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rock-ice

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Posts posted by rock-ice

    Found: Two Ropes @ FDW

    in Lost and Found

    Posted

    Found two fairly well worn ropes at Fee Demo Wall. We had been climbing at FDW all day and hadn't seen a single car at the lot, or person at the wall. If they were left on purpose I'm sorry, simply contact me. It didn't feel right, the way the were tied in, and the wear on the knots lead me to believe they had been there for sometime.

    -Michael

    [TR] Fortress -> Buck- Buck Creek Scramblefest 8/12/2004

    in North Cascades

    Posted

    Climb: Fortress -> Buck

    -Buck Creek Scramblefest

     

    Date of Climb: 8.12-14.2004

     

    Trip Report:

    Thursday morning my long time instructor of all things peak bagging, Eric Willhite, woke me up with the sounds of his shufling feet. Before I was truly conscious we were in the car.

     

    We left the Buck Creek TH around 10o'clock. Already we could tell it was going to be a warm day. At each creek crossing for the next three days we paused to dunk our heads and Dozer, Eric's malamute, would lay down, pack and all in the cool water.

     

    Dozer at packwood lake last year.

    1757Dozer-med.JPG

     

    We dumped our gear a couple hundred feet below Pass No Pass, left Dozer with some water and headed up the heather slopes of Fortress. If you take any line through the heather and then talus slopes you should be ok. Keep some what to the right hand side of the face. It will become very clear why when you see the wonderful snow patch hidden on this side. The snow is a welcome break from the choss all around. At the top of it resume grovelling up a particularly loose gully. From here slant left towards the summit. Just below the top Eric was on a ledge traversing left and he knocked his head. When I arrived on top he had blood down one side of his face. It wasn't too bad but looked really cool. Some happy birthday. This was kind of ironic because whenever I would comment on how small his pack was he would say, "what do you think I'm carrying a first aid kit or somthing?"

     

    The next day we moved further along the trail to Buck Creek pass, from where we took the High Pass trail East and South. Along the way to high pass we scrambled up Liberty Cap (10 minutes off the trail) and Mt. Cleator. The top of Cleator was invested with these horrible red flying ants, which we hadn't seen until that point.

     

    Since it was only 11 we decided that we would move up our plans to climb Berge and Buck, so instead of climbing them the next day on our way out we figured we'd cruse up and bag them. We left Doze to swim and sleep at a tarn Southwest of High Pass. A short traverse and a 1000 foot climb found us sitting perplexed atop Berge's South Ridge. After much discussion we concluded Berge's true summit lay to the Northwest across a small basin. Scrambling to the summit was a blast, but we wern' there long for the fire ants owned this mountain top as well.

     

    With that we dropped the 1000 feet we had gained in order to reach Buck's Eastern slopes. We hydrated at a small creek which drops Precipitously to the East towards the valley floor. The slog up to a centraly located gap is fairly simple despite some tricky looking bits. Just stay to the middle of the face and you'll be ok. At this gap there was a lot of confusion about which summit was the highest finally we concluded it was the middle one. I am not yet sure it was the true summit, but it was certainly higher that the North summit.

     

    The view of Buck's many summits. Klenke's picture from the gallery.

    945buck_west_side_i_anno.jpg

     

    By the time we dropped back down to the valley floor the sun was beginning to set, which made the climb back over and then down Berge's south ridge a little more bearable.

     

    That night I kept Eric up with my shivering. I didn't want to be burdend with a bag and thought a bivy sac would be enough. So at first light we were gone. We reach the car around noon.

     

    Day One: 5,874 Elevation Gain

    Day Two: 5,666+ Elevation Gain

    Something like 35 miles on and off trail

     

    Gear Notes:

    Had:

    Ice Axe

    Crampons (didn't use)

    Bivy sac

     

    Shoulda had:

    Camera

    sleeping bag

     

    Approach Notes:

    Plenty of water along the trail to Buck Creek Pass, but there is very little from there until just before High Pass. This would be a very unpleasant traverse in September when the snowfields have finally stopped giving water.

    Middle Fork Crags

    in Alpine Lakes

    Posted

    Beyond fee demo wall (big thanks to the developers) what else is there in the area? Is there any developement going on currently? Thanks for any info. Seems like its not a far drive to escape the weekend E 38 crowds.

    Accident on Shuksan: Info?

    in Climber's Board

    Posted

    Amazing how some rescues are so hyped they make primetime national news, while others take place in almost total obscurity.

     

    Regardless, knowing the details of climbing accidents that take place in our local hills is valuable to everyone who climbs. It would be much appreciated if a recount of the Shuksan accident could be told here.

     

    Darin

    No harm meant but i think it had something to do with the fact that at least one of the climbers on rainier was from the east coast (maine i think).

    thumbs_up.gif to a speedy recovery.

    First Aid Kits

    in The Gear Critic

    Posted

    read some articles by lightwiegh backpackers. they have it down to a science.

     

    it may have been stated above but knowing how to use what you have is the most important thing. get trained if you can.

    Exit 38

    in Rock Climbing Forum

    Posted

    I went up their after school mid-febuary searching for dry rock. Back then there was no snow at the trestle area and most of the far side, including gun show, overhaul, gritscone and interstate park. On a sunny day, like today, I think you'd find enough dry stuff to keep busy. Stick to the sunny walls like overhaul.

    sewn quickdraw vs. tied webbing draw

    in Newbies

    Posted

    lets not forget that climbing with tied slings is one of those signs, like wandering around the Dihedrals with a rack of hexes, or full forearm tape jobs at Squamish, that shouts out BUMBLY hahaha.gif
    Yeah, either that or just plain poverty stricken.

     

    i hear that frown.gif

    For Runners

    in Fitness and Nutrition Forum

    Posted

    wazzumountaineer said:

    run in new places, do a trail run with snaf.gif, go run at night, find a partner who's motivated, sign up for a race, look for hot snaf.gif and chase them, hill repeats, listen to music, listen to the rain, stomp through puddles like you're a kid...the list goes on and on. do anything to make it fun and different.

     

    Running trails is so much better than pounding concrete. Its better for your body, more entertaining (better scenery, usually) and you won't get trash thrown at you !grin.gif

    And when you start to get used to one area change it up. Also, try not to do the same sort of runs all the time. I find if I only run distance for a while I get wasted mentally and need something different.

     

    music = big thumbs_up.gif

    Snow levels

    in Alpine Lakes

    Posted

    eric8 said:

    As anyone been to source lake or that general area with in the last few days? Trying to figure out if floatation is required.

     

    I was up there last weekend. I took snowshoes but didn't need them, but with the new precipitation its prolly a good idea.

    Snow levels

    in Alpine Lakes

    Posted

    eric8 said:

    As anyone been to source lake or that general area with in the last few days? Trying to figure out if floatation is required.

     

    I was up there last weekend. I took snowshoes but didn't need them, but with the new precipitation its prolly a good idea.

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