telemarker

hah! Vanity has no boundaries! Actually it was at this point - had to take my pack off so I thought 'what the hell, may as well snap a photo.'

Thanks! The stress was trying to get down Toketie drainage. Other than that, it went pretty smooth. The walk up 8 Mile Road was bad. Nothing like skinning in September!

Thanks! Yes, the backyard isn't so bad around here!

Trip: Enchantment Traverse - Continuing Bromance With Peter Croft Date: 9/18/2009 Trip Report: Having been a bit disappointed at getting shut down on the Mt. Stuart leg of my traverse, I obsessed the following week on the 2nd half of it: Dragontail-Prusik-Snow Creek Wall (optional, maybe happened, maybe not). I knew there would be more water than I could ever drink, and an easy trail to turn the mind off. Both of these factors were reassuring. Friday, I got the day off work, grabbed the weather window and hit it. I stashed my bike at the Snow Creek trailhead, and drove to Stuart Lake T.H. For Dragontail, I chose Backbone Ridge because it's a better route than Serpentine. I relish the exposure for the four pitches on the fin. The off width was a bar fight as usual, and I ended up having to take my pack off 1/2 up the pitch and hang it from my chalk bag strap. This pitch out of the way, the rest of the route went well and was incredbly fun. I hung out briefly on the empty summit, and busted it for Prusik. I walked out out on the snowfield and found it icy. I saw myself sliding for life in my tennis shoes and made the executive decision to head east around the south side of Witche's Tit, and descend that way. This was convenient and didn't add any extra time to the day. Prusik Peak, the next stop on the Croft tour. The West Ridge held no surprises. The solid, reliable granite was a welcome contrast to Backbone's sometimes suspect holds. Being without a rap rope this time, climbed the slab and downclimbed it just to make sure I could do it. Again, I got to an empty summit, the theme for the day. Downclimbing took 15 minutes, much faster than the raps! From there, I made the only wrong decision of the day, which was to descend through Shield/Mese/Toketie Lakes. I thought I would be able to cut off time vs. the snow lakes descent. I knew from past experience the Toketie drainage spits you out approximately 1/4 mile from the snow creek wall trail. And, from what I remembered the trail was very direct. Hiking by Shield and Mesa lakes, with Temple Ridge forming a picket fence behind them, I was reminded just how beautiful these lakes were. Enhanced by the fact they were deserted too. I got to Toketie Lake quickly enough, snapped a few shots of imposing Toketie Wall, and this is where the fun ended. The last time I descended Toketie drainage, it was fairly straightforward with minimal schwacking. That was about 6 years ago. Now, brush is everywhere. At times it was over my head. Add to that brush endless downfall. Brittle branches collapsing under my feet. Endless logs to cross. And no sign of any trail. I was even cliffed out a couple times. I saw my chances on Outer Space slipping slowly by, pissed off at myself for not taking the snow lakes trail. I finally hit the valley bottom, and found a good log to cross snow creek, but it was 6:15 already. Dannible mentioned enthusiasm ebbing and flowing. Though demoralised by the eternal schwack down Toketie, I hit one of those bursts. I got to the log crossing at snow creek wall and didn't even have to decide. I grabbed the chalk and shoes and headlamp and headed up. Physically I knew I could do it given this newfound energy. Mentally, I was wary. And there were a couple moments on Outer Space where I had to force myself to just concentrate on the next foothold. But overall, Outer Space went as expected, topping out in fading light. I was able to sprint down the backside reaching the base of SCW right at dark. I reached my bike and started the slow ride mostly uphill. About 1 mile from 8 mile road, I noticed my right peddal feeling lopsided, and by the Classic Crack crag, it snapped off completely. I was shocked. This bike is a workhorse, having taken me from Astoria to Tijuana without even a flat tire! I coasted down to the start of 8 Mile Road, dismounted and started walking back to the Stuart Lake Trailhead. And believe me, the irony was not lost on me. Details: Hiking: 6:00am Climbing Backbone: 9:07am Summit: 11am Base of W. Ridge Prusik: 1:28pm Summit: 1:58pm Snow Creek Wall Crossing: 6:20pm Start Outer Space: 6:33pm Top Outer Space: 7:21 Back at Crossing: 7:58 Back at car: 11:15pm Mid-offwidth shell shock Colchuck Bidding adieu to the offwidth Greeting the rest of the route Fun fin cracks Summit Rainier from Dragontail Looking towards Prusik Summit Prusik Toketie Lake and Toketie Wall Top of Outer Space, SCW

sucker...er...partner found! Thanks!

Looking for a partner for Sunday. Depending on how I feel Sunday, I'm up for eithe cragging or something more alpine-ish. Rather not do a heinous approach. Bong Buttress comes to mind. Iconoclast or anything on snow creek wall would be good too. Shoot me a text, call 509-699-9810, or PM and we can hash out some idears. John

The descent down Stuart over to Sherpa is a scree slide only. I had lightweight crampons for the glacier crossing. No axe needed.

Holy crap. I've never been to Goode, but from what I understand that's a huge solo day. The psychological deal breaker for me was being in a state of dehydration and knowing I had close access to an easy descent with plentiful water.

Gracias Jefe! Nice meeting you guys last week!

Thanks Pete!

