JoshK

MattP, good analysis. Alison, was this class tailored to our snow? I'd be willing to bet (no real data here) that anybody buried that deep (or for that matter, more than a ski pole deep) in heavy cascade snow is either dead already from the impact or is not going to get dug up in time. To be honest, I carry a shovel and peep around here, but not a probe.

Just a random thought, but I'm guessing this might be the answer... "I know sleeping aloft is not the standard way to climb this route, but it sure sounds like a great way to pass the night to me"

Just a winter climbing course. I asked one of the guides.

OK, here are some pics. The links to the full size ones are below each picture. Ski Tracks on the Muir Snowfield http://www.cascadeclimbers.com/plab/showphoto.php?photo=3523&size=big&password=&sort=1&cat=509 Adams, Hood and St Helens at Sunset http://www.cascadeclimbers.com/plab/showphoto.php?photo=3518&size=big&password=&sort=1&cat=509 The RMI Cattle Train Crossing Ingrahm Glacier http://www.cascadeclimbers.com/plab/showphoto.php?photo=3521&size=big&password=&sort=1&cat=509 Mt. Rainer in the Afternoon Sun http://www.cascadeclimbers.com/plab/showphoto.php?photo=3520&size=big&password=&sort=1&cat=509 Mount Adams and the Tatoosh http://www.cascadeclimbers.com/plab/showphoto.php?photo=3519&size=big&password=&sort=1&cat=509

Nobody was arguing against jump turns, ski. I dunno, maybe they were, but yes, obviously, they are nescessary on much terrain around here. And it's not like it looks like you are wimping out, it looks cool.

Of course, like any mountain around here, conditions are going to dictate everything. If you are a decent skier you should have no problem skiing the coleman demming route in good conditions. It's a great ski with spring corn. The roman wall is the steepest part, but itsn't very steep. I skied it in mountaineering boots, so it can't be that hard. As for getting up the thing, that totally depends on your comfort. If you are planning on skiing down, then I would want as little crevasing as possible and would just skin up without a rope. Your comformt level may very. My recommendation would be to simply find another person who is interested in doing a ski climb and has that experience and go along with them. It'll be a great time.

Hey Alex, it was good meeting you guys at Muir. Just so you know...I'm still jealous

The last thing we need is to start the speculation and second guessing game, but I've been in lady wilson's cleavage and I dont think I'd have the balls to do it in anything more than "low" avalanche conditions. I remember it being the terrain trap to end all terrain traps. It was threatened from nearly every direction. Thankfully we did it early in the year and there was no snowpack. Even when it's people I dont know, it hits pretty hard when they are people who are from towns right next to you, doing the same things you like to do.

Yeah, my trip up to panaroma point and back a few weeks ago in a comlpete whiteout was right up there. Afwul snow and complete vertigo. I actually came to a complete stop and then fell right over a few times.

I have a surefire recipe for unfun. Pick a day or two when the weather looks nasty, pack a bunch of crap and head out saying "I know it'll break, it's gonna clear up." Then proceed to next day or two in the tent. For extra fun, go somewhere with a snowpack but *below* the expected snow level. This recipe has worked for me time and time again.

Hey Alasdair, check your PMs. Also, I met a buddy of yours (he mentioned your name at least) up at Camp Muir yesterday. He had a snowboard with him and was with another guy. I've actually got a few shots of him snowboarding that I took while I was up chillin on panorama point. Unfortunately he took a different route than i was expecting, and was farther away, so I didn't have a long enough lens on to get anything great. Anyway, if you think he might be interested, put him in touch with me and I can send him the photos.

Has anybody done this in the winter? It looks like a natural winter route, but granted very long. I was looking at it yesterday and it looks like pretty low objective danger the entire way up, since it's a pretty defined ridge. I've never seen it up close, however. Any info appreciated. thanks! -josh

Oh god , how awful. I remember from last year what an absolutely horrific terrain trap that is. My thoughts go out to their families.

Ha! That sounds really cool. Crisp, clear nights are awesome!

Awesome! That sounds amazing. Good time knocking off that vertical too!

Nope, I wanted to but I didn't have a partner, and thus, a second car. The snow is continuous all the way down however. If I had to guess, it looks like about 3 or 4 deep feet at the elevation where the moraine crosses under the bridge. Unless we get any big melt soon, it should probably be good to go for a while.

Weather looks not great, but hopefully not terrible. Maybe decent for something east crest? Climb? Ski tour?

I dunno, I dont really mind it too much. I've always liked it better than on snowshoes. The road down is definitely easier on skis. I actually had a really good run from colchuck lake down to mountainer creek once through the trees. Not sure where I went or how I got there, I just pointed down and went. It was decent skiing.

Here are just a couple of nitpicks...not sure if this is the type of stuff you're looking for. *Cutthroat peak, east coulior minor suggestion,but it may be worth noting that since the route gets the morning sun, and you'll be most likely climbing in april/may, an early start is esential. Climbers should plan to be at the bottom of the coulior as the sun rises unless you get a really cold day. Ya also might want to add pins specifically to the gear list. I know it says rock pro, but considering we used pins almost exclusively, the tip may help. *Sherpa Peak, North Ridge May be worth a note that the NR can be easily climbed from the standard camp in upper mountaineer creek beneath the sherpa glacier as well as the mentioned basin. We chose this approach since the "trail" is much more maintained due to the stuart traffic. *Whitehorse Mountain Ya may want to add an approach note about the Mine road...it's getting pretty beat up. Getting up it in a standard clearance vehicle is probably pretty difficult now. It doesn't look like the maintain it, but who knows. The climbs with approaches crossing the cascade river may need a slight update too. The forest we were all used to walking through for a few hundred feet is now gone due to the rainstorm.

good points. the fact is a really good photographer with a point and shoot is still gonna take better pics than my sorry ass

Yeah, I was sick of looking at it out of the window the last few days too The real kicker was when my teacher was showing pics of the local volcanoes while discussing volcanism and rock structures or some such. I figured I better go do some hands on learning.

It's been a colder than average winter overall, I'm pretty sure. The several cold snaps should have given some climbing opps, but guess not. Stuff is hard to get to due to lots of low level snow. I'm really surprised more shit didn't get climbed the last few days. Conditions looked pretty awesome.

That shitty kind of rime is exactly what we found on the entire west ridge portion of the stuart glacier coulior climb last year. THat crap is *scary*. I think half of the time the only reason why I kept going up it was because we had NO other option.

Hey Norman. Yeah, it was gorgeous! Really nice day. Beautiful blue skys and actually very good snow. Adams, Helens and Hood were all lookin' good and the tatooshies looked awesome! As a bonus, something like 17 people summited today! I was surprised, because it was otherwise very quiet on the snowfield.

Hmm, I'm betting on nikon. Nikon's digital offerings have been much stronger than canon's thus far. I suppose that could be argued, however.