Fairweather

The Crystal Mountain expansion proposal will dramatically improve the sewage disposal aspect of that operation. Anyone who claims that the proposal is bad for the environment is full of sour grapes. I will agree with the suggestion that poor populations tend to ravage their mountains at a faster pace than developed. Makes me wonder why so many enviros want to move backward instead of forward economically. It is also poor nations that are "overpopulating" the planet. USA population growth is primarily immigration and the offspring thereof. The Sierra Club had a very contentious debate a couple years ago on whether to support an anti-immigration agenda. Anytime a report is released by the UN it seems to be light on science and heavy on left wing agenda, if one takes the time to read the fine print. By the way...The Kyoto Treaty WAS NOT about cutting CO2 emissions; it was about the re-distribution of wealth.

quote: Originally posted by climberbro16: Lake Constance Trail is preety badass. STEEP. [ 01-28-2002: Message edited by: climberbro16 ] The Dosewallips Road washed out and probably will NOT be repaired in 2002. ONP seems to almost WANT roads and trails to wash out....they sure aren't in any hurry to repair them.

...."Olympics and Cascades"..."increasing pressures from recreational activities such as skiing".... When was the last new ski resort built in the Cascades or Olympics? What other forms of recreation are ravaging our local mountains? Are they talking objective standards of physical environmental degredation, or the subjective "solitude" standard often cited by grumpy hiking guide authors whose names I won't mention? Sounds like this whole story is light on scientific study and heavy on anecdote. I call bullshit on this story.

Oops! That's "Mount Sanford".

I was talking to the "historian" in Wrangell/ St Elias Park a couple of summers ago and he told me a couple of snowmobilers out of Glenallen made it to within 300 feet of the summit of Mount Snaford (16,237')in winter of '99. I guess one of their machines broke down, but they were able to tow it out on their own. As Wrangell has less restrictive rules/regs regarding a number of issues, this activity was perfectly legal. I say "no problem". The 4 stroke snow machine would be easier on the lungs, but I understand the torque generated is substantially less than 2 stroke?? And anyway, the tele-snobs would complain no matter what! Even if snow machines operated on cold fusion, generated zero decibels, left no track behind them, and were emission-free.....the tele-snobs would still bitch. They just don't play well with others.

You're right on Max...Tele skiers are big-time snobs. Snow shoes rule the backcountry! I'd personally rather have a conversation with a snowmobiler that a tele-snob. Isn't there something kind of sick when the tele-snobs right here in this room start talking about sniping/killing snowmobilers? It says something about their self proclaimed "tolerence". CharlesEvans...Can you actually own a .308cal rifle in SW BC?

One category I left out, due to it's insignificance are the "snowblade" skiers. I've been looking at getting a pair of those little boards. They would fit real nice on the sides of my Bora 40 and they'd also attach to my mountaineering boots. They look like they would be a blast coming down from Muir or the top of St Helens. 2400g per pair! Anyone tried these out with Mtn boots??

MattP No disrespect intended. Just some general observations/stereotype re-enforcement. Actually, when I see tele's in the backcountry (I'm on snowshoes there) they're OK. At a ski resort they seem to become pricks. Maybe they just want to make sure all of the "lesser skiers" know who's "more spiritual", as you say.

SNOWBOARDERS = idiots who lack control and ruin moguls. Just plain dumb. Avalanche fodder. TELE SKIERS = asshole snobs who think they're somehow "above" the rest of us. What the fuck are they doing on groomed slopes anyway? Get your asses into the backcountry and take your snobbiness with you. I'll be peelin' that "free the heel" bumper sticker off your car while you're there. Free the heel??? WHY, I ask! RONDONEE SKIERS = They are awsome...they "earn their turns" without the attitude of the tele's. ALPINE SKIERS = Nice, friendly, always (almost) in control of their descent, they spend too much $$$ on their gear and clothes though. ....and that is how I feel.

Kevin, Thanks for the info! Your Goldie River trip looks fantastic. I'm doing some research on that one. Have you ever traversed from Hayden Pass to Anderson Pass over Flypaper Pass? This is another trip I'm looking at for the summer of 2002. (this might soon be the easiest way up Mt Anderson with all of the proposed road closures and ONP's stalling on the High Bridge repair) Not really an off trail route, but I'd like to take my son (12) on the Skyline Trail. Maybe include a climb of Christie, Seattle, Noyes, Kimta, etc from Low Divide. Are Martin Lakes as beautiful as described? I've been through Deception Basin, but it was snow covered. My brother and I did a one day trip to Upper Lena, then along the Stone Ponds Route to St Peters Gate and down to Lk of the Angels and then down via Putvin Trail. Traverse was mostly snow covered. 11 hours total.

