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Duchess

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Everything posted by Duchess

  1. For someone unfamiliar with the area, lower Curtis Ridge offers some excellant views with easier navigation than a trip up Old Desolate/Elysian Fields. If you are looking for more of a "hike," there are way trails to follow on lower Curtis; not so much on OD. If the weather is questionable or visibility poor, be careful because the area can be a bit confusing. Travel lightly in these areas; they are all sensitive subalpine and alpine areas. If a way trail is present, use it; if no way trail exists, disperse use and try not to follow in anyone else's path to minimize impact.
  2. A picture says a thousand words Bandit. You want to know why the West Side Rd isn't open? Go take a walk up the road today. Just past the culvert, the main channel of the Tahoma has rerouted itself OVER the West Side Rd., causing a huge pool of water that is 2-3' deep. Maybe the park will drain it, maybe even sometime this summer. But it's quite likely that in the next flooding event, the river will actually flow over or down a section of the road, which really could wash out the culvert, etc. Politics and GMPs and visition aside. You can't argue with the mountain...
  3. Probably figured out by now...but a second can smash his hand pretty well if both parties are unable to self-arrest and fall several hundred feet before the rope gets caught on a rock... A very sad day. Tip the hat to the mountain tonight...and pray for better days in the future...
  4. Stoney little chipmunks are my favorite!
  5. Not to mention the general pain in the ass factor of dealing with Paradise
  6. Not just griz -- Rumor has it that a black bear was seen on/near the summit of Mt. Rainier in the middle of the last century. Bears go where-ever there is food, which in the summer means between 4000-8000' in elevation. Berries... yum yum...
  7. Cayuse Pass is allegedly opening Friday afternoon. Check out : http://www.nps.gov/mora/current/current.htm#roadopen for current road conditions.
  8. You can drive to Ipsut Creek right now. Road is open. Has been for awhile (I drove there in January...) White River road is scheduled to open at the end of May. It may be possible that it opens early this year, since the snow is melting melting melting...
  9. Technically speaking--the park requires that anyone on a glacier or above 10,000' on Mt. Rainier have a permit. This shouldn't be a see-what-I-can-get-away-with issue, it should be a respect issue. Mt. Rainier has an outstanding reputation for its search and rescue program and its climbing ranger program. Its management of waste on the upper mountain is pretty decent, too. So, if they say the only way to fund these things is by paying $30, so be it. Dlofgren is right, crevasses commonly pop open right along the climbers route traversing the Cowlitz Glacier.
  10. I would say: Don't climb the mountain if you are requiring another party's aid in case of accident. Isn't it mountain etiquette that if you can't take care of yourself, you have no business?!? (Although, it seems that people do it all the time)
  11. I spent much of the winter in the Truckee area this year and was blown away by all the options... yes, there will still be some snow on the (short) approaches to the climbs at Donner Summit. But, I climbed there in February. The combination of clear skies and endless sunshine makes the rock warm, and there really are a lot of routes on great rock. Additionally, there is a small area along I-80 halfway between Reno and Truckee called River Rock. Not a lot of routes, but they run the full range (5.7-5.11), the rock is great, the routes are interesting, there is zero snow, and it heats up. Great place for a half-day, or even a whole day.
  12. I have an Arcteryx Beta jacket in men's size medium that I am looking to sell. Retails for $365, and this one has never been used (tags still on). I am willing to negotiate a sale...
  13. You are right, the route follows snow couloirs and rock steps instead of staying on a ridge crest. To the best of my memory, we had a very limited rock rack with us. We brought a number of pickets and screws, and a small variety of cams and nuts. There was one point where we did set up a belay using rock pro. Most of the rock steps were short and easy, although there was one short stabby section (5.7?) I would recommend sending a PM to "W" if you need a little more info... he might have some more for you. Cheers!
  14. hello...last april myself and three others spent three weeks in the gorge. in addition to climbing barille, dickey, and the mooses tooth, three of us attempted the ridge on mt. dan beard that you speak up. you are correct, it is an absolutely beautiful mountain and highly under-rated, from what i understand. we camped in the obvious, large cirque (bowl) beneith the couloir. watch the bergschrund crossing, i took a small spill into it in the dark... the couloir was fine climbing, followed by the long and very steep traverse to the top of the ridge. above, we found excellant climbing along the very corniced ridge and short bands of rock. we turned back an estimated 500' shy of the summit due to extremely soft snow on the steep slopes. the downclimb was a bit of a bitch, we ended up rappelling several rope lengths on the main couloir. an aquaintance who is very familiar with the gorge told us that mt. dan beard rarely gets climbed, probably due to its proximity to the more notorious peaks in the area. i felt that it was one of the best days of climbing we had on the trip (and one of the better days that i have ever experienced). i intend to go back soon... cheers.
  15. I'm trying to fo a little pre-holiday closet clean-out. Selling the following items: Arcteryx Theta LT jacket, women's size M. This jacket is a little under two years old but in nearly perfect condition. I've used this jacket snowboarding, climbing, skiing, and hiking and it is a great jacket. Color is called beetskin (purple). Asking $150 obo. Petzl Elios Helmet. Used on only one climb and in perfect condition. Very lightweight. Color is white. Asking $30. PM if interested, or call 206.459.3732. Cheers!
  16. actually, wilderness areas are specially designated areas within national forests, national parks, etc. and are managed by that agency. 97% of mt. rainier is actual wilderness, designated through the washington wilderness act in 1988. so, the wilderness act does very much apply to all management within the park.
  17. hey--regarding the quarks-- how old are these? how much action have they seen? are you selling them with leashes or no? this is important info before one can make an offer. that being said, i am interested... what do you think is a fair price for these?
  18. wow. that was a great trip report. but no, i don't think it was me that told any stories? but maybe. you never know with me.
  19. Let's just say that in November, there is absolutely 100% no friggin' way of guessing 1) what conditions will be like, 2) if it will be postholin' or skiing on the muir snowfield, 3) how high one could ski if one can ski, 4) what the snow/ice condition will be like in april!!! in fact, i'll be that even the night before the climb, you'll still be guessing... i re-emphasize the general consensus that gib ledges in april isn't the most ideal place to introduce your kin to the mountain... wait until august... cheers!
  20. i too had a denali pro. i loved it for the first six months... until i took it to denali. i started to notice immediately that it wasn't very comfortable when fully loaded---grated into my hip bones, hurt my shoulders... after shlepping it around the the glaciers for five weeks, i cracked on the descent down the kahiltna. my partner thought i had lost it!! i threw the denali pro into my sled and hauled it the last mile, cursing throughout. sold the thing on ebay as soon as i got home. i still haven't replaced it with another expedition sized pack, but i imagine that since comfort is what i am really after, i will fork over a little more and get a custom-made pack.
  21. hey, i met freddie on the ruth this spring. he was very "kind" to me.
  22. Good for you Brian! I'm glad to hear that you're still hanging around the mountain!
  23. I've spent the past week staring up at the Success Cleaver...there is virtually no snow on the route until about 11,000' and then very little. With all the the nasty crappy rock above and below, and such warm weather, I would probably avoid this corner of the mtn. Good luck with whatever you do.
  24. Has anyone been up there recently, or had a good look at the route from below? Any into appreciated, thanks!
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