klenke

Bogus post to get this thread back to the top of page one for an interested patron (a new Lurker): I climbed NE BUTT of GOODE July 6 of this year. The conditions of the climb now should be quite good. No snow should remain on the rock. However, the glacier below the buttress will be more crevassed. At this time of year, the best approach to the butt is probably from the extreme left side of the glacier. This puts you out of harms way of the falling seracs, which do fall regularly in the middle--especially with hot weather. There's currently a big ice debris field below the serac area. You probably found info in this thread concerning a snow bridge crossing of Bridge Creek below the mountain. It is doubtful it is still there. Not to worry, there are at least two logs that can be used to cross the creek in the trees before this point. Essentially, when the North Fork Bridge Creek Trail first encounters a new avalanche debris area, cut left toward the creek and search for a log to cross. We found one in an area where the creek ran through gravel bars.

420? Huh? Three numbers in a row: 9 4 2 Oh yeah, baby! And, look, only 8 more posts and my gumby condition gets diagnosed as CHRONIC. [ 08-12-2002, 06:34 PM: Message edited by: klenke ]

quote: Also, here's another funny one....Fred's only an "on belay" member...not yet qualified to be a rope lead![/QB]Actually, Fred is now a "LURKER". He doesn't even qualify as a WANKER yet. He should be given special status by the the CC.com moderators and be allowed to jump straight to CHIEF WANKER.

Dale: which is higher, the north or south summit of Greenwood? The two appear to be separated by a knife-edge ridge. The south summit would be easy to get to, the north summit I don't know.

mattp: I plan very much to tell Beckey all about his error. That error he has for the Northwest Rib of Dumbell is the most glaring one in CAG that I have come across. My Lord it's a drop-off around that corner. Class 3 scrambling? Ha! I have already emailed Beckey with a few other comments/revisions for his N. Cascades book. And I have a few more I've been procrastinating on sending him.

My opinion on the West Ridge of Thomson: a 5 out of 10. Not a long climb. Needed more pitches of the same kind of stuff to make it more worthwhile. That is, if the pitches are going to be no harder than 5.4, then I'd like more of them to make the long trek over to the mountain worth it. If your novice friend can follow (if only following) on 5.4 with a couple 5.6 spots, then it shouldn't be a problem. However, if your friend is short (i.e., maybe 5'4" or something), he/she may have trouble with some of it. As I recall, the trickiest part of the whole climb is the step off at the beginning of the first pitch in the notch. It's an awkward side-hill balance thing past a bulging rock (the wider your hips or the shorter you are, the harder to manage). The second pitch has loose stuff. There's a half-hoist move that I remember being the crux (5.4). The third pitch for us began with a 10-foot high step with small holds. The fourth pitch traversed across the top of easy slabs to another headwall (5.6 perhaps). The fifth pitch is class 3/4 to the summit up a small gully. There is one rappel (class 4 terrain) to get off the SE side. From there it's class 3 and class 2 downclimbing to get back to the basin. Be prepared for lots of scree/talus. If you send me a PM, I can send you a photo of the mountain showing approximately where the pitches are. =Paul [ 08-09-2002, 10:10 AM: Message edited by: klenke ]

Take two liters with; refill as necessary. From Snoqualmie Pass, the trail goes right past tiny Ridge Lake to get to the mountain. This lake most likely has a bustly outlet. This lake is about 20 minutes before Bumblebee Pass and 1 hour before the base of the rock climb. Alaska Lake is a ways down the hill from the trail (PCT), so getting water there would be out of the way. The basin south of Thomson's summit (note the correct spelling I'm using here) may or may not be free of snow. I climbed Thomson in mid-June of last year. There was still snow in the basin AND it was a low snow year.

Why do I get the feeling there's going to be an avatar of "Sasquatch" or "Bigfoot" on this website in the near future now? I should have known such a website as bfro.net would exist.

Just so long as the fellow wedding attendee who wants to climb with you is not the bride or groom, I think everything will be all right. Try a sea-stack out on the coast. Hint: at high tide the pitches are shorter. Where as at low tide the rope may suddenly not be long enough for the rappel.

Okay, so I'm trying to climb Dumbell and Greenwood Mountains yesterday (read: only dumbells attempt Dumbell solo) and instead get spanked by Dumbell for my efforts. Actually, I can hear Beckey laughing in my head as his "Southwest Route" description for Dumbell is wholly wrong. It's not class 3 scrambling to round the Northwest Rib but something nightmarishly worse. My questions are these: 1. Has anybody climbed Dumbell Mountain from the Phelps Creek side and by what route? 2. Has anyone climbed to the true (north) summit of Greenwood? From the Northwest Rib of Dumbell it was quite obvious the north summit of Greenwood is higher than the south (normal) summit. The two summits are connected by what looked like a wicked knife-edge. I'm wondering what a traverse of that knife-edge would entail. Thanks -- Paul

I recommend Horsecock.

