jordop

#3 A look at Minus One climbed by Guy Edwards, Ian Campbell, and friend. The ground Edwards might have covered on his solo line is marked with question marks.

Head on:

Jesus, I'm makin a mess here; just spilled my beer . . . Okay, here is the latest labelling of Sumallo lines based on my photos and Don's memory. Note that Beckey's numbering of the gullies, possibly based on de Jong's descriptions, labels the North Couloir as Minus Five. However, under the "new" labelling, it makes sense that the North Couloir is MINUS SIX !!!!!! And minus Four is the Edwards/Spagnut variation to the north couloir.

Post deleted by jordop

Post deleted by jordop

Thanks for the legwork Don. It looked like the Edwards/Spagnut start to the N couloir was the "plum" in terms of a natural and somewhat serious line. Can't wait to go back when things are a bit fatter and fuller

It never gets plowed anymore. However, you should be able to drive it right now with heavy chains and some 4WD hc. Expect constant woop-de-doos from the sleds. Feck and I drove it in his truck a few years ago in very similar conditions.

Hmm, the next gully left featured an incredible ice pillar (far left in photo -- the gully in centre dead ends), but was guarded down low by a cliff band (not visible in photo). Maybe this is it? Probably passable later in the year . . . Looks feasible to then traverse over into the Rideout/Sumallo gully and thence to Sumallo, not very "direct" though

1. I got the info on the Edwards line off this old thread where you mention "not previously reported, guy edwards and a friend climbed the gully between sumallo and rideout in winter '93 or '94" 2. I don't know what you mean "the next gully left"? Any gully left of the Rideout/Sumallo gully would take you to summit of Rideout NOT Sumallo but there DOES look to be a mean ice route in the works RIGHT of the Rideout/Sumallo gully -- this is visible as half formed daggers in the photo above. Maybe this is it. prob WI4 at least?? 3. The ski in took us abt 2.5 hrs. yeah, i guess this is not "easy" in midwinter when it would be 11km, not 6 km, but still doable, no?

PaulB and I thought it might be a good time to go in and try a Sumallo climb. In particular, we wanted to try a winter ascent of Stegosaur Ridge, but the bridge to that side of the valley is gone; it looks quite troublesome to get to the north face of Payne North as the road is overgrown/gone as well on that side. Conditions were not inspiring, about 10" of new, powdery snow over rocks in the meadows below Zero Gully. Some wicked ice bits here and there would be climbable in a week of similar weather. Some pics: Rideout: Payne: Zero Gully: Redlining the Fun Meter Area: Edwards' Gully:

I have come across many a hermit in the local mountains around Vancouver. Lots of squatters up Cypress, but the best was when we used to party in the woods during highschool. Once this guy just appears, says he's been livin in the Capilano watershed for a few years. He looked at our beer like a ravenous dog

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Some folk don't need to go on an exped

The possible loss of the Genie aside, I picked up a new $35 pod pack thingy last night on the advice from someone who told me how they're the bomb cause you can swing em around to get in em w/o taking them off, and they ride opposite to a gear sling. Must say, kinda cool, rides high so it doesn't kill the lower back

Oh the 22 re is just great, especially when you're runnin with a blown head gasket I'm givin the Yugos a serious run for their money My truck is basically a CD player with a transfer case

Really? God I am so suck Haven't seen it in catalogues lately, so maybe they're bringing it back. In any event, hope to see some good technical MEC packs in the future . . .

22RE and no it's not that hard to do, just a pain in arse

Argghh! exhaust manifold just fell apart on the hwy No power but it sounds pretty tough

MEC North van opened in secret last night and lo and behold not a single Serratus product in sight!!!!!!! In fact, there were even some new MEC packs for Spring '05 already in store. One in particular was called the Teenie Genie Hopefully it is just a cruel joke as this thing is smaller, heavier, and loaded with all sorts of crap For those of us who spend enough time living out of Genies to get your mail delivered to it, it was a little sad

I highly recommend the burgers at "Good Food" located just outside of Marblemount on Hwy 20, West of the turnoff to the Cascade River Road. I approve of both recommendations. Further testing required to evaluate an overall winner. Stay tuned

From the construction worker carrying plywood into the store an hour ago on the estimated opening of the MEC North Van: " maybe tomorrow"

You heard it, Mike: you gotta unify your mind body and spirit

Yeah you suck Todd, especially those disgusting photos you sent me

Okay so NO ONE has climbed this sucka? We're talking 'bout the Castle Peak in the Pasayten, in the Kearney book, with 4+ grade IV routes on the north face. No one?

Distel apparently has a thing for girls with helicopter tail rotors for arms