Doug_Hutchinson

Awesome bridge photo, thanks for posting. I wish I took a pre-collapse photo. It was WAY fatter in your photo than when I crossed it and now not there at all. "Did you bivy on Goode? I know you mentioned it was not in your plans...." A bivy on Goode would have been spectacular, but we needed to keep moving to stay on schedule so we dropped down into Park Creek Valley and camped at Five Mile "Camp." Probably our only route finding screwup was not finding the climber's trail down Goode and bushwacking the last 2500' down to Park Creek. Way would we want to use one of the few trails on our entire traverse when we could 'bushwack instead - keeping it real yo... Were you able to stay on the climber's trail down to Park Creek?

Strong work Steph and Brian! Such a great area. You both should be proud. We met you on your way down from Easy Pass as Keith and I were headed on a four day traverse from Hwy 20 to Cascade Pass headed over Logan-Goode-Buckner (didn't summit Buckner due to rain and lack of time). Two follow ups to your TR: 1) Regarding this from your website (effing awesome website BTW!): "We had a few reasons for wanting to descend the Banded instead of the more-typical Douglas Glacier: (1) we had heard tales about 'schrunds and 'schwacking on the Douglas Glacier route". The unnamed creek up to the Douglas Glacier was our approach route to Logan from the Fisher Creek Valley. This approach was relatively easy with not-too-bad 'schwacking. I kinda don't understand why it is not the standard Logan approach because it must be the fastest (about 13 hours from Hwy 20 to the Logan summit). 2) You were a couple days, and we were a few seconds, from near death in that left couloir heading to the Booker-Buckner col. This little story may make little sense, but where the couloir narrows several hundred feet below the top of the col in the below pic; there was a 'schrund that crossed the entire narrow part of the couloir that it appears you crossed on climber's left over what probably looked like a fat snow bridge/fin. The bridge was at least 25' thick (top to bottom) at the thinnest point and probably 20' wide, spanning about 40 feet horizontally across the 'schrund. I assume you had to jump across a small gap at the bottom end of the bridge (which possibly was still closed when you crossed). On our last day (Aug 6), we were moving very fast out of Park Creek to cross that col enroute to Buckner and out over Sahale Arm. When I got to the 'schrund, I was planning on jumping across and waiting for Keith at the top of the col, but then thought that maybe roping up (for the first time on a glacier the whole trip) might be a good idea. Keith came up and we roped and set up a belay below the small gap. After I did a V1 mantle to gain the upper lip, I walked up and across the bridge and set up a belay above. Right when Keith was about to cross, the entire bridge sheared off the upper wall in a gigantic collapse! The bridge was so massive that huge chunks of snow came exploding off the rock slab 30-50' below raining over Keith! I don't have before pics, but my rope is running exactly over where the bridge was a few seconds earlier with the part in the lower lip I stomped out for the mantle move visible just a little up and climber's left from Keith in this photo: This was the single craziest event I have experienced in 20 years of glacier travel. Anyway, Keith was forced to cross a way thinner bridge on climber's right. Sorry for the digression but I think we are the last climbers using this couloir this season... Other than this little event and the rain later in the day, we had a great, great time too.