Wow. The problem with your friend's skipping summits is that as far as I got, it would have been more exhausting below the crest. I found the smoothest route was either on the crest or just below it. The scrub larches were a hastle. I would need younger legs for this one to come true! Or a gallon of water.

I downclimbed to the east from the summit for the descent. There weren't any issues in terms of route finding, since the easiest path through was on or near the crest. That made decisions pretty simple.

Trip: Bitch Slapped by Peter Croft - Stuart Range traverse attempt Date: 9/12/2009 Trip Report: How the hell did he do it? Croft must be superhuman. Or I'm a crap climber. Both explanations are correct. I guess the purtiy of it was doomed from the beginning as soon as I drove and parked near the trailhead. By the time I got above Stuart Lake, I had made the decision not to start my climb on the lower ridge, since I wasn't entirely sure about free-soloing the 2nd pitch, which is a bit insecure finger/thin hand crack. Plus, I was already getting winded. So I wimped out and headed for the notch. From there, the climbing was dreamy as usual entirely absent of other climbers The gendarme pitches went off great. I summitted at a decent hour in the day, psyched to get over to Sherpa, then Argonaut then Colchuck. Turns out I was actually on crack. I summitted Sherpa Peak about 1 hour 45 minutes after summitting Stuart. I had run out of water by the time I was 1/2 way to Argonaut. I was sluggish and totally dehydrated, with the bonk not far behind. I dragged ass back to Sherpa/Argonaut Col and retreated to water and the trail, wondering in amazement at Croft's accomplishment all the way down to Mountaineer's Basin. Despite the lackluster effort, I was pleased to get at least Sherpa in, as I had never summitted it before. The approach from Stuart really is pretty good. For the number crunchers out there: Left Car: 3:00am Stuart's Notch: 8:00am Gendarme: 8:45am Summit Stuart: 9:30am Summit Sherpa: 11:11am Sherpa/Argonaut Col: 12:47pm Car: 6:09pm From the Notch, looking east: The best two pitches of the day: Summit in perfect early fall weather: Sherpa Summit. I carry the balanced rock on my shoulder whenever I go out climbing: Looking back at the summit of Stuart: Gear Notes: Chalkbag, shoes, and not enough water. 60m, 7mm static bail/rap line (not used). Approach Notes: Stuart Lake Approach, Sherpa/Argonaut deproach.

Umm...that would be the other freeheel'r! Flagpole is doable in a good day via Little Annapurna TeleRoss, telemarker... I knew it was tele something! The search function was in the shitter the day I posted that, so I went with the tele* that came to mind first. My bad, telemarker. No prob! I blend in with all the other tele'ers. But we eastsiders have to stick together...

Geoff, I for one am looking forward to your tourettes-style narration to the slideshows.

Ask Kyle Flick and TeleRoss how much of a "quick jaunt" that is... Umm...that would be the other freeheel'r! Flagpole is doable in a good day via Little Annapurna

Jens and Sol, you guys are amazing, and a great compliment to have the expertise of Max taking such incredible shots.

Hmmm...it's not Spineless Prow (CAG, p. 279)?

Or you can just rap Snow Creek Wall's chain anchors down Edge Of Space. Three double rope raps to 2 tree ledge, then a single to the ground. This is my preferred choice descent these days...

Thanks for sharing the story and photos! This is my dream free-solo pitch. What a great route.

Thanks! What good is a TR if it doesn't have a pic of Colchuck Lake?? At least I got the region correct...

Oops! Thanks Craig. Where were you? Can the moderator fix this??

Trip: Whine Spire - El Gato Sucio Date: 7/19/2009 Trip Report: Pat Sullivan (spiderman) and Kyle Flick (Kyle Flick) and I climbed this bad boy. We surmised the route name Gato Negro came from the abundant lichen on the route, especially the thick shag carpet on the false summit. I don't have much to add as there was a recent report from Alford. I do have to say that it would take a lot more ascents to get this route clean. There are many sections of good climbing, with equal parts kitty litter. If you've climbed the "rotten block" pitch of Liberty Crack, then you know what kitty litter is. Also, it should be stated that the descent is just as serious as the climbing, perhaps even more so. There is a lot of committing downclimbing involved, on time-bomb rock, impossible to do in the dark if you were unlucky enough to top out in fading light. This took us 16 hours car-to-car in a team of three, climbing efficiently. Descent Beta: Downclimb 20 feet from the summit/false summit notch, and turn skier's left to locate slingage. One double rope rap got us to the downclimbing. No falling allowed. About 300 feet lower, amongst the choss and hanging boulders, locate slingage skier's left. We beefed it up a bit, so it should be easier to locate. Another double-rope rap and we were able to sketch to the bottom of the gully from there. Overall, decent climb. Horrendous descent, which may be out of proportion to the climbing. First Pitch Mantel: 3rd Pitch Money Pitch: Kitty Litter Stoke: Sharing the Descent Stoke: U Could Be Here: Last But Not Least, Colchuck Lake: Gear Notes: Doubles up to #2 Camalot. Single #3, #4 Camalot Approach Notes: Nice Approach!

Describe it, some of the photos on it, some of the positions you and your s/o are in (kidding!) and I will return it to you!

You know, if I came up with a list of all the areas where I would want to free solo, Peshastin Pinnacles would unequivocably be at the very bottom. In fact, it wouldn't even be close to making the list... Downclimbing swauk sandstone is a lost art I've heard.