genepires

rock crag - duty dome area alpine rock - n rib slesse alpine ice - north ridge baker glacier - easton glacier on baker pure ice - drive to banff Not the most extreme list but places I really liked.

For me, a thermal bottom and shell pants are fine. I would bet that it would be fine for you too. Bring some good insulation for your top though in case things turn ugly. (wet) More than a thermal and shell jacket. Like maybe add a synthetic puffy or a fleece jacket and a thin windshirt. It is amazing what a thin windshirt will add to your comfort.

Actually, only part of it is pathetic. There is some good in this thread. A honest good question comes out of this. Is it OK (right or wrong) to leave draws hanging on "moderate" routes? Bolts have been a sore issue for decades now (as an eye sore). Draws hanging on them obviously makes them more visable and therefore more offendable. Then we get bans to climbing in certain areas or restrictions to bolting in general. I am not suggesting that draws only are the problem, but they could very well be part of the problem. Just a conjecture and looking at a bigger picture than just "someone stole my stuff". Too bad the offenders didn't just leave them at the bottom. Stealing isn't cool.

If it is just you and a buddy, then you should have about 65 feet of rope between you. 24 wands would last you 24*65 feet (about 1560 feet) for truly whiteout condition navigation. That wouldn't last too long for a route like baker and probably shouldn't or wouldn't want to be out anyway. You could space the wands out farther if the weather was better with the plan to hustle back if weather starts to move in. FOr shuksan and eldo, 24 is fine.

nelsons select sounds like a good book for you. It also has other routes to do as "back ups" due to weather. (washington pass and enchantment routes)

depends on the route. If you want the easiest way up those peaks, then the nelson select has more details for routes. (Nelson has some hard routes too) But if you want more difficult or obscure routes, you will need the beckey guide. which routes were you thinking about?

the tent in a public place is a perfect analogy. You leave your tent in the back country and you would expect it to be there. Put it in the middle of I-5 and then......... It took someone from the south (and new to cc.com) to come up with a decent way to put it.

there will be cracks available on the side of the gulley, but you will be climbing on snow probably. for the shuksan sulphide route with the easiest summit pyramid route, you won't need anything larger than the .5 camalot. The n cascades non granite tend to have small cracks or seams. I seem to remember a couple small tcu, a couple med nuts (maybe bring the even or odd number pieces) and a smallish hex (4 to 6?) for that top. maybe a slung horn or two. Don't forget the wands for baker. 1 every rope length! (if the weather is so-so. If it is bad, go home)

Baker and eldo would not need any more pickets than crevasse rescue would require. (2 or 3 spread out amongst the team) Shuksan could use a couple more as well as some rock pro (4 or 5 pieces, small nuts hexes and cams) The summit pyramid will hold some pretty steep snow and it can be pretty soft with much wallowing around unless you get into the slough troughs. But being in a tobogan run is kinda un-nerving so you will prolly want to jump out and place some gear in the rock walls. Normal glacier travel methods will not work on the pyramid as self arrest is unreliable at that angle and snow type. Simu climb or belay pitches or solo. I wouldn't put to much faith in pickets on the pryamid but maybe the snow will be firm by then. I would bring snowshoes also. The higher elevations prolly will not need it but you will need on the lower half of the mountains. Sure you could get up them without slowshoes, but it will involve suffering. You could get lucky and not need them but odds are against that luck. extra challenges? Getting lost on the glacier in a whiteout. Bring wands and use a gps and use the map/compass. These are big wide areas that may not have other traffic on it yet. Slight deviations on baker (south side) could get you into bad places real easy. Shuksan has a nice natural handrail to guide you back except for the forest parts. (I've gotten real confused in the old growth due to new snow covering our tracks) Eldo has good handrails except for the glacier plateau where we also almost got lost due to snow burying our wands. Where ever you go,always keep a good mental image of how to get out. Usual late afternoon avi problems but that doesn't seem to be as much of a problem as navigation can be. Exception is the approach to eldo where you cross over a ridge. I've triggered a big slide by throwing rocks down it before going down. Trust the forcast and plan alternatives. enjoy!

It sounds like the stolen draws were from aborigine which is a 5.11 something right? The draws are still on the harder bits above? Maybe the fact that the draws were in place on the easier parts is what offended someone who took them down. If we had draws hanging on a 5.7, I would pull them too as that is just too lazy to remove. But in a place were there are lots of people climbing hard, leaving draws on a "moderate" line could be seen as bad form. BTW, before you raid my house looking for cheap draws, I can't climb 5.11 so I didn't take them.

good post Bob. The agreement states that all bolts should be chamouflaged (which leaving draws is not) and that no ropes will be left overnight (which fixed ropes are not). I hope that those things "disappear" soon. How is the climbing over there? (besides falling down)

what did the banner say?

For anyone who cares, the road is gated at deer creek like usual and the road is all snow from there on. Should be around for a week or two. snowshoes or skiis are nice but not manditory. Saw a small avi come down big four. Nice easy day.

I was wondering if anyone knows the road condition on the granite falls side of the mountain loop hwy, specifically is the road still gated and snowed in from deer creek area and beyond like normal winter conditions? Was thinking of taking the boy out to the big 4 parking lot to throw snowballs and run around n such. thanks, gene

http://www.nps.gov/mora/planyourvisit/upload/campclimbpermitresreqformrev3B.pdf print, fill out and mail.

my knees hurt just looking at that. good job!

I was up there two weekends ago and there is some snow on that side of the valley, but much less than normal years. If I was to guess, I would think that you could get up about a quarter of the way up the hill before having to tromp in snow, assuming some snow melt from that weekend we were there.

Damn, that is bad news for injured climbers and the rangers. The rangers will have to haul people out farther. Maybe it will return a different ethic to the range. A more "wild" ethic of more conservative climbing. Nah, more people will die there.

Anyone have any idea how often slipstream gets done anymore? I once had it on my "list" but it has slid down as I got older and scratched off as I got a child. Something about Mark Beebie dieing there. Still looks real awesome though. Sweet that people got up it in such old gear. Bad asses back in the day!

So Dane, what are the advantages of the atc sport over other devices? Obviously it is a whopping 27 gram saving over the XP but it is heavier than the regular atc which comes in at 50 grams. (which you didn't show in your weight arguement above) So maybe your super light alpine rig should include a atc over a sport, if weight was the sole factor. Functionality should be a consideration, like the ability to easily rappel. Your statement about how the device does work gets ignored is irrelevant. I don't think anyone ever said that the device won't work as a belay device. The point that is stated over and over is the lack of the ability to doing rappels with it. What people do not need the ability to do rappels while climbing? People at short crags and gyms will find this device fits them well. Sure you could use the sport at any type of climb, but it was designed for crag use. Short crag use. from the BD website "A single-rope, sport-cragging belay device,". Not even sport climbing but sport cragging. BTW- there is a sweet photo on the BD website of a guy hex protecting super crack. Awesome!

I'll post plenty of pictures of me not using a dumb device. Easy. Actually when one has common sense, you don't need pictures to prove your point or push your experience level to others, something you seem to do plenty. Can't average joes have an opinion of anything, dane? Or are we too far below you to have a valid opinion? Such attitude.....

Damn Dane, what is with the attitude? For an old guy, you do freak out on the dumbest things.

winthrop is a little far from vancouver.

it rains there every day. the rain is pain leaving the body. other than that, it was probably dry after noon.

if it is electrolytes you need, why look at gels when there are products made for electrolyte issues, like hammer endurolytes or something spelled like that. or the heed stuff.