Trip: Talkeetna Traverse and Snowbird Hut Burning - Date: 4/2/2012 Trip Report: Spent four great days skiing AK's Talkeetna Mountains with Peter Pupator. Had great snow every day but the highlight was probably assisting in the dismantling and torching of the historic original Snowbird Hut. We did some speed wing skiing too... This trip started as most of my AK trips do: arriving at the Anchorage airport at midnight, Pete picking me up, a grocery store stop, driving a few hours back to his 100 acre compound in Willow and a middle-of-the night sled ride back to his off-the-grid house that he designed and built. We slept for a few hours and packed up for a four day trip into the Tordrillo Mtns. Heading out to the airstrip, we got a call from a guide friend who reported the temperature just spiked, slides were coming down everywhere and they were pulling out clients for at least a few days. Since Plan A looked like several days in a tent waiting for conditions to stabilize, we went with Plan B = back into the Talkeetnas. The Talkeetna mountains are a transitional range between a maritime and continental climate/snowpack and are known for much better weather than other AK ranges. Best of all, we can see them from Pete's backyard so the fly/no fly decision is easy. After jettisoning some gear, we snowmobiled over to the airstrip conveniently located about five minutes away on friend/neighbor/bush pilot extraordinaire Ken's property. First task was pushing and winching the Wilga and Cub out of the hanger: We loaded most of the gear into the Wilga, which can fly us all in in one trip. Later, Ken would shuttle additional gear in the Cub into our second basecamp. Me happy to be back in Ken's plane: About a forty minute flight, brought us to the first stop = the incredible Snowbird Hut. Our first objective, was to ski the coolest looking couloir we spied on flight in, this below Morning Glory Spire: Ironically, our first ski had the crappiest snow of the trip but it we skied it without incident except for a crevasse that collapsed below Pete while we were trying to find an entrance. Pete in the couloir: More skiing into the evening (gets dark at 9:30 PM now) and a nice night in the diesel-heated hut with two other skiers. The new Snowbird Hut was built in 2010 and is considered by many to be the best hut in AK. More info here: http://www.americanalpineclub.org/p/snowbird-hut The next day, five skiers from Bozeman arrived and a little later the hut mistress herself, Cindi Squire, and Harry Hunt - two of the hunts main caretakers - arrived. Since a storm was report to be moving in, we skied up a col to call Ken to have him move our gear to our next stop about 10 miles west in case he could not fly the next day, which turned out to be the right call. We spent the day skiing great powder on the steep but shorter terrain surrounding the hut. Me dropping into a gully east of the hut. Pete in another gully: Looking back at our tracks from the lake below the hut: After lots of skiing, it was time to assist Cindi and Harry on what they came to do - destroy the original Snowbird Hut! The original Hut was constructed circa 1978 and, although pretty to look at, was cold and dark and had fallen on hard times. Original hut in the foreground: When we arrived, the original hut was still standing but the roof had partially collapsed from snow load. In a few hours, Harry and Cindi had cut off most of the roof. Pete and I skied hauled the cut sheet metal roof down to the glacier where Paul Roderick of Talkeetna Air Taxi would fly it out for free. The hauling went from hard over the flat part to terrifying as the bundles of sheet metal starting to move faster than we could ski on the steep part. Next step, was Cindi and I shoveling about two feet of snow off the hut's deck to prep for the conflagration. Next, comes the trash pile and the diesel, lots of diesel The fire started slowly, Harry at the watch Cindi enjoying the fruits of her labor: As the snow started dumping, the liberal additional of diesel and lots of coal shoveling kept the fire moving. We went to bed with the fire too large to need our help anymore and the assumption there would be nothing left in the morning, but the morning found posts and joists still standing which were no match for handy Harry's saw powdered by a small generator. We hauled the last batch of junk down to the glacier and started our way on about a ten mile traverse east, first by ascending to the col behind the Nunatak. About 6-10 inches of new snow had fallen overnight which was not exactly what we needed as dropped over a col into the unknown in Mt-Baker-flat-light on some really loaded slopes. Although no one may have done this traverse before, Pete thinks he can figure out the way down. And down we went, maybe 2500 feet down into a low valley. We skinned back up a few thousand feet with the ridge dividing us from our gear in the distance. As we crested the ridge, we could see that Ken was able to drop our gear successfully which was a nagging unknown since he picked it up just as yesterday's storm was really going. Nice turns were had down to our new home. We set up the Hilleberg as new light snow began. Tent living is fun too! The next dawned bluebird. Pete gave me my first speed wing lessons, which I sucked at. Pete is an aviation engineer and great at anything that flies so the rest of the day, I skied and he speed wing skied. I had some nice turns off the nearby summit: Pete flew off the same summit but you won't see his ski tracks next to mine since he was airborn the whole way. Having to catch a flight home the same night, Ken flew in around 4:00PM to haul me out. As Ken returned for Pete, I proceeded to get the snowmobile stuck no less than three times as the three plus feet of snowpack was collapsing in the hot spring weather we returned to (the famous AK breakup begins...). To put in prospective how easy AK trips can be from the PNW; Weds I worked the whole day, bouldered after work, ate a good dinner at home and was at Seatac early for my 9:30 PM flight. After getting in Ken's plane at 4:30 on Sunday, I flew back to Pete's, organized gear, showered, we drove to Anchor, ate sushi (took forever) and I was early for my 10:30 PM flight, and back safely in my cube farm at work early Monday. Don't have friends in AK to get you at the airport and fly into the mountains? Now my friends are your friends and can help you with your next AK adventure: www.adlartok.com Thanks Pete for another great trip!

