tread_tramp

My feet dangling through a powdery snowbridge on the upper ingraham glacier with slack in the rope on a winter ascent got the adrenelin pumpin. But more recently I fell on an alpine rock climb and busted both feet before the rope caught me. Four hours of getting lowered down the face and getting situated, followed by eighteen hours alone on this ledge at 7,000ft, hoping my buddy got the rest of the way down safely, and that help was on the way.

Pope's right about the rocks. On the 2nd pitch a boulder just missed Rods head, but didn't miss the rope. As I was pulling in the rope I see this tear in the rope, and I'm thinking, 'how we going to rap off. It was like all the way round the sheaf , and with just 6 strands of the core still intact. fortunately it was only 14ft from the end. So instead of taking it as an omen, we kept climbing with just a 45m rope. Fortunately that was enough to get me down to where I spent the night and Rod the rest of the way down to the glacier. For the last rap he did leave the rope tied in so he could past the moat. So there might still be a single strand hanging down the first pitch. Also left a couple pieces on the 6th pitch, where I fell. And a few pieces were left where I spent the night. So there's plenty of booty for the next team up. But I'm sure it's all gone by now. Weigt bearing status on my left foot in two weeks. But I'm getting the hang of these crutches in the meantime

I finaly found my password so I will comment, for what it's worth. Rod and I didn't summit. Continuing in the Potterfield tradition, I took a spill on Chimney Rock. The length of the fall and the extent of the injuries certainly were not near what Peter experienced. My partner lowered me a couple hundred feet over a four hour period to the top of the heather ramp at 7,000ft on the east face direct route. Then he went for help. So I spent the night there with two broken feet. It was a thrill when I heard the helecopter coming after 18 hours on the ledge. There was no massive rescue launched; just the Huey and it's four crew members. But it was a bold manuever on their part getting me off, for which I am grateful. The chopper came in very close to the rock face in order to get the cable connected to the little t-bar I had to sit on. And it was a wild ride getting lifted off the ledge. So, after two weeks at Harborview and a couple months at a nursing facility, I'm hobbling around on crutches, waiting for weight bearing status on my left foot. Ralph

So, if anyone's done this route, can you rap off with a single 50 meter rope? Need we lug an extra rope up there?

let's try this one: http://www.ericsbasecamp.net/trips/EntiatMtns/EntiatMtns.htm This report has some good photos with it.

This trip was not in one day but done solo and the trip report is detailed. go to: ericsbasecamp.net/trips/EntiatMtns/EntiatMtns.htm

Ya Nolan, the old guy was Jack Stein. He was doin a Father's Day climb with his son. Too Bad they didn't get it. It was a fun day.

My friend Rod and I did Monte Cristo sunday. Snow was in great shape for kicking steps up to the North Col. It's a fun climb with good views. When we got back to the col around 2:30 or so we met a guy at the col heading up by himself, maybe Nolan.

i'm with you on the Bruce Cockburn. i undertstand he's coming out with something new called You've Never Seen Everything. i like Night Vision an In the Falling Dark.

Tim_ I pretty much stated what I have in my notes. It was 13 years ago so the memory is a bit fuzzy. I think we passed below the cliffs and picked up the intermittant tread. I'm sure you can fish it out. I've done it a few times. I'm out of work now so if you want to go back up there during the week next week let me know. From checking the Baring USGS quad it appears that what I referred to as the east summit is SW of the main peak.

from climbing journal notes 5-12-90: ...at 2nd waterfall work up to the right onto a ledge system that gets you past the waterfall but stays in the same gully. At about 4100' a 3rd waterfall enters the gully on the right side. Here you exit the main gully. Then you head right along an overhanging cliff face. Heading east, along an intermittant path, you work into another broad gully then head NE up to the saddle between Merchant's main peak and the east summit.

If you lost a helmet somewhere in the vicinity of Denny Creek last weekend give me a call. 206-783-6345

My bad; Tacoma's turn.

It seems the reply function on Dave's post has been disabled. Anyway, I suggest taking our rowdiness to Grady's in Montlake this week

Jason, From our camp near a notch west of Ruth we headed toward a broad flat snow covered area west of mentioned satellite peak. We crossed the broad flat area and came to the top of the gulley. It was here that we looked to the left, toward the south flank of the satellite peak, and spotted the cairn that indicated the way to scramble down to the Ruth-Icy saddle. I might add that after we got around to the south side of Icy Peak we found that the first gully on the left went well, an exposed scramble, which we rapped down with a double rope.

If you look left at the top of the gully you should spot a cairn at the top of a good scramble route down toward the Ruth-Icy saddle; much safer than the gully.

It ain't tuesday noon yet, Dave. So hold your fart for another fourteen hours.

I think Dave means that KBCS is cool in a fern bar sort of way

probably because it is just overlooking the fireman's training center.

I'm guessing Bonanza for Klenke's photo; maybe taken from Fernow.

The place was even deader when I showed up a little after nine; one woman sitting at the bar. Apparently the last of the cascade climbers had left five minutes before I arrived. Is 9:15 to late to be out drinking on new years eve? What's with that?

OK Dave; which watering hole are you and chris going to be drinking at tommorow evening?

icegirl, did you find a place open you want to go to?

LeeJams and Alpine Tom were kind enough to invite me along on this outing. Although the west ridge offers no real technical challenge, it consists of some of the finest rock for climbing that the region has to offer. There was a fair bit of snow on North Twin's northern aspect, but the route which follows the west ridge was snow free until just before the top. We topped out just before 1:30 took a half hour to enjoy the sweeping view before heading down in hopes of getting off before dark. The darekness did catch up with us though as we bicycled the six miles back from the trailhead to the gated bridge where we had left the car.

I've done this route a few times and wouldn't mind doing it again. It is six miles from the gaited bridge to the trailhead. Bicycles are a great advantage; especially on the way out.