Fairweather

Nice TR! Stone is one of my favorites. My brother and I did the traverse you talk of as a one-day a couple years ago. Lower Lena to Upper Lena to Scout Lake junction to Stone Ponds to St Peters Gate to Lake of the Angels, and out the Putvin to our mountain bikes that we had stashed that morning at the Maple Creek washout. (now repaired) The traverse was about 75% snow when we did it in early July. Easy routefinding except right out of Upper Lena where a 300 foot climb up led to a dead end. Left the car at 6am and got back to the car at 7pm.

Trask, I predict you will find your name on President Hillary's "enemies" list someday... and 2012 will find you at hard labor in Uncle Teddy's re-education camp in rural Massachusetts. You are a dangerous man, my friend.

The second time I climbed Little T we camped at Summerland. During the night I dreamed that the clown on Stephen King's movie "It" was in the cliffs above the Whitman Glacier trying to roll rocks down on me. Really freaked me out. We climbed it anyway w/o incident.

I hear you drop your pants and grab your ankles everytime you see George W on TV. AlpineK likes to lick the razor stubble on Ralph Nader's sack.

Rainier was never 19k. It was 16,000 feet high when Little T was part of its original surface perhaps as recently as 6000 years ago. If you look at Rainier from the west, draw an imaginary line up Success Cleaver from the right, and up Ptarmigan Ridge/Mowich Face from the left. The apex of these lines lies over 1500 feet above the younger summit cone. Point Success and Liberty Cap are merely the uneroded remnants of the huge crater that was later partially filled by today's summit structure. note: I am not a geologist, but I occasionally read the shit that they write.

Conrgatulations to cc.com'er, mountainguy01! Graduated from Western Wa University/Huxley College yesterday, and is now on to grad school! He climbed Hood with me when he was only 12. Rainier/Kautz Glacier at 14! He has been my favorite climbing partner, and although he is almost 20 years younger than I am.... I look up to my brother Steve. Congratulations!!

Discuss... Lance Armstrong vs. Ed Viesters. non-cycling, non climbing event. ....and the winner gets to take on Dan -!

Thanks Ropegun. My reply to Bodynazi's post was intended to address his self-perceived manliness, not necessarily the premise of his argument. Too bad his "partner" was so out of shape. Maybe he should have offered him a rope!

"Running Belay"...often a poorly placed picket pushed into wet snow with a boot sole. You really think that's going to stop a big slide? Do you really take the time to dig a slot, and then wait while your second digs it out? Some folks do...and some don't. Also, I seriously doubt Bodynazi encountered a "party of six roped together" on Liberty Ridge. Also, do you really think its better to be unroped when you're step kicking up firm snow at 12,000 feet only to encounter a 300 foot stretch of hard ice which requires a belay? Do you really think its better to take the rope out...put it away...take it out....again and again?? I say its better to be roped up during the entire climb. I'm not disagreeing with the premise that it is best to climb competent/ unroped on liberty ridge. But don't blow hot air just because others don't live up to your high moral standards. And if you're worried that they might "take you out" in a fall, you should probably pick lighter-traffic days to climb such a route. Or better yet, get up earlier than the other party and make sure you're in good enough shape to stay above them all day. The one thing that does piss me off, is when folks don't short-rope through choss and let their full legnth rope drag it down. That's just plain lazy.

"Moron". "Fucking Wanker". "Idiot". "Retard". Glassgow, be sure to save some ammo for use after your 18th birthday!

glassgokiss+Bodynazi=self appointed mountain police. Just remember: in addition to getting hit by falling rock or ice, you might get clobbered by a falling climber(s). Never assume that what is up above you won't come down on top of you. BTW, I think some of those roped-up "idiots" on Liberty Ridge last weekend to whom Bodynazi refers are regulars here on CCcom. And I think some of them likely have a lot more alpine experience than he. Relax.

I've posted this before, but it seems to fit this discussion again.... Man's life before marriage. Man's life after marriage.