To this thread I add speed...strumming, drumming, and humming...

I'm not going to bother reading some other TR's, but I will add what I remember to the climb (I climbed Baring on 8/10/97): At the trailhead a logging road almost parallels the Barclay Lake trail from the beginning. I took this road for a while until a semi-obvious trail (keep an eye out for it) cut right up the bank almost in a bee-line for the ridge crest. From there the climber's trail followed the crest for a while then eventually dropped to the south side of the ridge into a forested depression. I say depression because as I recall it wasn't quite a ravine or gully but definitely had a concavity to it. At about the middle of this concavity the trail climbs in short switchbacks practically straight up the forest slope where you eventually come upon a clearing that provides a view of the summit and the narrow talus basin west of the summit. Right of the summit massif will be an obvious notch. This notch will probably have snow leading up to it. This snow was steep and made for slow going for me because I lacked an ice-axe and the snow was hard. However, this snow should at least provide water--if not by run-off then by stove melting. Once at the notch, turn left and climb the short, steep slope (should be snow-free) that gradually levels off the closer to the summit you get. The other side of the notch is exposed (it will probably have a snow finger in it), so don't climb to the summit too far right of center...unless the rock climbing's good over yonder. The summit provides an excellent view. I believe 6,200 feet is an optimum photography elevation for the Cascades. Barclay Lake is also WAY DOWN THERE--PRACTICALLY STRAIGHT DOWN!!! If the weather's clear and the time of day is correct, the mountain will cast a huge shadow across the lake. It's not easy to get lost when you know the trail follows the ridge for a while. Just be sure to mark the point where the trail comes up from below to meet the ridge crest so you don't walk past it. There are no technical parts harder than class 2 before the snow slope leading to the notch. From the notch to the summit is class 3 then later class 2. A bivy spot near run-off from the aforementioned snow slope might be nice if you can find a non-talus flat spot. Don't know your climbing speed but it shouldn't take more than three hours to get to the basin (two hours with light pack).

Tread Tramp: I have attempted Jack Mountain from Little Jack and Jerri Lakes (Crater Mountain Approach). Jack is probably a little closer to the camp site for the former than the latter depending on where you camp. I camped before Little Jack for the first try and got stormed off. I camped at the saddle between the two peaks of Crater Mountain for the second try and got freshied off. It's quite a distance to go to get to Jack from this saddle. I'm thinking the next time I try it I'll do the North Ridge route in 2.5 days as a carry over to the south side. Probably more aesthetic, remote, and scenic than the bleary, steep south slope route. I could see doing it early next month if interested.

If you're truly as hot as your thumbnail picture then you can throw one in any time, Krazy 1. And if anyone complains, tell them Klenke sent you and that Capt. Caveman says it's okay.

By the way, Ed Viesturs probably worships Beckey too. And Why Ed Viesturs over Messner? Or why Viesturs over a guy named Jerzy Kukuczka (even though he's dead)? Viesturs is your go-to media guy (see thoughts concerning media in thread titled "What makes an experienced climber?"). That's the only reason people like us know about him unless we know him personally. However, I must say that I have a deep respect for Mr. Viesturs for what he has accmomplished. But Beckey has given us something more--something we can use on a regular basis for reliable information (well, mostly reliable and certainly better than anything you'd buy from Ira Spring). It's a gold mine and where would we Washington climbers be without him and his contributions. Last thing: Capt. Caveman knows Fred personally while I have only been in email correspondence with him.

Binaca or Bianca or whatever it is: I've got three letters for you: CAG. Once you understand the importance of these three letters and the books for which they refer, only then will you understand the importance of a man named Beckey. Do you even climb technical stuff in Washington? If you want lame-o trail stuff, buy Ira Spring. That's all from the Welkin for now.

Everyone has their nemesis mountain. Mine used to be Mt. Index before I finally dispatched it in May. It only took me 6 tries for the summit to finally succeed. Try 1 (Lake Serene route): underestimated size of mountain. That is, it's not an easy day hike. Try 2 (south side): logging road was churned up, cross-country not much better, did not make it to summit, weather partly cloudy anyway. Try 3 (Lake Serene route): tried taking a greenhorn up with me. He slow. Weather completely socked in. Bagged it about halfway. Try 4 (west side from Persis-Index traverse): got stuck on a ridge pinnacle. Bagged Index and did Persis instead. Try 5 (Lake Serene route): October climb. Wet rock from frost melt made climbing in hourglass gully impossible. Turned around. Try 6 (Lake Serene route): Went in early season while hourglass gully still covered in snow. It's easy with snow cover except for the east ridge getting back down to the lake. There are no other mountains in the Cascades for which I have failed more than twice. I have failed twice at Jack Mountain so I suppose that's my new nemesis.

