klenke

Climb: Big Bear Mountain-West Side Date of Climb: 4/23/2006 Trip Report: Did someone request a witzelsucht? An ultracrepidarian I know has opined that I, the grandiloquent one, utilize entirely too many sesquipeds in my excursion reports. Whatever is she grousing about? I comprehend not. This is just how this martext writes. No need for a diaskeuast to meddle with this textual medley, for it be perfection for the polyglot polymaths among us. So, ever one to polylogize and explaterate, here I snoach and bray… Last Sunday, fourteen of us local yokels shrugged off our slugabed ways and scrieved like scofflaws for a climb of Big Bear Mountain (5641F, 761P) south of Three Fingers. In the end a dozen of us hammerheads managed to surmount the summit. The emprisers were: Annette D., Dave C., Eric F., Fay P., Jeff R., Julian S., Matt B., Martin S., Mike C., Mike T., Richard B., Stefan F., Paul M., and Paul K. We all croodled our pleasures at the weather and scenic treasures. And not a single drintling turkey could be espied among us. We drove up FR-4130 off of FR-41 (the road to Tupso Pass) as far as we could (about 1.7 miles) about 1,320 feet before the road splits. There was a washout prior to this wye so we couldn’t have rolled that far anyway. We took the sinister (northerly) road, the one that takes to a dainty declivity to Canyon Creek. We shimmied across the creek on a horizontal xylo-shaft just downstream of the Windy Creek confluence. Chevalling the nutbuster: (photo by Julian Simon) We then took to timber up the north side of the creek to roughly 3,300 ft so we could circumvent precipices on the lower ramparts of Big Bear’s west shoulder. We then booted or snowshoed up abrupt sylvan and sub-sylvan slopes. Psithurism’s serenaded us on our way up to the shoulder, whereupon we geed then beared for the bear’s clavicle, thence its nape. Big Bear reflected in Martin’s sunglasses (yes the image has been mirrored) At roughly 5,200 ft we ascertained the one decent place to dismount the ridge and clamber down into the west basin. Our aimed-for acme was now visible. Were we being gregged by it? Would we have to weave through a splenetic, ursine rictus? Would we be repugned by scissoring incisors? No and no; all truculent teeth were evitable; the summit was pervious; and there was nary a stymie. The mountain was all snowy. Moreover, a shiny chignon (a couloir/gully) surrendered the summit to our peakbagging desiderata. Big Bear from the west shoulder Do you see a big bear head? (My workmate Harley Clark spotted this suggestive form immediately after I told him the name of the summit.) We gingerly kicked gelid steps into the basin through a caliginous concavity with extreme run-out that would surely provoke a momentary thanatopsis for the unfortunate blunderer among us, then alternately post-holed and scrooped over to the couloir. Those of us with crampons donned them for the terminating stretch. Those without crampons puckered their buttocks. Being one of the last up the indentation, I put a helmet on my belfry to deflect the frozen chunks careening. One of us was choused into an impromptu ride back down the couloir on belly then back. He was unhurt but gave up on marshaling that subreptitious steepness again. Though not suggilated himself, his galligaskins, on the other hand, were reduced to mere frippery. It was the only wardrobe malfunction on this dance hall day. Note that Fred Beckey in his CAG asseverates that parties could rappel off the undulating false south summit into the breach to get to the true (north) summit. This seems like it would amount to nothing more than a dreadful eggtaggle. Besides which, it appeared pestilent on this April day. Nearing the summit in the upper couloir We reached the cruelly corniced summit about 5 hours and 15 minutes after departing the autos. We all were instantly titillated by the scintillating scene. The panoptic views were assuredly an earned theriac for the cubicle stupors several of us had been immersed in during the week. There’s nothing like an officinal mountainous offering. Especially noteworthy from our perspective was the septentrional lion nearby: Three Fingers with its vaunted lookout apically perched. To gaure at views like this is the quintessence of why we climb (on lambent days, anyhow). I had suggested to Mr. Scurlock that he come flat-hat us with his bombinating yellow submarplane. But he had uxorious plans with his imperative supplementary—i.e., his significant other. The summit cornice with south summit beyond A few of us were possessed of a yen to additionally scale Liberty Mountain to the south but the icy conditions combined with the committing and uncertain state of our planned route up that subsequent peak’s southeast ridge, which we could not descry, had us tucking our scuts under our nugatory butts and funkifying back with the others. There really was no abulia nor querulous discussion on our parts. Besides, if a few of us seize our druthers, we’ll ring that Liberty bell this coming weekend. Our apposite decision gave us extra time to devour our caloric provenders, beaze our saline backsides, and prance with beeking abandon on the big pilgarlic’s white scalp. And I now had more time to be pixilated at achieving my Roman D’th summit by bloddering the contents of a miniature bottle of champagne into my maw (thanks, Annette!). After this I maundered like a flibbertigibbet while Torok toiled to a sweaty failure attempting to dig 8 feet to the register in a 15-ft cornice. What a galoot! A whiffet or a sprat could conjure a superior intellection! Klenke bloddering down a little bubbly Klenke winxing on his 500th distinct summit Eventually the persiflage, cachinnations, and saltations all surceased for we had to squint our lids and screw our courage to the sticking post for the steep descent down the couloir. This drama fortunately was devoid of disaster. Our route across the west basin Once back on the ridge we toasted our erstwhile Ursa with a doch-an-dorris then carried on. Our descent off the shoulder went marvelously due to an incredible 1,000+ ft glissade through coppice and holt and around boscage and chaparral. Most of the slithering ride transpired in an anfractuous ravine. We all jubilated many times with walleyed delight. The snow was just mushy enough to generate a sliding slickness beneath our posteriors. The slush pursued us down the chute and nudged us through the shallows. It was like we were in a gargantuan Slurpee channel carved by a snickersnee. It is amazing how swiftly you can tick off elevation during a glissade. But we still had to deal with the log crossing at the creek and the lackluster logging slog. You can festinate a logging road all you want but it is still going to be a drag, or even a dwale if you’ve had a really long day. Maybe 9 long-hand clock circles round-trip with 4,000 ft of vertical gain and roughly 58,000 ft of terrain pain. And so there you have it; read it, trash it, compact it, and never ever smell this nebbish’s rubbish again. Yes, I can feel the sputum from your exsibilations cadenting down this smellfeast’s flushed cheeks. Do as you may, but know that this sui generis fictioneer lies only truths. Ah, don’t worry, the world is safe. For, unlike that President of Iran, this snollygoster does not suffer from empleomania. Enough. Gear Notes: sunscreen, else suffer the ruddy raw eschars of summer; ice axe, crampons, snowshoes, guts and glory Approach Notes: Take FR-41 to FR-4130 just before Canyon Creek. FR-4130 (brush-encroached) can be driven for approx. 1.7 miles to a washout. Continue a quarter-mile to road fork; take left fork for a while. Cross Canyon Creek and go up.

