JayB

I think I was responsible for that Good slides, good food, and good conversation about hacking one's own limbs off around the fire.

That SUCKS! You have my sympathy, amigo. I've been knocked out of commission myself a couple of times and been in a similar place. My only advice is listen to the Docs and be sure to give yourself time to heal - I've known a few people who succumbed to the temptation to get back on it way before they were ready and ended up spending about twice as long on injured reserve as a result. Heal fast.....

Yeah, bring the slack line, E. I can bring buns. Any wild guesses as to the number of folks who will show up? I'll just bring around 6 dozen buns unless someone says otherwise....

CBS: Good to see you guys out there. This will surely dissapoint the mountie bashers on this site, but the group that Lee and I ran into at the Royal Columns were a pretty cool bunch. We had zero problems sharing the rock with them. Here's a couple of pics from the outing: Leejams putting one of those pulleys to use: Lee on Inca Roads Definitely worth spending a whole weekend out there next time.

Thanks for posting that pick Klenke. If you look real close you can see me doubled over in a coughing fit.....

Same.

...sorta forgot that word has other connotations. Make that the spot in the Whack(MC)Mobile...

Don't get the twin ropes. Much less versatile than half -ropes, not that much lighter, and they generally generate higher impact forces than any single rope. I got a set of twin ropes (cheap) a few years ago before I knew any better. Not bad on long bolted routes that don't wander all that much with long raps (slabs) but not good for much else.

The spot in the Whackmobile has been spoken for....

Likewise John. I've been back a couple of times since you witnessed the tail end of our multi-day ascent of Online, but haven't done a whole lot of climbing on those outings. I can't use the old bolts as an excuse to avoid American Pie anymore so I may have to give that line a whirl while next time I head out there...

Good stuff Juan...

Anyone wanna head out there this Saturday? Thinking of hitting either The Columns or The Bend. I'll drive, I've got the rack, the rope, etc.

Random Thoughts on the Topic: IMO it takes both time and experience to develop a sense of which routes one can safely tackle in a day, and which routes you should take more time with. The same is true for pitching out a climb vs simulclimbing vs soloing. I think it's worth getting at least a climb or two at a certain grade under your belt before upping the ante and trying to knock of other routes at that grade in a more aggressive style. I hope that the folks that are just starting out take the levels of skill and experience that the folks posting the TR's here have before venturing out and attempting the same routes in a similar style.

Great panorama. You and TimL passed by just as I was zipping out of my bivy sack. What time did you top out?

The overhanging cornices on the NEB Couloir were getting hit with direct Sunshine from 6:OO AM on. That, along with the new snow and dozens of avalanches that ripped down sunlit aspects the day before made the route look a bit sketchy in this gaper's eyes. Climbing under those suckers might be the cost of doing business on that route, but as things stand now camping high and starting at 0-dark-thirty wouldn't be a bad idea. It's all a calculated risk though, so my notions of what constitutes acceptable risk are far from being applicable to anyone else. Sounds to me like Stephen and his partner were more than capable of sizing the risks up for themselves and made the right choice for them - and had a nice climb to boot.

Hey: I just posted some pictures of Dragontail over in the gallery that I'll link-up here as well. I've got a few other shots of the aspect that you pass by on your way up the Colchuck Glacier, so let me know if you want any close-ups of those aspects and I'll upload them. The Mountains put on quite a show that afternoon - We watched at least a dozen avalanches roar down various sunlit aspects between about 5:00 and 7:00 PM on Saturday Evening....

I took a few, including some closer shots of the aspects facing the snowfield between Colchuck and Dragontail. Still lots o' ice runnels on that aspect. I'll see if I can post them within a day or two.

I already got 'em....

great, now we don't have to listen to you whining because getting your fancy name thingy was taking so long - "hezus crist, I overnighted the money to them 2 days ago" that is wack, yellow. didja find your beanie? I was talking about my donation to the PTL club!!! And the beanie is in good hands. I just got the lycra bodysuit from Prana in the mail to day so I will finally be able to boulder in style.....

"Yes!! just noticed JayB's custom title!! " Just don't be cold crushin' this particular Whack MC...

I'll be the next to say thanks for taking the time to post your agenda here Mountie. For the other folks posting on this thread, this is exactly the kind of heads up that most of the folks complaining about the Mountaineers have been asking for, so some sort of positive feedback is in order here!

I am a one man cluster when I am in top form, but my game must have been off this Saturday as I did not take part in any cluster action on Colchuck this weekend. With the exception of Bronco's brief sighting of another party on the summit, we didn't encounter anyone else on the approach, the mountain, or the route itself, although we did see a few folks heading into the lake for overnighters on our way out. Viva le Cluster!

Zoo.

Very interseting. We had a brief vomit or urine? debate while climbing past that particular patch of snow. Not sure if we ever arrived at a consensus. The vomit camp with be glad to know that they have been vindicated.

I got short-roped up the Northeast couloir by GregW, Bronco, and genepires. Went climbing at exit38 after work on Friday night, got home about 9:45, packed my stuff and procured food until 11:30, brushed my teeth, went to bed and stared at my clock until 11:45, then drove to Sultan for the 1:00AM rendezvous. Made bold prediction that I would be the winner of the suffersweepstakes. Park at 2:30, futz around with gear until 3:00, and commence said suffering/short roping/offloading gear onto partners. Wonder aloud if I have SARS several times during approach. I think that we made it into the lake at about 6:00 or so, and headed towards our intended destination on a firm, refrozen crust. As we were heading up to get a better look at our intended route, the Northeast Buttress Couloir we saw a small spontaneous slide let loose just below an exposed portion of the glacier beneath. That, plus the overhanging cornices that came into view about the Couloir, plus the warming temps prompted us to head up the Northeast Couloir instead. Lots up step kicking up the Couloir (or pre-kicked step utilization in my case) got us to the top of the couloir at around 11:00 or so, and doing the same around the backside got us to the summit at around 12:00-12:30. Prolonged coughing fit as the summit convinces me that I do, in fact, have SARS. Slid down from the Colchuck/Dragontail col shortly thereafter, and noted that Schoeller pants put you at quite a disadvantage when attempting to intentionally slide down something. Whined to myself for the entire descent back to the car, fell alseep on the way back to Leavenworth. Awoke briefly to vote for eating at Gustav's en route to passing out again, eat, then pass out again on way home. All in all, a good climb despite the factor on my part. Will now check myself into the ER to self admit for SARS.