Stephen_Ramsey

Nice trip report. Did you do the hike over to the summit of Cannon Mountain? (right hand side of your picture).

Hi Bronco, Nice trip report! Credit goes to Paul Kelnke for the photo. Cheers, Steve

In a Climbing magazine a while back, they had an article about people in New York City who rappel down elevator shafts in abandoned buildings, for fun. I guess it's kind of an underground sport/activity, since it is illegal.

I called the NPS to ask about this on Friday... I was told that the road from Longmire to Paradise is now open 24/7 (obviously, weather permitting). I don't know if the Paradise Ranger station is staffed, though. Cheers, Steve

Thanks for the Trip Report and route info. I'm curious as to why you felt the route was really committing... do you feel it would simply not be possible to retreat from the ice cliff using a V-thread and some double-rope rappels? Would appreciate hearing your thoughts, as I'm contemplating heading up there. I had naively assumed the level of commitment was not too high. Also, do you feel it can be done with fewer screws? We were thinking about bringing 5-6 screws, and hoping to simul-climb through the ice cliff section using a reverso on a screw, in lieu of a belay. Is this a bad idea? Thanks.

Hey Jon, Nice trip report! That was probably the pin that I left on the way down, about a month ago. I'm surprised nobody has bootied it yet! Cheers, Steve Ramsey

I have the Exocet, and have used it for years. It is OK. My only real complaint is that it has only one ice axe loop, which is inconvenient when you have two ice tools (or two tools and a shovel, in winter). In my opinion, it is not really light enough to carry along in addition to your overnight pack, as a summit assault pack. But it is fine for day climbs and cragging. The buckle on the sternum strap tends to come loose, so you'll want to use tape or something to make sure it doesn't eventually fall off.

BD ice screws (various sizes) Camp Tricams 0.5 - 3.0 assorted KBs, bugaboos, and a #1 angle BD stoppers 1-13 BD hexes #6, #8 Forged Friends 2.0 - 4.0 want to add: small cams, Ushba ice piton

Thanks, Alex & Alex. That clears up my confusion. Great pictures!

Hi Alex, Nice trip report. Thanks for posting. Does the Kautz Glacier route go straight up the ice cliff? Or is it possible to skirt around the ice cliff and climb a chute off to the side? Thanks for any information. Cheers, Steve P.S., I don't know if you remember me, but I think we met on McClellan Butte.

Lemme see, an extra 160g of weight, just to save "up to 25%" on fuel efficiency (from MSR web page). When MSR claims "up to 25%", they probably mean under ideal conditions. In the real world it is probably quite a bit less. In terms of fuel, 160g of white gas is about 6.7 fluid ounces of volume. Assuming 20% efficiency gain from the heat exchanger (this is generous), you'd have to burn 33 fluid ounces worth of white gas, in order to save an amount of white gas equal to the weight of the heat exchanger. Since 33 ounces is enough fuel to melt snow for two climbers for a 4 day trip, it only seems worth it if you are going on a trip longer than 4 days (and you need to be melting snow all four of those days). Even at break-even, I'd favor just bringing more fuel because the heat exchanger is bulkier and (unlike fuel which you burn up) has to be carried out. I dunno, maybe it would be useful for long trips in the winter...

That place must be the Bermuda Triangle for gear. I don't suppose you happened to see two 22-cm ice screws out there, did you?

Would heli-ski operators be allowed to fly in NCNP?

While stomping a belay platform on Horsetail Falls in Colordao, I accidentally punched a 1 cm hole in the top of my boot with a crampon tine. However, with a bit of sandpaper and seam grip, it was easy to repair. I never did try Dru's suggestion of using a soldering iron.

25 oz for a 20-deg bag is pretty darn light. Second the endorsement of Bibler.

Hmmm... To get a result of "99% passing", they must have scooped at least a hundred biners (99% = 99 out of a hundred passed). I guess I'm going to have to make a booty-hunting expedition down to Yosemite...

Yes, that was me and my wife Elain. Hopefully the weather will be better next time.

My wife and I were hoping to climb the North Ridge. But Mount Baker said, "Not". Cheers, Steve

RodChester, Were you the party we saw at the Hogsback on Sunday, and followed back down to the trailhead? If so, hello. We were the party of two who were camped on the Roosevelt at about 7300'.

Have you considered some of the Snoqualmie Pass rock climbs? For example, Chair Peak's East Face, or Guye Peak's South Rib?

The Suunto Altimax is great for alpine climbing. It can easily be operated with gloves on, and it is easy to read. The three alarms are great for ensuring an alpine start. It is nice to be able to operate the watch without having to de-glove. It is very cold resistant, and easy to calibrate. As for size (I assume it is weight that is the concern?), it only weighs 1.9 oz, and even less if you remove the strap and wear it around your neck on a thin cord. For something as critically important as an altimeter, it doesn't seem to be too heavy. IMHO. As far as drift is concerned, it doesn't seem to be a big problem, for me. I just note the altitude when I reach camp, and recalibrate the next morning before I start climbing. Anyhow, even if your altimeter had drift prevention built in, one would want to check the drift correction in the morning in order to know what the weather is doing. The Altimax is a triumph of function over fashion.

Wow... 907 grams... that's a beast. I wouldn't have the strength to wield it. Nor would I want to carry it into the mountains. Anything over 700 grams seems heavy to me.

Didn't Peter Croft traverse the entire Stuart Range in a day? That must have nabbed 5 or 6 peaks in the top 100 (Stuart, Argonaut, Colchuck, Dragontail, ..., Cannon) Other random factoid: Baker and Shuksan have been climbed together in the same day. EDIT: Oops, just saw J_B's post. Sorry for the duplication.

I think jja climbed Chair Peak one night this past winter, and got to work the next day. (Not that I could do it...)