Amen to that, Archie Actually, I think the Ball Room is fratty just not typically on Tuesdays.

Yeah, enough of this: Ball Room (Leary Way, Fremont). I will be there around 7, maybe 7-tirty.

I'm with Archie on this one. Come on people. Expand your minds (you know, that jello between your ears). If the weather's cold: inside the Ball Room's doors If the weather's warm: outside the Ball Room's doors in its patio area

I would advise checking the sporting event schedules before committing to The Attic. It's a known frat-boy hang out. About a month ago on a Monday night I was out at Cactus Restaurant for dinner. Afterward, we went to The Attic next door for a beer so I could relive college memories and tell wild dart-throwing stories (the place has hardly changed in 14 years). The place was nearly empty (it was a Monday night). I then realized I left my credit card there (I seem to be doing that a lot lately) so had to return for it a few days later. It was a Thursday and the cramped Attic was packed to the gills with frat boys and sorority girls. It took me literally 2 minutes to snake my way 30 feet from the door to the bar past backward caps and shapely skirts, whereupon I retrieved my card from the disinterested bar tender (had to be short with him to get him to pay attention to me). Seems it was March Madness and there were several TVs airing different basketball games. So, again, we would NOT want to go there if the place is going to be overrun by stentorian frat boys and shrieking soro girls. It will be so loud we won't be able to talk about ourselves like we usually do--like me and my 500th. However, it's a nice locale with a nice lakefront park. And parking is reasonable (a block away at worst).

Well, the 4-20 mini PC featured three: Wayne, me, and Kelly. What happened to the rest of you wanks? The 2 PBRs, 2 black russians, and 8 quesadilla wedges went down rather easily. Kelly and I discovered that Wayne owns a construction site masquerading as a condo.

The Wave is the place to visit once in your life if you're down in S. Utah/N. Arizona. The Wave and Buckskin Gulch/Wire Pass (as shown in the picture above) are in the same location. More information on my Wave page. You'll need a permit and they need to be obtained way in advance. You could try and and visit The Wave and Buckskin w/o one but you may not find it (you get a map when you pick up the permit). Permits are necessary because the place is beautiful and completely degraded by other human presense. I was lucky in that I visited it in the late afternoon when no one was there (it's typically too hot in the summer afternoons). Flash flooding can also be a concern--especially in the late afternoon. The Wave "The Second Wave" "The Welter" Buckskin Gulch-Wire Pass

I will be having a beer with Wayne W. at Dexter & Hayes pub tonight after I look at his condo to gauge another one available in his building. At least that's the tentative plan, anyway. Likely we'd be at the pub around 7pm.

