klenke

Wayne, My memory of the area is fresh, as I just got back from doing the Weigelt Route of Vesper Peak today. Since 9/11/01, I heard the Spada Lake Reservoir was closed. Maybe things have changed. This affects vehicular access to Williamson Creek. In May 1994, I drove the fearsomely exposed road around the north side of Spada Lake (on the south slope of Bald Mountain). This road eventually drops down to and then goes up Williamson Creek which is the starting point for the Copper Lake approach. Near the mouth of the creek, I was turned back because the road was under water. Past the mouth, it is likely that a fair mileage of this road would have to be hiked because it's overgrown like Beckey says. Furthermore, since you'd be starting at a lower elevation than the Headlee Pass trailhead, it's just not worth it. All in all, I would say the Headlee Pass approach is the way to go. ---Paul

Pencil Pusher, Two of us will be heading there on Monday to do the Wiegelt route or some close variation thereof. Was wondering if you could give some estimates as per approach time, rock climb time, and return time. Did you use a 50m rope or a 60m rope or other?

Thanks. If I have time, I'll see about obtaining a replacement cannister this weekend. Someone probably wanted to watch something manmade bound/slide down the slab. The register was probably all they were willing to part with. Just a bunch of littering vandals. I guess we'll take all our cams (his and mine).

cs, sorry for starting this thread down a saliva-slick spray path. One graemlin for peace of mind:

Two words for peace of mind: satellite phone.

Mr. Schulmann obviously needs help since he used the words "fallen" and "ice climbing" in the same sentence. Uncouth.

I was going to climb Gannett this year from Elkhart trailhead in mid-June but there was too much snow still. That is, no one had yet made it to Titcomb Basin (usual camp area). No one had even got close. Titcomb basin is 15 miles in, more or less. So I went on a little snowshoe outing to a place called Photographer's Point, which is only 5 miles from the trailhead. I guess I would make sure as to conditions if it's early in the season for your intended trip. Surely, July should not pose a problem. There's an outdoor store in Pinedale, WY called "Great Outdoor Shop" that could provide useful information. They did for me when the Ranger Station was closed (I was there on a weekend). Their email is greatos@wyoming.com. Their phone is (307) 367-2440. [ 09-17-2002, 09:24 PM: Message edited by: klenke ]

I had this nightmare thought the other day: Me and a partner are doing a 5.9+ rock climb on a big vertical mountain--a rock climb that requires much protection. Halfway up, the two of us manage to accidentally drop the rope off the mountain (even worse if also chucking the pro off too). From our sorry position, we're too scared to free climb on and have no rope with which to rappel down. Worse yet, cell phone coverage is non-existent. Worse yet, both of us forgot to tell anyone where we were going. What would YOU do? All the more reason why it is important to tell at least one responsible person where you're going (as cheesy as it is to do at times).

What the hell is that green thing in the pika's ear? (Cannabis stalk?)

I had an unhappy experience with Pacific Rim Auto. My story was this: clutch went out on my Honda. Had PRA replace it but they forgot to replace the throw out bearing in the middle of the clutch assembly while they were at it (this is apparently standard procedure for those who KNOW what they're doing). So, about 200 miles later, this bearing fails and oil gets squirted all over the NEW clutch system, thus rendering it useless (kept slipping when torque applied; especially on uphill accelerating). I had to take car back to shop to get it fixed AGAIN...and warranty did not cover all costs for second go 'round at the shop. Another mechanic I later went to in Redmond verified for me that PRA sucks. Obviously, I have not been to PRA since, even though they're pretty close by my residence.

Duplicate post deleted. See below. [ 09-09-2002, 11:10 PM: Message edited by: klenke ]

Yep, that is Iceberg Lake. I have a great picture of it (unfortunately, just a print so can't send it). Incidentally, the total drop for the falls is at least 400 feet. Could be a great water ice climb, winter access permitting. The lake looks inaccessible and thus reminds me of Azure Lake at the head of Stettattle Creek in N. Cascades.

I don't like the STICKY feature. All it does is fill up the top of the page with threads I don't read, causing me to have to scroll down more than I used to. That's my two cents worth. But I bet my two cents match up with a lot of others' who use these forums.

Sounds like a good first proving ground for suction climbing. See http://www.cascadeclimbers.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=002875 [ 08-28-2002, 04:27 PM: Message edited by: klenke ]

Would that be two shoulder stands at the same time or at different times? If the former, it would be kind of hard to do with two people. Three people would work. I wonder if a three-person (triple) shoulder stand has ever happened in climbing history.

You could do it completely naked AND with ice tools, if you want. Although I don't know if I'd want to be swinging ice tools in the nude. I was up on Big Snagtooth on Monday. Could not see the Silver Star Glacier but for sure there's not much snow on the south and west side of Silver Star Mountain. When I climbed Silver Star in July of one year, I was able to downclimb Burgundy Col to the glacier without an ice axe (the deep-cut trench from traffic helped). From the col to the summit was not steep except for one section which traversed around the right side and then above a crevasse (the only one I remember seeing). [ 08-28-2002, 01:18 AM: Message edited by: klenke ]

Forget about finger jams and laybacks, the future is in suction climbing... http://dsc.discovery.com/news/briefs/20020826/gecko.html Routes which max out at 5.13 could be a thing of the past. "Like, dude, I just suctioned my way up the 5.18 'Gecko of the Gods'."

I got a better idea: don't.

I think I'm going to go climb some obscure mountain in the Cascades and stash a summit register. In the register I'm going to put: Stephen Mallory, June 30, 1745. Then I can claim to have seen the oldest register. The register will be made out of cured teak and will have a pewter cap.

http://www.cascadeclimbers.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=000346

Just got back from climbing Cannon Mountain, which is ENE of Mt. Stuart. Had a good look at the North Ridge of Stuart (BEFORE the forest fire smoke fugged everything everywhere). I can't specifically answer your gendarme question but it looked like the glaciers/snowfields were pretty receded. Looks like some slab traversing and/or morainal terrain might be necessary to get to the base of the ridge. As for the Cascadian Couloir, I climbed Stuart via this route way back in Sept. 1993. What I remember is almost going down the wrong couloir (the one next door to the east of Cascadian). I figured out my mistake before I dropped more than 100 vertical. Basically, once you come over the false east summit of Stuart, bear right directly downhill (don't traverse across toward Sherpa Pk.). Bearing right will lead to the Cascadian. Look for a long and thin black rock ridge crest atop a cliff on your right as you descend. It's an interesting crest that is quite prominent as you come up or go down the Cascadian.

Now, Mountain Man, answer my query: The Balanced Rock. Hmmm?

Here's some vertical for ya: ~8,500 vertical feet in 28 hours and won by a woman, no less: Home page: http://www.badwaterultra.com/ Results page: http://www.badwaterultra.com/2002webcast/2002results.html

14,000 vertical feet! You're on the wrong continent, buddy. You should be in the Himalaya.

There's been a couple of groups at least from the CC.com crowd that have been up it this year. See: http://www.cascadeclimbers.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=000346 This is in the North Cascades section of the website. Click on "The Climber's Wall", scroll down to "North Cascades", then click on this link. I made a bogus post to the relative thread to bring it back to page one. It's called "Go Get Goode". This is the same as the link above. ===Paul