I was over in the Star Peak/Courtney Peak/Oval Peak area last weekend. From Oval Peak I used someone's binoculars to spy the ridge between Hoodoo and Libby (aka Raven Ridge). The ridge traverse appeared to be relatively flat but steep and craggy on the west side. I suppose it is doable but I cannot say for sure. The WNW side of Hoodoo is steep but probably climbable. The summit hump of Hoodoo from the Hoodoo-Libby Ridge offers no barriers to advance. Last year from Martin Peak to the south of Mt. Bigelow I spied the other (south) side of Raven Ridge and it was more of the same: steep boulders and scree. If you're experienced at traveling this kind of terrain, I'm sure you'll find a way. I'd be interested to hear a trip report from you--especially concerning whether or not a traverse between Hoodoo and Libby is possible...or what kind of difficulties were encountered. --Paul

I seem to remember a hat rack up there at the lower saddle for hanging food on. At least it reminded me of a hat rack. I remember taking a nap at the saddle and waking up to find this snafu-hound perched on a rock a foot above my head peering down at me. If he'd had a runny nose... You probably know this but the Climber's Ranch is the place to stay at the foot of the mountain. Cost is $8 per night to stay in a shack. Good comraderie there...or people showing off with their climbing stories of how cool they are (read: how much of a loser YOU are). It depends on your frame of mind, I guess. Regarding cell phone usage: I was able to make a call from the summit (to see if I could), but there are so many people on the mountain all you have to do is shout for a rescue. Guides and Rangers galore. Wildlife: We actually did see a bear (a little one) on the approach from the Climber's Ranch. It wasn't interested in us. The volunteers at the Ranch told us to watch out for the bear and sure enough we saw it.

I once had a date with an ex-TV reporter and she said exactly what PLEXUS is saying, so I can back him up. She had quit that line of work after 8 years. She was apparently tired of the lack of intelligence in the media field.

Did not see very much snow in the Washington Pass area last Sunday. Can't say about an access gully though. Standard route on Kang Temp is fun but I'd probably do Big Kangaroo because it's the biggestest.

I'm sorry, I have version 3.0 of Delorme, not 2.0. I apparently can't read. Duh. I'm looking in to posting a pic here. I don't have my own URL so I may have to email the Luna Cirque Topo! map to you. I'll make a quick Topo! for you then send it.

I like Lizard Brain's pic on the first thread page. I got a good look at a lot of skeeters this week from about that close (through the net of my bivy sack). I was observing how they probe with their proboscises. I watched one search for a pore on my skin then insert with glee...until I sent him packing for skeeter heaven. (I actually find killing mosquitoes pleasurable because you really don't have to hit them hard; touching them usually suffices). However, it's such a useless affair for there's another 5 quadrillion waiting in the wings for their chance. This year seems to be an especially bad year for mosquitoes in Washington.

David, I have and use Delorme's version (Version 2.0) when my other Topo! doesn't cover the area I'm interested in (e.g., extreme NE Okanogan, east of Lake Chelan, out-of-Washington, etc.). I think Topo! was bought out by National Geographic. Or maybe it was another company. Although Delorme has some interesting features it does not compare to Topo! in detail. Topo! looks just like USGS maps and for me USGS maps represent the best possible (7.5" quadrangle I'm speaking of here). Beware that although Delorme has multiple zoom levels the level of detail does not improve. The most glaring deficiency here is the lack of cliffs showing up. USGS/Topo!/Green Trails basically always shows cliffs. Delorme will not. Nice features for Delorme: nationwide area, easily calculates distances on roads and trails and point-to-point, printing is easier than for Topo! (different scales possible), others I'm not remembering. Bad features for Delorme: lack of cliffs showing up, GUI layout problems, no way to back-up (erase backward) a route being created, topographical data missing at certain intermediate zoom levels, some crashing problems (especially after printing), others I'm not thinking of. The 3-D feature I have found to be useless from a climbing standpoint. It's interesting to toy with every once in a while but I find it does not provide me with much insight--not for a discerning climber anyway. So, have fun with it. It serves it's purpose and like any software has room for improvement. Perhaps you have a better (newer) version than me. --Paul