 2009 Trip Report: With my climbing partner of 25 years, Greg, and Mtnguy01 (who also happens to be my little brother) we left the Cascade Pass trail head this past Tuesday in unsettled weather to give the Ptarmigan Traverse a try. Despite rumors to the contrary, the road is/was still open through the holiday weekend. Two great things about this trip in September are the total lack of bugs, and an unlimited supply of blue huckleberries. Two bad things about this trip in September are the wind, and the rain. Despite getting pelted at Cache Col with wet slushy hail, we moved on to Koolaid Lake and made camp. That night it dumped hard while lightning bolts hit the surrounding ridge lines. My Beta Lite tent leaked a little but held strong. Steve's Litehouse kept out the elements completely. Thinking our trip had come to a quick end, we were surprised when Wednesday morning broke clear. The Red Ledges were easy and we were soon heading up the Middle Cascade Glacier. The snow bridge shown on an earlier TR here is now completely gone and the 30 foot wide crevasse requires an end run and a steep climb above the gaping hole. We descended all the way to Yang Yang Lakes, and on up to LeConte Col where we made camp in a beautiful little glade--again, in rapidly changing weather. Wenesday night it rained hard again. This time--in addition to the lightning--we were treated to 40 mph winds and 38 degree temps. Conditions didn't improve during the day on Thursday and visibility remained about 200 feet, so we hunkered down and made plans to reverse our route back to Cascade Pass when and if the weather broke. Sure enough, Friday broke clear. But instead of heading out, little brother decided we were to keep going south and race the next weather system by making it to Cub Lake by the end of the day. Good call! The LeConte Glacier was beautiful, albeit heavily crevassed, and the traverse around Sentinel beyond the saddle was bare ice. Across the South Cascade Glacier and down to White Rock Lakes we went. Absolutely stunning--and so ashamed we had to keep moving. The slabs beneath the Dana Glacier look intimidating from across the valley, but are actually fairly easy with only occasional 2nd class. We followed the rock right up to the base of the hog's back, and climbed the glacier with only minor crevasse detours. At Spire Col we watched the next weather system envelop Glacier Peak and by the time we reached Cub Lake it was pouring rain again. Up at 7am on Saturday morning in a driving rainstorm, we headed over the col and down the dreaded Bachelor Creek. I suppose the only thing worse than this bushwhack--is this bushwhack in a hard-driving rain and soaked cold to the bone. Good times. Not. The Downey Creek trail is now getting some maintenance and was easy to follow to the road. 8.5 miles of abandoned gravel is not the greatest way to end an adventure like this, but it passed quickly. The road will be repaired next year according to the Darrington office. Pictures: Gear Notes: MSR's new Hyper Flow filter is worthless. Clogs after every liter and back-flowing it gets you another half liter at best. It's going back to REI today. 30 meter glacier rope. Approach Notes: Be sure you take the east col (climber's left) at the head of the MC Glacier. It's the only one that works.

Rush Limbaugh is accurate 98.9% of the time. I went to his website to find this out.

Fuck yea!

Why? Because CC.com's most moronic moderator can't even get his own church's name right? I guess it's possible that he did, in fact, mean ITCC, since this is the Chicago venue where he first sucked Obama's cock. Looks like you've been there too: http://www.itcc.org/

That's I-P-C-C, genius boy.

Since I'm bored, I'll waste a few minutes on you. Hell, if even Hitchens thinks the guy's a fraud, well... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fahrenheit_911#Controversy "The film generated substantial controversy and criticism after its release shortly before the U.S. presidential election, 2004. British-American journalist and literary critic Christopher Hitchens contended that Fahrenheit 9/11 contains distortions and untruths.[32] This drew several rebuttals, including an eFilmCritic article and a Columbus Free Press editorial.[33] Former Democratic mayor of New York City Ed Koch, who had endorsed President Bush for re-election, called the film propaganda.[34] Moore published a list of facts and sources for Fahrenheit 9/11 and a document that he says establishes agreements between the points made in his film and the findings of the 9/11 Commission.[35]"

The onus falls upon the one making the claims. Ask j_b and Buckaroo where their faith in Moore is grounded.

A truly amazing demonstration of the moron mindset. "It's all true, because he says so on his website!"

You don't really believe that do you?

I'll bet you even cupped the scrotum and breathed through your nose.

That was funny. Behold the static Earthers!

It's funny, but the only racism I ever see around here comes from lefties like you, and is too often anti-Semitic in nature. You are one sad piece of shit, Prole, and your post speaks volumes about the sorry state of your life. Frankly, you have just earned the distinction of being the only person I have on the ignore feature here. Let me know when you have your anti-Semitic demons and substance abuse issues back under control and our conversations can resume. In any event, you should take another look at what you posted and reconsider your outlook. Goodbye.

You need a serious beating, asshole.

I thought about S-->N, but we would still have to walk out to where we left the car at MP 12.7, and it would be too hard to coordinate a pick up since we might go an extra day. Looks like we're gonna try to find someone to drop us off Monday night. My wife said no. Again.

Shit! Just checked the NCNP website: Road closed at MP12.7 starting Sept 1st--the day we are/were leaving. (Tuesday's kind of a weird day to start a road project.) I don't think I can psychologically handle a roadslog on both ends of this trip. Thanks for the head's up Ivan! I'll have to see if the wife will drop us off on Monday instead, or... Anybody know anything about the Pyramid/Inspiration Traverse?

Leaving next week to do this trip. Passibility prospects to remain AoK in your opinion? How was the moat at Cache Col?

Again, listen to what Friedman is saying. Do you really think anyone believes that "appropriate" government oversight is bad? The only arguments you'll get from 99.99% of self-described Capitalists is in degrees.

If you listen to the interview you can hear that Friedman is not advocating "complete freedom from any government laws." Not a serious rebuttal.

The last 10 seconds of this piece should give pause to even the dreamiest little ccdotcom commie: [video:youtube]

Sounds just wonderful, asshole.

depends on whose deciding what's fit for society... and what's their definition of "fit" is. I'm sure j_b & his youth brigade could come up with some standards or somethin'.

You must have tiny liiito feeengers.

I think you've never looked at an old newspaper. I think the history of journalism is pretty consistent.

Slow news is olds.

Slow news is how the Soviet system was able to starve 10 million Ukrainians to death without much public outrage.