Pics of Flow Reversal (right?) with not-recommended mixed to the right. "Easy mixed" is like moderate alpine rock - feels so much sketchier than the harder stuff...

Nice job on NYG Kurt! Probably the best climb to do now. We got on Flow Reversal today but it was too thin, weak and there were big sloughs sliding off the top since it was very warm up high. I bailed to the right and finished on 100 feet of wet mixed to a tree. The conditions remain too cold to get much melt and not cold enough to fatten seeps. I was suprised to not see much change since last weekend.

Outdoor Research Igneo Jacket, Men's Large, Red, brand new with tags still on. $100 (firm) for jacket retailing for $280. Full description and pics: http://www.outdoorresearch.com/en/or-gear/jackets/shells/igneo-jacket-m-s.html Lightly insulated hardshell, ideal for skiing. Or OR says: Moderate insulation and adjustable ventilation with a relaxed Sidecountry fit. The best days to cut fresh tracks: bluebird, cold, and still. The actual days you'll head out to cut fresh tracks: all and any. For those with an insatiable appetite for snow, the Igneo Jacket™ bridges the gap between crystal conditions and furious snowstorms. EnduraLoft™ insulation holds off the bitter temperatures that keep clouds at bay, while Pertex® Shield fabric seals out raging blizzards. And when you're on your third lap of the back bowl, the double-sliding pit zips are there to keep you from overheating. Avg. Weight (oz./g): 34.4 / 974 One Size Email hutchinson dot dj at gmail

I agree with ilookeddown, and the AT-only posters may need to do a little more homework (Tele - the horror! Does that mean, I would have to not be weak?). I ski mostly tele but also have the Scarpa F3 for use when I AT. The TX Pro feels a lot stiffer than the F3, which works great with crampons. For AT skiing and general mountaineering, I LOVE having a flexible bellow. For anything short of vertical ice, they work great. So much nicer to have your foot flex a little. Kinda why Koflach engineered some flex in their plastic mountaineering boots. I doubt I will ever ski (meaning tour) AT without a bellow again. They climb rock way better too. This Spring, I did the Stuart Glacier Couloir/West Ridge with F3s and they worked great. You DO need to get a shim (made by Scarpa or maybe Dynafit) which slots in the Dyanfit crampon slot to prevent the bellows from flexing when you switch to downhill mode. Actually, if those TX Pros are sized 26.5/27, forget everything I said, they really, really suck. What an incredibly dumb idea to combine the benefits of both boot systems! Since I'm a nice guy, I will be happy to get you out of your mistake at a minor loss. I am serious, PM me if you wanna sell them.

On longer rock sections (like a few moves of pure rock in a row), I have done so much "just let 'em dangle on the spring leash" that I got a little too comfortable with the dragging dangle that a tool finally unclipped itself (using the BD leashes with the micro wire gates). I have since switched to the security of the Grivel leashes with the minilockers. I know, I know... "attach some cord to your spike first to avoid metal on metal and your leashes will never unclip" and/or "lockers freeze." Flame on...

Can't judge a book by it's cover but those Evolvs look like they would climb like stale hot dog buns with the added bonus of Evolvs' signature stench; but I still can't wait to try them. Funny thing is the Anasazi high tops look like Evolvs and the Evolvs look very retro - both in a bad way. The Anasazi high top differ from the Anasazi VCS because they have C4 instead of Onyx and a leather forefoot instead of synthetic - both big positives for me. I hope they have less heel tension, because the heel tension in the current Anasazis would rule them out for multipitch routes for me. I can see this shoe landing in a different class than the others - like a high performance, single pitch crack shoe maybe.

I love high tops and am pysched they are making a comeback. I agree with the comments about the TC pros (so so rubber, weird tongue) although they are the best I have found to date. The Ballet Golds really held me back on face climbs - man that rubber sucked. I wanted to like the Grandstones but that weird bulbous toe made face and small cracks challenging. The TC Pros fit in relatively small cracks. Anyone see JBs in shops in the PNW? As a big 5.10 Anasazi fan, I can't wait to try the Anasazi high top, which is back in production after being pulled for some last minute tweaks by Dean Potter. It is at Mtn Gear now but I have yet to see it in other shops. Freakin' ugly shoe though IMHO. http://fiveten.com/products/footwear-detail/10094-anasazi-high-top Anyone try the Anasazi high top yet?

