Gary_Yngve

Propose my thesis. I haven't had a girlfriend for longer than two months since over six years ago. (And I don't see that changing until after I graduate.)

When Jule and I did it the 2nd weekend of July two years ago, we took boots and axes, no crampons. I'm not too experienced with snow and approach shoes, but my guess is that you'd probably want crampons with the approach shoes. The snow approaching the base of the route (especially around the moat) can be quite hard. I had a good look at Dragontail two Sundays ago from the top of Cashmere. There's still some snow left coming down from Asgard Pass (it's pleasant when it's all snow, tolerable with no snow, but downright annoying with a mix). There's a patch of snow before you gain the route (and likely a small moat). The descent from the summit of Dragontail to the Enchantments should be pretty mellow plunge-stepping if the snow is reasonably soft (which it should be).

JoshK, I think you're being a little harsh. The 3rd had a map, according to one of the news stories. I know I've definitely done trips where we don't each carry a map. They split up and forgot about the map. A storm hit them as they were climbing the North Face. They got disoriented on the summit. Yes, from now on, they'll probably each make sure that they're always carrying maps. But I'm sure every one of us is guilty of being in the mountains and not being as adequately prepared as we could have been -- just that most of us got away with it without being on the news.

Mundanespeedclimbing.org would like to report another speed ascent. On Wednesday, my partner Dan attempted several speed ascents on the slopes of an unnamed peak (5800') from 5750' to 5780'. Though he battled poor visibility and wet ground, his fastest time was 9.8 seconds.

TomTom, That so-called "Picnic At Ascot" backpack has delusions of adequacy. What sort of heathen would defile their Champagne in a plastic cup? But of course, the same hillbilly who would eat pie on a plastic plate. Though the average dolt proudly realizes that glass and ceramics are fragile, those of us who are civilized possess the poise and panache to enjoy and preserve such a luxury.

Was it a standard American English "whump," or was there any dialect?

Yeah, I guess that didn't come out well, though I was trying not to insinuate anything. Snow conditions up high sound weird right now. In a trip report here a few days ago on Glacier Peak, they were reporting whoomping.

The news rept said they were found on the south side of Vesper. It's rugged terrain, with lots of ravines, as well as brush down below.

Wow, 16 hours seems like a really long time to cross the Coleman and climb the North Ridge (I'd venture to guess that the average party would take 8 hours or less.) What do you think caused things to take so long? Bad snow conditions? A large group? Placing too many pickets? Did you ever feel concerned about objective hazards given the warmth and from being on the route for so long?

Let's hope that there's better visibility today.

Liberty Mtn is in the Mtn Loop Hwy area SSE of Three Fingers.

I was going to say yes, I was found not guilty, but Dechristo beat me to it. Current plan is to propose in Fall. I had planned on doing it in Spring but I was teaching for funding all year (got the dept's TA of the year award!), so I was slowed down. Then defend my thesis roughly a year later. But no, the suit was not school-related. As I said, wait for a TR.

Very cool!

Someone asked me today if I had lost weight. I blamed it on wearing a baggier shirt.

So does anyone know how to contact the courts to contest a ticket without being present? We got ticketed in Lworth (we had three passes in our car and accidently put the expired one on the dash) back in October and got sent to court in Spokane, so we just bent over and let the Feds have their fun. (It was only $25, I think.)

there better be a bloody good reason for that! Have patience, and a TR shall come!

Hmmm, now that I think about it, I might have seen her. In other news, I'll be wearing a suit and tie tomorrow. Can't remember the last time I've done that.

Anyone else go? Good times! Last one I had been to was 2001. Lots more naked bicyclists, less political propaganda this time. Sorry, no pics -- my camera was MIA at the time, but has since been found.

Hi Jonah, There are plenty of local PNW climbers who have been yelled at too for being too boastful (or being perceived as such) about their accomplishments. Wayne's post about the Pickets Traverse with Colin and Marko, for example. The original post did come across to me as either a little boastful or meant to chase after sponsorships/zines. Most in-a-day efforts here are done out of curiousity if it can be done or because one has only so much time to sneak away from work, the wife, or the bottle. There is no real sense of competition, aside from improving your own times, and no one really cares much about records. Most of us look at speed as not the ends but the means to the ends (i.e. you don't speedclimb in the Valley to set records (unless you're breaking your buddy's record) but to be able to go to Patagonia/Greenland/Baffin and rack up the FA/FFAs, or in Chad Kellogg's case, speedclimbs on Rainier and Denali to prepare him for the Himalaya). Hans Florine gave a show here a few years ago, and it did seem to have a slight flair of arrogance and contrivance to it. That's also why we're so pissed off at Dan fido. Making speed the end-all, and officiating it, is a bastardization of our sport, regardless of the fact that his pants are on fire.

I was disappointed when the article mentioned such Boston universities as Boston U and Northeastern. Why did they conveniently omit Hahvahd and MIT? Sure, they're in Cambridge, but that's like saying Fremont's not in Seattle. Sounds to me more like certain universities didn't want their reputations tarnished.

If they think that that is the prime benefit of running a university climbing club, they are really missing out.

The library thing was way cool. I especially liked the attitude they all had that they worked as team, and they all got satisfaction of putting someone on the summit, knowing that without everyone's individual help, the summit would not have happened. The photographer (Steve Marks?) is badass. Marie was a no-show at PC; Orianda and Eric showed up later (21:45?). Otherwise, the folks present were DaveS, DaveB, Emily, Pax, Klenke, Ralph, Kurt, and Porter.

I may stop by after the downtown shindig.

Shapp, you just answered your own question. The dog almost died during the rescue. Had the dog died, there could have been a lawsuit. Is SAR trained in animal rescue? No.

The burns are on the first half of the slope between Lil Eightmile Lake and Lake Caroline. Above are gorgeous meadows. Flowers are pretty.