quote: Originally posted by max: Zenolith: Lucky, this seems to be a reasonable thing to assume. There have never been any communists, at best progressive soscialists. The incorrect tags communist, commie, etc. could best be justified as descriptions of their ultimate objective. Whatever you want to call 'em, they're SOB's and they are responsible for more death and misery in the 20th century than any other religon or ideal. Stalin=20million dead, Mao=6million+? dead, Pal Pot=2million dead. These were citizens who were murdered/starved/shot/worked to death because they wouldn't submit to the "hive" mentality of communism. Sad thing is, there are still commie followers and revisers-of-commie history right here in the good 'ole USA. Wow,heavy shit like that makes a mylar baloon flapping around at 10,000 feet on Little T kind of unimportant.... just put the remnants of the baloon in your pack and throw it away when you get back into town. It's no big deal.

Hiking up The Dungeness toward Boulder Shelter (now obliterated?) can usually be done at least a full month before the snow melts out of other areas of comparable altitude in the Olympics. There are PINE trees on the hike in! Royal Basin is also in the rain shadow. I've seen it about 75% snow free in early May.

15,000,000,000

Wow, this is one of those "screw 'em both" stories. Kind of like the .50cal Makaw(sp?) Indian Whale Harpooners versus the Kooky Sea Shepard group....hmmmm....whom to hate the most? Better to just let them "have at" eachother. The psycho lady has a point about free speech though. I'm so fuckin' tired of hearing the thought police say, "even free speech has limits".They sound like big bro to me.

I just visited the "Powdermag.com" website and the format there looks suspiciously like the one here. Are the CC gods moonlighting?

quote: Originally posted by Dwayner: Back in the day...they used to call the Mountaineers, "The Hardy Queers", but I 'spose that ain't so nice. I've got a number of stories about encounters with them characters but I'll only bore you with a couple. Dwayner used to do quite a bit of unroped solo climbing. Once I did a little alpine ridge route and I paused on a ledge a couple hundred feet up to have a snack and enjoy the view. Meanwhile down below, I watched as a group of Mountaineers were organizing something. It turned out that they were going to send two of their best up there to rescue me! It took them a good while to reach me and then they informed me how everything was going to be O.K. and that climbing without a rope wasn't a smart thing to do. I packed up, continued my climb, and told them to piss off AND have a nice day. On another occasion, I had soloed a rock route and had returned to my pack. A stern looking Mountaineer with a red cross on his helmet approached me: "I'm on the Mountaineers First Aid Committee and for a minute there we thought we were going to have a little practice." I told him to piss off AND have a nice day. And speaking of "reserving the glacier", I've had Mountaineers "instructors" in Leavenworth tell me on a Saturday morning that we couldn't climb in a particular area because they were "using it for the entire weekend." Needless to say, I appeared on the site an hour earlier the next morning with my ropes and students while the Mounties paced nervously waiting for us to finish. "They're on our rock!" I heard one of them cry in anguish. Apparently they had spent Saturday rehearsing their short 5.2 lead and there wouldn't be enough time for all of them to get their little rock lead requirement checked off if they didn't start early. We used the rock until we were finished and then packed up to leave. Before our ropes even hit the ground, 50 Mounties ran out of the bushes with harnesses on and ropes ready to go. Now that's desperation! Gee whiz! makes me wanna drink! - Dwayner Ya' should have given that mountie leader a golden shower for his efforts before you continued up.

Climbed Little T in winter 1983 from Paradise. This is an easy 2 days. Camped below Anvil Rock. The lower Cowlitz is heavily crevassed and just below you is one of the biggest icefalls on Rainier....don't drop too low if it socks in! The Ingraham isn't as bad and the notch up onto The Whitman Glacier is easy. Watch for avalanche danger on the upper Whitman. Easy gullies lead to the spectacular summit ridge (which was corniced and icy). The final block is 3/4th class in summer, but coated with rime ice in winter. Takes a little nerve. Lot's of exposure here. This is a cool climb in winter!

While I agree with much of what you write I must point out....You mention California's "progressive" state parks system that actually lowered park fees. Unfortunately, a large percentage of State Park campsites are not available for use by the general public as they are set aside for the homeless....and it aint' pretty, much less sanitary. ( Don't believe me? Go down to Dash Point State Park right here is good old WA State.) While I don't have a major problem with this as a stop-gap solution, the great state of California has made it somewhat of a permanent thing. I think it is wrong to charge exorbitant fees to use public lands. I think nominal fees CAN create a greater sense of ownership and silence tax-paying critics who view OUR persuits as elitist. Unfortunately, any $$$ raised will only be deducted from a would-have-been budget. I don't believe there is a conspiracy by GW or his associates to gouge us. I think he has more important things to think about right now...