We just climbed the East Face of Main Gunsight a few weeks ago. The rock except the first and last pitches was definitely good; however, the face, which looks sheer from afar, is so broken that each reported splitter is less than 20 feet long before a ledge or good stance is encountered. The shortness of the sustained sections and pitches in general does not take away from the rock quality, but means that the East Face can't be considered as classic as other similar routes in the range on high quality granite. The quality on rock on the the descent (we rapped south and then down the gully to the east) and also on an accidental FA we did on the subpeak between Main and South Gunsight really, really sucked. I really enjoyed the East Face but doubt I will be back for round 2 in the Gunsights.

Just did the BeckeyChouinard last weekend and wanted to add my $0.02 to the descent beta since it definitely has some raps over 30M long (despite what the official beta pic below shows) and we still managed to screw it up in the dark; so here goes... At the parking lot, Kain Hut and Applebee; you'll run across this misleading topo: Misleading because several raps are longer than 30M and it describes things like "horizontal" rappels Below is a combo of Jared's beta, that on the pic, and some of my own: All rap anchors you want to use are newer two bolt, rap-style anchors with chains and steel rings. If you come across a slung block (on first rap), you should skip it and look for chains a little lower. 1) Scramble down and right about 20 feet W. of the summit block to find bolted anchor on a vertical cube. The anchor is on the side of the "cube" that faces Central Howser Tower. Rap 28M over lower angle terrain towards Central Howser. 2) Make a very short rappel (or scramble) over low angled terrain along the ridge crest in the same direction. (15-20M) 3) Rappel NW along a low angled, narrow ridge for 30M (still basically heading for Central Howser). Do not rappel on to the N. Face. This rappel was weird (especially since the ridge was covered with snow and ice) since it was like walking backward down a diving board. It was hard to not rap right or left of the ridge since it is so low-angled, but the trick is to stay on the ridge to a tent-sized ledge below a short vertical drop. If you get to this ledge/anchor, you are almost home free since the remaining anchors are pretty easy to find. 4) Rappel a steep W facing corner (more or less plumb line) to station just slightly climbers left of center of this corner system (25M) 5) Continue down the steep wall to an obvious large ledge (35m). This ledge is large enough that if you rap off the end of your 60M, you'll probably be OK. 6) Rappel down a diagonal ledge system climber's left to a gully. This rap is taking you away from Central Howser towards the East Ridge. (32M) (The remaining raps are basically plumb line down a steep face) 7) Rappel the steep NE facing buttress (slabby face) staying just climbers right of gully (32M) 8) Stay on buttress crest and rap only about 20M to a very small stance (semi-hanging) - note this is a little shorter. Although billed as "hard to find" - the anchor is directly below the one above (20M). 9) Make another shorter rap just like #8 (20M). 10) Rap 30M to anchor just above the 'schrund. Billed as "slightly climber's right, it felt plumb again. 11) Rap over 'schrund and keep going to the end of your rope onto the Vowell Glacier . 35M took us to lower angled snow (18" of powder last weekend!) which was easy to walk off in approach shoes. Bottom line is just use a light 70M single for both up (lots of 60M or longer pitches) and down. Taking two skinny 50M or 60M ropes would be a nightmare of stuck knots or arm fulls of rat's nests on the lower angle rap ridges. Like everyone else has said, the BC is really an awesome climb. Enjoy!

Love the ski in! The alpenlady and I are climbing on Saturday and then I will graciously invite myself along to the team with the best ski objective planned for Sunday - hopefully the bidding for my company will be orderly and peaceful, no pushing or shoving please. For those who have not attended yet, this ski in is all about a great, friendly crew hanging out on some incredible land drinking and trading stories... oh yeah, and skiing (or climbing) too. If you are wondering if you should attend - the answer is yes. Thanks in advance for putting this on!