I don't know of a trail, per se, and you don't really need one. The mountain has been extensively logged so there are plenty of logging roads. One approach is from the north. From the gate here ride your bike for ~7 miles up Gilligan Creek past Dixie Lake (3,400 ft). The road, which is in good shape (in summer; would be snowed in now), continues up and south and then west along the arcing crest for some distance. Then cross-country from there. But a better bet would be to take this set of roads toward the summit. I can't remember the condition of these roads. A couple of years back I was able to drive my car to a gate I think here (1,900 ft). There is much logging activity on this side of Cultus at this elevation. The summit is right there, leaving no more than an hour of cross-country or logging road hiking to get to the top. This would be the shortest route by far.

From left to right: Overcoat [far left edge], Chimney, Lemah, Chikamin [summit not quite visible]. Front right: Thomson and Huckleberry.

I think you need to....STFU now.

Reading for comprehension, my man. Reading for comprehension. Try again.

I heard on the radio this morning (KOMO Radio) that the Army's Fort Lewis M.A.S.T. unit will be closed down, its members re-assigned. An old source Outdoor search and rescue will now be handled completely by local authorities. No more lumbering Army helicopters whumping across the Cascades.

How do you know Archie's "missing out"? Archie could be doing something much more interesting right now. Or maybe Archie's in a 12-step sprayaholics program.

Poetry/spoken word occurs at Third Place Books in Ravenna/Wedgewood neighborhood. Or it used to (or has recently) on Monday nights. We at the NWMJ should know because these poetasters sure do make a lot of racket and blather while we're trying to hold our precious, "if we don't discuss this now the world will end" meetings.

A Pakistani workmate of mine forwarded this flickr series to me. There's some beautiful scenery in mountainous Pakistan. Enjoy. Click Here {there are 100 photos at least on 12 pages} An example: the Pickets of Pakistan, perhaps... Or Spantik, perhaps... Nice!

underworld: the police were there to keep the peace, not arrest people or search people's papers to see if they have a right to be in this country. Not all police activities are done to catch perpetrators. Expand your perspective.

I told Jeff to take a picture of that outrageous jalopy of a truck and you never backed up for him to get a better angle. You're right, though, that was the biggest chicken breast I ever done et.

If you're talking about the Roper shot the answer is no. We didn't get a look at it since we came up the other side. Roper's shot is pretty cool. All that slippery slabbery.

Here is a picture of Ulalach Peak (from the west) by John Roper. Click on the picture to go to his report for the mountain. He climbed it with Dick Michelson in 1999. The FA of this peak goes to Herman Ulrichs in Autumn 1933. Harry Majors has Ulrichs pictures proving this (Herman's photos were corroborated with mine). Here is a slideshow from Jeff for the day And here are my pictures Ulalach Peak from the trail near 3 O’clock Rock and from Higher Squire: Higher Squire from the north and the summit spine of Ulalach Peak: Gordon Ridge from Higher Squire and Stillaguamish Peak and Big Four from Ulalach: Three Fingers’ East Face and Whitehorse from Higher Squire: Liberty Mountain from Higher Squire and from Ulalach Peak: Three Fingers from Ulalach and Whitehorse Mountain from Ulalach: The East faces of Three Fingers and Whitehorse from Ulalach: Big Bear Mountain and Jumbo Mountain from Ulalach Peak: White Chuck Mountain and Mt. Pugh from Ulalach Peak: Squire Creek Wall from Ulalach: Exfoliation Dome from 3 O’clock Rock and from Ulalach Peak and also Voodoo Peak:

Climb: Ulalach Peak and Higher Squire-from Clear Creek side Date of Climb: 4/2/2006 Trip Report: A late report. I’ve been busy this week doing, among other things, new car research. My old mountain car pleaded the 5th when it refused to work in 5th so I drunk a 5th. And now it’s after the 5th so here’s my report… On Sunday, April 2, Stefan Feller, Jeff Rodgers, and I climbed in the area of Squire Creek Pass east of Three Fingers. Our original plan to climb Liberty Mountain and Big Bear Mountain was avalanched into oblivion by poor snow conditions (i.e., poor avy conditions). So we made a back-up plan on Saturday night. Actually, it was Stefan’s plan and Jeff and I went along with it. We drove up Clear Creek Road for about a mile past Frog Lake until snow blocked us. We were somewhere in the vicinity of Asbestos Falls. 2.5 miles of road walking later we were at the Eightmile Creek Trailhead [an aside: did you know there are six Eightmile Creeks in the state?]. This trail ascends east past 3 O’clock Rock (still quite damp) to reach Squire Creek Pass (4,070 ft) in maybe three miles. At around 3,600 ft a few hundred yards south of the creek Jeff and I headed left to climb the peak south of the pass while Stefan went right on his own toward the peak NNE of the pass since he had already done the one Jeff and I were headed to. Jeff and I would catch up with Stefan later…at the car. From 3,600 ft Jeff and I simply continued uphill to just below the summit of Pk 4879 {“Higher Squire”} (799P). Instead of on snowshoes, we booted up the last couple of hundred feet, some of which traversed along a narrow snow arête. 3 hours up from the car, roughly 3,200 ft of gain. The views were amazing from this peak. It has gone by the name “Higher Squire” for at least 16 years and was named by Steve Fox and David Fish. There is an interesting crag with slabby south side to Higher Squire’s immediate west that has been called “Squire Spire.” The light on Three Fingers and Whitehorse Mountain was outstanding. Liberty also looked good and I was glad to see there is indeed a viable traverse to Big Bear via Liberty’s east side. Higher Squire resides in a nice central position to view the peaks of the Whitehorse Mountain and Helena Peak quads. It sits right in the middle of the Clear Creek and Squire Creek drainages. Jeff and I bid our adieus to the bijoux views and headed over to the peak to the north. We snowshoed across nice parkland just below the pass then up to the ridge whereupon we ran into Stefan’s tracks. We sincerely hoped he wasn’t going to try Ulalach’s SW Ridge because, although it looked viable from Higher Squire, it became more and more hairy looking the closer we got with much slabalanching potential. Blessingly, Stefan traversed right under the south face so we could continue the climb on the southeast side (past a slab zone) to the east ridge. We encountered Stefan just coming off the top and he said we were close. We told him we’d be about half-an-hour if he waited for us. Well, Jeff and I made the summit of “Ulalach Peak” (Pk 5040+, 440P) and were promptly delayed. Higher Squire might have good views but Ulalach’s are even better (partially because HS has some obscuring treetops). Our half-hour promise of return to Stefan turned into twice that as Jeff’s digitalitis and my celluloid fever overwhelmed us. I exposed practically a whole roll of film. Great views of: Liberty Mountain, Big Bear Mountain, Three Fingers, Mt. Bullon and environs, Whitehorse Mountain, Squire Creek Wall, North Mountain, Jumbo Mountain, White Chuck Mountain, Mt. Pugh, Voodoo Peak, Exfoliation Dome, Helena Peak, the Big Four Mountain area, the Long Mountain area, Gordon Ridge, Fletcher Peak, and Higher Squire. Here is the satellite view of the Squire Creek Pass area. On descent Jeff and I never saw Stefan but we were able to follow his tracks all the way back to the trail, which we re-located near 3 O’clock Rock. On the way we made two cumbersome creek crossings, the second featuring an exciting leap across a slabby watercourse to a minimal patch of clinging snow on the slabs. I made sure to go first ahead of The Eraser (aka Jeff) else I would have had no snow with which to make snowshoe purchase. Snowshoes don’t stick too well to rock—especially inclined wetted rock. The road walk back sucked. But, hey, it was the price of admittance to the wonderful world of the Boulder River Wilderness*. As Stefan wryly summarized: ”It this area were in Michigan it would be a national park.” As Matt P would reply: “Indeed.” * the namesake Boulder River is actually on the west side of the Three Fingers-Whitehorse divide. Gear Notes: None of note. There is steep and slabby terrain but it can be avoided with diligence. Approach Notes: Drive to Darrington then a few miles south of town to Clear Creek Road. Drive as far as possible to Eightmile Creek Trailhead (goes to 3 O'clock Rock). You can drive all the way there in summer. Take the trail as far as needed to access these peaks.

Way to slay the Jabberwocky! I always knew the couloirs themselves would be easy (straightforward, I mean) to ski. Only the runnels would present a problem. So why didn't you simply carry enough speed in the second couloir to jump the runnels all together?

Some info here on WTA's website. Work Party Perks: First work party: Get your free One-day Northwest Forest Pass Second work party: Earn your free Annual Northwest Park Pass

PC started out slow with Wayne calling me at 6:50 asking "where the hell is everybody?" I said I'd be there around 8:00. I arrived at 8:00 at the same time as Schuldt. Mattp was there lonely as a raincloud in the Atacama. And no sign of Wayne. I called Wayne on his cell. He had left minutes earlier. How he had not seen Matt, I don't know. Marylou then showed and we were four. The evening progressed and bloomed slowly. In the end we were 17 + Wayne who left earlier. Attendees: Wayne (solo), Mattp, Dave Schuldt, klenke, Marylou, Figger_Eight (Eddie), Eddie's friend Ann(e), snugtop, Loose Brie, Trogdor, Colt45, dmarch, dmarch's friend, Emily (Trogdor's boss), Emily's friend Melody, Toast, chucK, AlpineK. If there was a Raindawg there I don't know who that was.

Nice job, Blake. One day I shall travel to NZ.