I climbed Warrior back in early spring 1994. The view from this summit of Constance' north face is incredible. It was plastered with snow at the time and looked incredibly alpine. There is a fair sized glacier at its base that leads up to Crystal Pass. Inner Constance looks great from this vantage too. I think you are right. This would be a great trip and I think it could be done in one long day if the temptation to climb any peaks could be resisted. [ 01-05-2002: Message edited by: Fairweather ]

Here it is the middle of winter and I'm thinking about wide open, sub alpine meadows, glaciated peaks and remote basins. I've done a few off trail routes in The Olympic Mtns, but am looking at a few choices to in summer 2002. Anyone climbed over Mt Christie, Dellabarre, and on to Muncaster Basin? How about The Valhallas? Skyline Trail? Queets Basin to Glacier Meadows? I'd love to hear some Olympic XC stories.

I've got no gripe with The Mountaineers. They certainly have every right to be in the mountains! It does seem that a large % of their class instructors are incredibly arrogant, but then there is no law against that either. Indeed, it is The Mountaineers that seem to think they own the mountains. "Reserving" the Nisqually Glacier???? Another point, they are not really a "club" but rather a corporation. Books $$$, membership $$$, lobbying (some good, some bad). So far they seem to be on the right side of the access issue, as opposed to some local groups like WTA that want to lock hikers and climbers out of the mountains.

A friend of mine was teaching a group of Explorers crevasse rescue on the lower Nisqually a few years back when a huge group of Mountaineers arrived and told them they would have to leave because their club had "reserved" the glacier that day. Once when rapping off the last pitch on Ingalls Peak South Ridge I came upon a group of 12 Mountaineers going up. As my partner started down the rope from up above...the majority of which lay in a heap at the base of the climb, their instructor told me in a very loud, animated and condesending tone, "Hey pal, why don't you do your friend a favor and tie a couple knots in the end on your rope." This seemed intended to impress his charges. I replied, "Hey pal, why don't you do us both a favor and mind your own fuckin' business." His students were all laughing as the guy was apparently a real prick.

Climbed Pyramid Peak from Westside Road junction in Feb 1983. We "scooted" across the Tahoma Creek suspension bridge, which was jacked up at a 45 degree angle to prevent snow-loading, by hooking our snowshoe claws over the higher edge of the bridge decking and hanging on to the cable with our bare hands which froze. ...terrifying. Camped at Indian Henry's..it snowed 2 feet during the night. We summited the next morning in marginal weather. Kicked a large slab loose on the way down. The trip was certainly a "youthful learning experience" which I'm lucky I survived.

quote: Originally posted by Norman Clyde: Royal Basin ought to be a fine winter destination, with Deception and Fricaba being easily accessible ascents, though the valley has definite avalanche potential, especially into Surprise Basin just E. of Deception. The approach is 6 miles, as I recall, very steady slow incline the whole way, with a few old glacier steps at the top. I spoke to Olympic Mountaineering a few weeks back and they said the forest road is not always passable in winter, being unmaintained and sometimes snowy even at that low elevation (around 1000 feet I think). They suggested Deer Park as a good jumping off point. But I'd favor Constance myself. I climbed Fricaba a couple of years ago in early spring. On the decent we discovered the biggest slab-path I have ever seen. It started just below a sub-peak west of Fricaba and dumped toward Royal Basin. It was probably 10+ feet thick, 300 yards wide at the top, and slid well over a mile. It was only a day or 2 old. Snow blocks the size of small cars. It increased my respect for Olympic avalanche potential.

The Yashica you are probably refering to is the T4. It was just recently discontinued. It had a sharp lens (Contax T) that was sharp enough for slides. I'll have to disagree with the suggestion that the Olympus Stylus is a good choice. It's metering does not have any manual or automatic exposure compensation for shooting on bright snow in midday conditions. You will endup with a lot of underexposed (dark) photos. I own a LOT of cameras and here are my suggestions: 1) a used Olympus XA. (NOT an XA1 or any other variant.) Expect to pay about $125 for one in good shape. It weighs 8 1/2 oz. You can open 1 1/2 f-stops with a switch on the bottom. 2) The Yashica T4...if you can still find one. $159, weighs about 7 oz. My favorite point and shoot is my Ricoh GR1. Sharp lens, but kind of pricey.