We made the most of the soggy day by drinking and sleeping late. Bonus question - does anyone know the name of the three obvious chutes in the pic? We skied the middle one (slanting from left at top to right) which I guess would be called the Zipper. The climber's right (widest) is almost always in and is a good ski too. The left one is probably rarely a good ski. The large apron below the two right chutes is in awesome shape now where it is usually littered with debris and sucky. A little heat and rain sure can massage the avy junk.

Drew and Dan - so freaking rad! This is the year I expect to see many other climbing testpieces fall to your (and others) edges. Besides the ski, climb; later that same day/evening we assisted Drew closing down the bar in a North SEA taqueria for a triple crown. Bonus points for the division of labor - one posts on cc.com and one on TAY - that is teamwork. Thanks for the stoke.

Second the Android version begging! Dave- Can the app remove google racoon lines after sick days? Doug

I was up there the same week and got properly stuck (escaped with self rescue) trying to get into the Ghost even with 4wd. Got stopped in a huge drift 1-2 km before big hill. Man, that was a cold week! We stayed at the Hostel Bear first and then moved to Rocky Mtn Ski Lodge when space opened. $10 more for a kitchette, hot tub and non-shared rooms = no brainer. Nice TR.

Jens K and I were in Marble Canyon the day after the record high temps on Thurs and we found perfect ice. The ice was dry and super solid. Top pitch of Icy BC had a big hole in middle, but rest of the classics were fat. Can't say what happened lower down in Lillooet but Marble held up well through the warming. p1 of Icy BC: p3 of Icy: Jens starting the really fun mixed corner climb left of Icy's p3: Deeping, in WI4 conditions:

izzat mrazek in the background? Of course that izz steve in the background. Me thinks that this post confirms what I have said before = PNW climbers are way too serious. Chris (Winter) set the bar with his pic of his beautiful wife at La Posada. My submission shows the true expression of light and fast on our quick ascent of Prussik on the Snow Creek-Enchantments-Colchuck Lake-bike back to Snow Creek TH loop. A must do.

My early season wakeup happened the first ski tour of this year in late Oct. I was breaking trail up to Camp Muir and just got above Pan Point skinning out of a small gully when I fractured a wind slab layer and was amazed at the small localized avy I triggered. Five minutes later, I was concentrating on skinning out of the next gully in a fog out (this gully was bigger, but only 20 feet vertical from top to bottom)when I set off a bigger wind slab fracture. Although, only 18" deep max, the debris buried my skis and me up to my boot tops and twisted me in a awkward enough position that I needed my partner to release my bindings. In a few thousand days of skiing, I have never been trapped before and it seemed like such a mellow place/day... I feel that almost all ice in the PNW is "early season" and we never have the luxury of waiting for it to get fat or solid though. Some of the hardest climbs I have down are WI3 in "early season" in the PNW.

Here are some pics of Thrill, as was stated it is all ice and ice gear now, although I found a spot to place one cam so I could pretend I was mixed climbing. Mummy Cooler II was also fat The Scepter looks good in this photo but was hollow and running at the bottom so I TR'ed. Actually, except for 20 feet of runny, wet chandeliers at the bottom, it would have protected pretty well. It was nice to run into about 3/4s of the Seattle and Bellingham ice crew out there. The ratio was about 1 MT climber to 10 WA climbers. All the locals I know thought we were dumb to play on the ice since the skiing was better than anyone could remember at this time of year. Bridger's epic opening day on Friday was a perfect rest day in between two nice ice days.

No spraying about the goods in the Daks allowed here. Next thing you know, the PNW ice crew will be driving right by Bozeman straight to Keene Valley.

and the winner of the 2010 International PDX Ice Festival Invitational Dry Tool Comp = Michaeljosephnozel!!! Still not falling for passing trends like leashless tools, vehicles that get over 12 mpg, and LED headlamps; Michael stepped up and dry tooled his way into the history books. Way to go Michael! Now that you won leashless tools, what is next? Hopefully, you will not swap your 16lb, 5-layer North Face bibs for soft shells or, worse yet, start skiing. Time to hit the real thing real soon!

Chris, funny you should mention massages - seems like a new passion of yours. Weren't you the same guy that I was getting snowed on a few weeks on Les Cornes and instead of savaging the trip with some cragging, decided to crash girl's night at the spa? Your skin has had a more youthful glow lately...

Nice work Jimbo and Ben! I wouldn't want to run into you slab thugs like you on an after dark descent though - dudes look like you mean biznatch!