ropeadope

Headed up toward Chair about 6:00am, thinking (okay, wishing) there might be a climb in it. Two feet of powder on top of an icy layer with consolidated snow under that layer. Halfway between the Snow Lake divide and Source Lake, did a couple of Rutschblock tests on different aspects. All blocks sheared as soon as both feet were gently planted. I'd rate the slopes as unstable and probably will stay that way until some wet weather consolidates it. Based on this, I figured the north face of Chair was out of the question. The buttress might have gone, but it would have been a long slog on unstable slopes to get to the base of it. So we went to Denny's in North Bend and ate eggs instead. Will try the face in February, if it's in.

quote: Originally posted by Dwayner: ...it's so big, snow doesn't melt off the end of it until late August. What's its late December shape? Thin ice? Mixed? What kind of crampons should I use?

quote: Originally posted by the shadow: How lucky for you that image was created on your NOT website minutes before you posted the link. Not what I meant by NOT, ol' Shadowy one. I was not being stupid, is what I meant... 99% of the folks here can right click a mouse and I knew full well my anonymous ways were over and my site would be sought. If you can't read my mind, how can you read my heart? Ah well, I started out with a simple request and got so much more... Time for the weekend!

Oh gosh... ah, hell. You are a great detective, you old shadow you. Those right mouse clicks really pay off, don't they? Ah, gee... didn't know what I was doin' there. How stupid of me to post a graphic linked back to my own precious site... Not. So tell me, what Evil lurks in my heart?

quote: Originally posted by erik: montani semper liberi isn't that what the uni bomber had over the door of his shack in lamebone country??? no one accept mail from this rope dope guy, he sounds questionable..... Ah, Erik... no respectable climber would put up a quote that was hanging over the door of a nutbag that was blowing people's hands off! I may be new to the board, but I ain't no creep! Well, everybody's seeing terrorists everywhere nowadays. Three posts to the wind and I'm already blacklisted! Can't even catch a break with a butterfly net! Come on Erik, whatever happened to Doggies Forever?

quote: Originally posted by danielpatricksmith: Also, consider doing the NE Buttress, it is a better route and is more likely to be in shape. Thanks for the run-down, Dan. Good advice about the statistics, too. A good argument for staying away from the average woman. Well, I'll have first-hand beta in a week. Nothing like going and scoping it out for yourself. That northeast buttress sounds like just the trick, if conditions are good. -Robert

quote: Do you mean you are leading a wallowing slog to look at a pretty mountain covered in unconsolidated snow? Or did you mean the 22nd of January? Well... neither, actually. Historical beta that I have sez: 12/21/99: Not good ice, but hard snow conditions most of the way. 1/8/2000: Sloppy route conditions. 3/3/2001: Sloppy route conditions. 3/4/2001: Sloppy approach conditions. 3/18/2000: Sloppy approach & route conditions. I don't have any historical beta for late January or February. Doesn't matter though, I will be climbing elsewhere during those months. Out of these five pieces of beta, it seems that late December was the best time had by all. But I know that history is not always predictive of the future. Which is why I asked the original question! Okay... back to work now.

...I'm new to this board! But I'm not a lurker, a shadow-seeker, a peeker through windows. So alright, already- I'll make a post! Anybody been up to look at the north face of Chair Peak lately? I'm leading a climb up it on the 22nd. Of course, any beta you give me today will be out of date by next Friday... Well, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.