Bodynazi, Maybe you should just worry about you and yours when on the mountain. Not to slam you on your first post, but you come across as holier-than-thou big time. I could ask about your qualifications to attempt such a route, such as # previous climbs of Rainier, routes, etc, but that just wouldn't be right...now would it? There are always going to be climbers with wildly varying degrees of experience on a more popular mountain. And yes, someone might rain on your parade someday. That's just part of the deal on a "party mountain" like Rainier. Get a grip stud.

Better hurry! Casaval Ridge is usually out of shape by mid to late June.

"Saturday Night Live" had a parody last week in which an MSNBC Hardball's Chris Mathews look-alike discussed the Democrats chances for victory in '04: "The only hope for these Democrats is to push for the voting age to be lowered to six years old, then convince 'Sponge Bob' to run as their candidate."

Three summer days in a (tall) Bora 40, no problemo.

Never mind the fact they were living here for thousands of years before we were. With your logic the only natives are africans. But what I'm really interested in right now is smoking pot. The Americas have no idigenous peoples. I'm only arguing symantics to irritate liberal thinkers. While you smoke your evil weed, I will drink a completely legal and harmless beer.

I might show up if Alpine K leaves his chain-saw at home.

Nice trip! I've been up the Easton a couple of times, but it's been a few years. Is the Squack Glacier variation shorter overall with the completion of the new trail? Thinking about heading up that way in a couple weeks. Or maybe Boulder Galcier.

You're right Fence. And my ancestors immigrated from Europe, whereas the Tulalip's immigrated from Asia. I've got no problem with tribes taking $$$ from the mathematically challenged.

A thought.... Is there really such thing as a "Native-American"?

Trask, Dixie Lee Ray and Senator Henry M Jackson were the last of this state's great open minded Democrats. But before you go giving a total thumbs-up to Dixie, you'd better check her views regarding individual liberty/personal freedom. Some of her ideas were fringe to extreme. The greatest thing about Dixie Lee Ray was that she absolutely...100%...did not fit into any conventional modern political ideal. She could go either way, right or left, on any given issue....and change her mind if the science demanded it. Overall, I do admire her. Who was the greatest governor Washington State ever had? I'd say it has never had a great one. And it sure as hell 'aint the current one! But I've always been a fan of Dan Evans. (His later Evergreen State College tenure notwithstanding)

"Trasks last post".... 6/05/03 5:24pm. Welcome back Trask! I missed you.

I'm talking about the PRESIDENTIAL election. How about the Dem's leaving the polls open for two hours after they were supposed to close in Missouri? How about Democratic activists "helping" nursing home patients by collecting their blank absentee ballots (by the thousands) and then helping them further by filling them out. Let's not forget the "paid" bus rides to the poles given by Democrat activists. (an illegal activity) Lets not forget the ongoing election-fraud-machine in the great state of Illinois. Specifically the "dead folks-can-still-vote" Mayor Daily Democrat fraud machine. "Disenfranchised"? Last time I checked, convicted felons in Florida weren't allowed to vote. Why don't you just accept the fact: GW BUSH IS PRESIDENT. HE WAS ELECTED UNDER THE ELECTORAL SYSTEM PRESCRIBED BY THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES. AL GORE IS NOT THE PRESIDENT. HE WOULD BE PRESIDENT TODAY IF YOU/THOSE LIKE YOU HADN'T VOTED FOR RALPH NADER. MARTIN SHEEN IS NOT THE PRESIDENT. NOAM CHOMPSKY IS NOT THE PRESIDENT. THE ELECTION IS OVER. GIVE IT A REST.

I'm having second thoughts about this issue too. I am in favor of guiding on the high profile mountains like Rainier, Hood, Baker, etc. But I don't understand why repeat clients don't eventually wean themselves from their guides. I mean, if you've been up Baker, Rainier, and taken rock climbing classes with a reputable service, why do you now need someone to take you in to do Olympus, Stuart, or Challenger? Perhaps it is time to go with a 1:1 guide/client ratio requirement in these more "wilderness like" areas???